Labour shadow cabinet

The article referenced in my post at 07:41:59 highlights the risk in over aggressive cuts + hype. The fact that they would ease cuts if economy worsens or improves suggests that risks are high. I think that we should probably be cutting but NOT scaring people for political reasons.

Warsi thinks cos she is northern, ethnic minority woman, she thinks that she has purged the Tory party of their bias.

Warsi Ov-ER - EN-un-CI-ates in an irritating way and pauses in all the wrong places when she speaks.

She also comes out with prejudiced crap e.g.

• is opposed to lesbians having IVF

• thinks that single mothers always let their children down and said that she did so when she got divorced. I think she has now remarried.

yes Warsi was a total disaster. I forgot about the self-satisfied snapping back part. You're right about that. It seems that power has gone to her hed. I don't remember her being as bad as this before, but maybe I am mistaken.

Oh yes. the Question Time preformance by Baroness Warsi was cringing to watch - especially when she kept shouting, and then when she had finished she snapped back in her seat for dramatic effect.

Ed Balls is Labour's attack dog. He might have been good against Boy Goeorge. I think Ed M wants to do his own Finance policy. Alan J is well supported by the unions so it might be a strategy to help contain and appease the unions? Hew is also Mr Commonsense. Ed Balls will not stand in the way of YC vying for PM. He is smart enough to recognise her strengths. They were already both in politics when they got together. She isn't your Tory wife turn politician.

I am not convinced that Osbourne understands the risk that he is taking with the economy if he took extreme cuts too soon

It's because they're trying to replicate Thatcher (but unlike her, haven't trained themselves to talk in a low voice)

Sigh Claig and Longfingernails - Equality Act is not a thoughtcrime bill. Legal test for harassment is detriment as defined and represents a high hurdle but carry on if you would rather regurgitate whatever the Daily Hate vomits up.

Theresa May and Warsi are both awful. Should be of real concern that the only women who seem to prosper in Tory party are shrill with awful sub sixth form style of public speaking and demonstrate not an ounce of high grade intellect.

agree with EightiesChick, Johnson is affable but ineffectual. Ed Balls would have taken the fight to Osborne.

lonfingernails did mention the Tories putting through Labour's thoughtcrime bill
"let's ignore her putting through Harriet Harman's awful thoughtcrime bill as part of her Equalities brief"

I was very disappointed that the Tories continued Labour's anti-freedom stance. I can't understand what possessed them to carry on with these type of policies. We thought we had seen the back of them.

LF - did you not see Theresa May on Newsnight on Wednesday? It was toe-curlingly awful. Only topped by Baroness Warsi's inept SHOUTING performance on Question Time last night. Only 4 women in cabinet and 2 of them are clearly out of their depth. What a shame for the Tory sisterhood.

Don't get the Johnson decision at all. He comes across as affable but not as a fighter - the chancellor should be able to stick the knife into Osborne.

LF - is there anything the tories could do that you wouldnt agree with?

TM is a good egg, i think

Chil1234 You are probably right about PR, but I thought pitching a real working momagainst Osborne would have been a coup.

Surprised about Ben Bradshaw. I always thought that he was a good communicator?

But it was wrong and now we do just have to move on .

Yes, Flint needs to fuck off. I mean that kindly. Sort of.

I repeat- Copper woll be the next Labour PM; my favourite anyway

I don't think I can bear the thought of caroline flint back.

Because Johnson's a gruff 'man of the people' and George Osborne is a 'shiny toff'. It's PR. But he will be like the ventriloquist's dummy... Ed's hand up his back and Johnson mouthing the words. Balls and Cooper were an intellectual threat... they actually know something about economics!

The rest have clearly been told 'everyone apologise for Iraq if you're asked' . If one more shadow minister says 'it was wrong and now we just have to move on'... I'll kick the radio.

escorchio - absolutely.

I'm surprised at Burnham, I'm surprised at Johnson. Johnson seems like a top bloke, a clever man - but with two such good prospective shadow Chancellors in Balls and Cooper, why he was picked is beyond me.

Litchick, in his conference speech, Ed Milliband clearly said he won't oppose all cuts. The argument they're making (I think ) is against the speed and brutality of the cuts and their belief it's not the best way to fix things as it could tip us into a double dip recession. From what I've seen none of the candidates for leadership ever denied the deficit, or that cuts need to be made.

I wonder if either YC or EB were offered Chancellor and turned it down before it went to Alan Johnson.

Aside from that, quite pleased with Burnham at education.
Alan Johnson v interesting choice for Chancellor, not so pleased with his reaction on the news, it was a bit sort of unconvincing. Need real fire against Osborne.

But why do they keep referring to Yvette Cooper as "wife of Ed Balls" ffs. She came top of the vote, why can't they call him husband of Yvette Cooper.....