The friends we make on holiday
James Forsyth 6:12pm
Much jollity at the Parliamentarian of the Year Awards today, both Peter Mandelson and George Osborne dealt with their reunion with commendable grace. One suspects that these two prime political operators have more respect for one another than one might think. Also, the good humour with which Osborne dealt with the general ribbing he received showed that he has the temperament and the perspective to ride out this current storm.
At the end of lunch, one rather mischievous guest joked to me that there should be an award for the politician whose stock has fallen the most in the last twelve months. I’m sure Coffee Housers will have some ideas on this front. I’m tempted to offer a bunch of bananas to the best suggestion but I fear that may be prejudging things.
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Oscar
November 13th, 2008 6:28pm Report this commentBut the answer isn't a bunch of bananas - it's the alpha male ape we have in the top job.
TGF UKIP
November 13th, 2008 10:06pm Report this commentJames, you are clearly going to go far at The Speccie so long as the current editor remains in charge (?!)
Polishing Boy George and simultaneously diverting attention to Miliband Major, now that's far more likely to earn you "brownie points" than all your brilliant reporting from the US.
Canon Alberic
November 13th, 2008 10:55pm Report this commentStock fallen since November 07?
Im afraid its Dave. Mind you look where Thatcher was in 1977. The biggest real loser is your banana carrying David who surely will never recover from this year.
Frank P
November 14th, 2008 1:51am Report this commentJolly japes, chaps! Fucking grow up and start opposing this abominable administration rather than plying it with Shampoo!
Kevyn Bodman
November 14th, 2008 2:37am Report this commentWhy should anyone have any respect for Mandelson?
He left the Cabinet under a cloud, twice.
Very shortly after coming back he polluted our political air with his brand of nastiness.
Whose stock has fallen furthest?
Osborne wins this one by a short head from Cameron.
You Conservatives made a bad mistake electing Cameron rather than Davis as your leader. You did it largely on the basis of one speech at your conference.Big mistake, on that basis you'd pick an actor over a statesman were the two in competition.
Since then Cameron has failed to mount an effective oposition on either the economy or civil liberties.He has failed in the other major area of a leader's role too; he hasn't selected the right team. Is he scared, out of wekness or lack of self-confidence, to put Davis and Hague in positions of greater prominence?
I have as mush distate and scorn for our current government as most people who come here; and I have huge disappointment at the performance of Cameron and Osborne.
Kev G
November 14th, 2008 8:19am Report this commentAt least when Nigel Lawson received the award twenty years ago, the committee thought long and hard before allowing his eligibility as a former editor of the Spectator.
I would guess that no such qualms attended Boris's acclamation this year, well deserved though it may be.
For about a nanosecond, I was warmed and amused by this ceremony. Christmas day in the trenches and all that.
Nah. The relationship between politics and journalism has evolved beyond a mere cosy symbiosis. The political class is now one vast mutual congratulation society with no extraneous purpose whatsoever and whose every attempt at intervention is counterproductive.
TOm
November 14th, 2008 9:22am Report this commentPeter Oborne's "Client media" shows its true colours again.
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