Excuse me sir, is that your pile of gold over there?

[beagle]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6179911.stm

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6179911.stm

What was that about Karma on another thread?

Or is it association with corruption, leads to corruption in yourself? (in that blair and bushie have close ties ... )

*bleah*

Or is it simple power-is-corrupting?

double-- *bleah*

[beagle]

There's always been a slightly dubious connection between the awarding of honours, and exactly what the "services rendered" might have been, but arguably the process has never been so cynically industrialised as under this government.

Unless we go back to Lloyd George the other famous incident AFAICR was Harold Wilson's Lavender List.

[Griffin NoName]

Why don't they have a specific honour for bribing giving money to politics. Like an OAF.

Then they could invent an imaginary county. Like Uppersex.

And then they could invent a whole load of places in Uppersex.

And also a form of adressing instead of Lord. Like Toff.

So they could be Toff Archer of Millionaks OAF.

etc.

Call a spade a spade. Then no one can complain.

Ohh, they would need a special bench in The Upper House. But that wouldn't be too hard would it?

Anyone like me wondering if they didn't caution precisely because anything said may then be prejudicial 

[beagle]

Anyone like me wondering if they didn't caution precisely because anything said may then be prejudicial 

I had two theories. One that the police were being very tactful, two that they were giving him enough rope.

The Torygraph reckons Blair is hanging Lord Levy (AKA as Lord Cashpoint) out to dry. The "party service" line is wearing a bit thin too:

One of the four who loaned Labour a total of £5 million in 2005 and whose peerages were blocked has admitted to being "mystified" by Mr Blair's claim that he was nominated for his peerage for "party service". A source said: "He has always understood he was nominated for his public service."

[goat starer]

cash for honours is really not a very interesting story in the sence that nearly everyone who has made substantial donations to major political parties in the UK seems to have recieved one for the last several hundred years.

The only reason this is coming out under Tony is that he had the audacity to pretend he was going to govern with integrity as opposed to the previous governments (yes Beagle including Thatcher  ) who didn't seem even remotely interested in hiding the financial relationships that were 'mutually beneficial'.

[beagle]

Ah, but catching politicians at hypocrisy is the most fun of all (remember John Major and "family values"?).

It shows the reality behind the spin. Whether on "ethical foreign policy", "standards in public life" or any other area you choose, the cynicism with which policy has been enacted behind the scenes is in marked contradiction to the public image. At least with the Tories ministers who misbehaved were out, not given three chances (token resignation, three months on the back benches, then back) before finally being sent off to a gravy train job in Brussels.

But I do partly agree. Like John Major before him, Tony Blair set himself up for the fall.

[goat starer]

and the moral for Blair and anyone who follows is...

never promise the morality of a whole party and a government (especially when your own need a bit of a polish).

[Griffin NoName]

I had two theories. One that the police were being very tactful, two that they were giving him enough rope.

Close to my theory which is that they were tactfully giving him enough rope. 

The only reason this is coming out under Tony is that he had the audacity to pretend he was going to govern with integrity

....and well, Loans !! I am currently disappointed at the hints that it is all a mere accounting issue. I want blood and the blood is the whole concept of Loans not Gifts. And I don't much care which government gets it, any would do. I don't like untidy maths and feel the need for the (Politician * Rich Person) = Loans = Trickery equation solved.

It shows the reality behind the spin.

I misread this (genuinely) as shows the reality behind the sin.

Beautiful interview moment. Preston rubbishing the Mail on latest emails (off topic).