Lefties 7: Simples

[Ewe]

Hope this is ok, I was getting withdrawal symptoms!

delurking to mark my place.

I also don't want "strong, stable government" I want to hit any mp that mentions it. Especially DC. Ideally with MmeLindt's wet fish grr

oops, should be

"Also, I don't want...." sorry

SGM, sorry to hear about dd2, I hope she's not suffering too much.

Good Morning all

Hupa: Wallace is probably too busy laying down phone lines in his flat or something it's what they normally do.

Reid and Blunket scared me this morning...after you all scared me last night...I had become quite optimistic about a Labour Opposition. Then I got excited. Now I am not so sure again.

God there's nothing but mung beans and falafel in this fridge. We need a shopping rota.

Ok Shopping

Bread (the nice heavy brown stuff that weighs a tonne and is full of chopped nails) unless anyone feels like baking today?
Pulses (various go wild! let's just admit were in for the long haul and make a dhal)
Sherry, fags, booze.

Say £5 each?

StewieGriffinsMom - so sorry to hear about your DD, I hope she feels better soon.

Great link Prolesworth - I especially like this bit;

"It's as though you borrowed money against your home to save a wayward relative from penury only to have them roll up a week later in a brand new Porsche and tell you to cut your food bill or they'll repossess the property."

Right, I Must Go And Do Some Work. Will pop back in when I break for lunch if I have got enough done.

Love the way that sherry doesn't really count as booze

reminds me of my student days

I am starting to feel rather out of my depth on this thread. Will limit myself to random interjections if that doesn't bother anyone?

Also, may go and look at a scary tory thread. Not sure. Don't want to get angry/burst into tears. Hmmm.

SGM, how old is your DD? Mine had it twice (at 9 months and 15 months) but now (9 years!) fit as a fiddle and never looked back. Grim at the time though, isn't it?

Bucharest, definitely recommend AC's diaries - they're the bonkbuster version of political memoirs, and v. good for people whose brains have turned to mush (talking about me here, not you!) as a way of getting back into political thought (okay, political soap opera). Tony Benn autobiography, Dare to be a Daniel, v. moving too. I have Denis Healey's and Barbara Castle's memoirs but confess to never having finished them (bought them when DS was born but ended up reading Ruth Rendell instead).

Oh, and don't forget Alan Clark's Diaries - obnoxious but compelling

Ooh yes, Prolesworth, that sounds like a new New Labour I could really support. Was never entirely comfortable with Blair.

Going to be attention seeking lazy and c&p my comments on the other thread:

Comment from DH last night, and as a German he is used to coalitions - it is the norm: They are being pushed too hard by the press and the public to reach a deal. Coalition talks can take weeks, it is not unusual for this to happen.

The German big coalition with CSU/SPD (conservative/labour) talks took 2 weeks and these are parties who are used to these talks.

And to the comments that Clegg is being unfair/holding the country to ransom/eating worms/we are doooooomed posts:

Clegg is not sneaking around, he is holding meetings to find the best partner. As he has to do.

And he is not holding the country to ransom. The Labour government is still in power and will stay there until a new government is grounded and approved.

It is not like GB has packed his trunk and trundled off to Scotland, we are not leaderless.

Coalition agreements take time and it is very irresponsible of the press to suggest it is something that is done in an afternoon, imo.

If you are talking about political books/autobiogs etc, I have just read the Diaries by Chris Mullin. Very good and brilliantly written.

Can also recommend Gile Brandreth's diaries (yes, really, you wouldn't believe it but they are terrific) about his time as an MP is the last poisonous term of tory power under John Major.

I love political biogs and diaries.

SGM
Hope DD is ok, pneumonia is a nasty one.

I am so torn at the moment. One one hand I believe that a Lib-Lab government would not be well accepted by the country (not to mention the meerkats) particularly with a new PM in September. I do not think that they can make it work, and the consequences in a further election would be horrendous for both the Labour and the Lib Dems.

On the other hand, the thought of a Tory Government makes me want to hide under the bed for the next 4 years.

Long-term I believe that the second option would be better for Labour (if they get their act together and don't start infighting)

@living in the now

I ventured onto a non-lefty thread

Snorting violently through my nostrils does not suit me so I have stopped

Stopped looking at the threads I mean, not the snorting. The snorting was involuntary.

Fab quote in the Guardian about Labour's secret negotiations with the LibDems. A Labour source said the LibDems told them the Tories were 'so desperate for power they were willing to offer us anything - it was almost embarrassing'.
Imagine Cameron clinging on to Cleggy's leg wailing as he tries to leave the room.

Yes also to Alan Clark. God knows how many times I have read those.

Never read Chips Channon though I ought to - they are referenced constantly in Alan Clark.

Yy to AC diaries - especially when he is having a barney with Neil Kinnock.

Tony Benn's diaires are excellent, however I have only read 3 of them (the later ones). Also recommend Dare to be a Daniel.