Lobbydog...

Tuesday 23 June 2009

The garden path comes back to haunt Beckett

When I spoke to Margaret Beckett last night she sounded angry – if I was her I would be too.

Just over two weeks ago she was sacked from the Government, without really being given a good reason by the PM.

Then, some say by Gordon Brown’s design, she was encouraged to stand for the Speaker’s position – possibly with the promise of support from whips.

No doubt many a Labour MP will have pledged support and there was the prospect of back-up from Tories disgruntled with Bercow.

The whips’ involvement back-fired, the Tory support didn’t come and her backing fell away after the first ballot – despite more votes being available.

She wasn’t willing to speak openly last night, but I suspect she feels as though she has been led up the garden path.

6 comments:

Alan Smart said...

good

Plato said...

Sauce for the goose...

Catosays said...

Makes a change from leading the electorate up the garden path. Now she knows what it feels like. Bitch!

Paul Linford said...

Mrs Beckett would have made a good Speaker, but her problem in this election was that she somehow managed to get branded as the "anti reform candidate." I don't think she was by any means, but that is how many MPs obviously viewed her.

Catosays said...

Many memebers of the public viewed her as 'anti-reform' too. Did you see her arrogant performance on Question Time?

Anonymous said...

She might not have been anti reform, but she stated herself that she'd only "facilitate" reform not push it herself - she might as well have said I'll reform as much as MPs want me to, which as we have seen in the past in sweet FA.

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