Cook quits

I bet she's mad as hell at Robin Cook. Now, if she doesnt follow suit, she's going to look like (even more of) a t.wat. Congrats david, on the thread title most likely to give me a heart attack by the way...

Know what you ment Liana made me sit up. As for Robin Cook never did like the man bet their is something in it for him or using the situation at the moment to suit his own end's always felt there was something shady about him...

A very shrewd move on Cooks part, it can't have escaped his mind that Tony is cooking the New Labour goose, and he wants to be remembered as a principled contender for the leadership when the dust settles. Clare Short is a typical whinging bitch with NO principles, or at least none that she is prepared to lose her job over, she KNOWS she would never be in the frame for leadership.

What amuses me, Missi, is that you are so cynical that you can’t believe anyone would resign purely out of principal and yet you can believe that Bush and Blair are about to start a war - with a country that has absolutely no hope of providing any real opposition to their military might - for the sake of peace! George W. renown for his caring approach to the environment and his diplomatic attitude to world politics - has reluctantly decided that he will invade another country for its own good. Bush and Blair, such caring, moral men were busy arguing about who gets the Iraqi oil rights while still pretending they were looking for a peaceful resolution to the problem. After waiting for 12 years they decided that Dr Hans Blix and his team were taking too long and it would be better to start a war so they could get the oil flowing in a few days rather than a few weeks - but, of course, it was all France‘s fault. No doubt France will be made to pay for their arrogance in not blindly agreeing with the all powerful, peace loving Americans. Obviously the ’allies’ have a perverse understanding of the old adage of ‘pouring oil on troubled waters’!

I'm with Missi on the Cook resignation. I'm not saying that Cook doesn't oppose the war, I'm sure he does but he also knows that resignation will help him politically. Before he went he was sidelined in a dead-end non-job. Now he can be the leader of the growing band of Labour MPs who've had enough of Blair. Short on the other hand has more to lose by quitting. She likes her job and quite fancies the idea of going into a 'liberated' Iraq and taking the credit for helping to rebuild it. If she'd just kept her mouth shut that would've been fair enough but following her outburst last week she's got to go. If she stays, then she has no credibility whatsoever. On the wider issue, I think it's entirely possible that Tony Blair genuinely believes that Saddam Hussein is a serious threat to world peace and that we should get rid of him for that reason. I still believe he's wrong.

I bow to your superior understanding of the obscure workings of the Labour Party, David. Perhaps it's me that's naive in thinking that any career politician would put principal before profit. As for Blair, I could understand him better if he resigned and joined the Conservative Party, where I always thought he belonged. If he really believes Saddam is a serious threat to world peace why doesn't he wait for proof? Because he was foolish enough to believe Bush - who doesn't care whether Saddam is a threat or not - and now has to follow him right or wrong!

mykle, do us all a favour a go and be a human shield for a few days theres a good boy. oh, and while your there, check out those mirage jets the iraqi air force use.

I rarely reply to nameless proxies, dunce. Reading your other posts I take it that you are not the usual poisoned proxy and have a cartain intelligence and therefore deserve a reasonable response. I know that I often come over as a thoughtless opponent to war. I take no insult that you see me as a peace lover - even though I was a ‘tankie’ (by choice) in Her Majesty’s armed forces and willing to fight any just war. I have considered your recommendation and I have found myself wanting. I have never been frightened to die for my country - or for what I believe in - the proof of course is in the pudding and I must admit that I am not as ready now as I once was. I am extremely disturbed by current event and I ask that people that read this understand that I , unlike Mr Bush, cannot take following events lightly!

as well as cook, john denham a home office minister, and Lord Hunt a health minister have both now resigned... cook has given up £70,000 a year as a full cabinet minister, the other two would have also given up considerable moolah, as well as status,etc.. cook may be vain enough to feel he could offer himself as an alternative to blair's leadership, so his reasons for resigning my be ambition linked to principle, the principle allowing him an easy way out... the other two, were not obvious candidates for leadership, especially lord hunt, who isn't even an mp. and while the tories have had lords as leaders, the labour party has never elected a peer to leadership... the'r reasons for resigning would seem more pure than cooks.... are they leaving a sinking ship?

My respect for Clare Short has sky-rocketed. Since when has a considered change of mind been a weakness... in tabloids perhaps, but not in my books. It says much for Tony Blair's strength of leadership that despite embarking on a risky venture (but in my view the correct one in the current set of poor choices) that he is able to ably deal with principled criticism within his cabinet. In how many cabinets would the untimely yet heartfelt criticism of the order of Claire Short's have been tolerated? Clare Short is apparently very successful and good at her job.. in that she has modified her idealistic views over time and now takes a responsible and pragmatist approach which are actually achieving results that is changing peoples lives for the better... Clare Short has made the right decision, difficult though it must have been. Idealism is a luxury that should always take second place to going out there and changing the agenda... there is work to be done in Iraq, Palestine and the Middle East... grievances to be tackled, hearts and minds to be won over as well as people fed and bridges built.. and it requires people with the will and character to execute it. ...there are no predefined formulas for dealing with world events any more (some of us believe there never was)... idealism (whichever form it takes left, right, liberal, faith based) will always lose out as it presupposes solutions for humans that are known for all time... Flexible systems will always win out over rigid ones... Change and rebirth is a fundamental law of our world and in human terms history has shown time and time again that most ideas become outmoded.. In my view, history will look kindly on Blair... his amazing patience and doggedness with the pursuit of diplomacy in Northern Ireland... where despite differences there is a genuine desire for peace amongst the protagonists... against the rightful exercise of power ( IMO) when dealing with a thug mentality like Saddams... whose whole life philosophy has been to look on people as fodder to be trampled on in the pursuit of power... As for Robin Cook... there is no doubt about his incisive and analytical mind.. sadly, he will be missed in the Cabinet. However, brains are relatively easy to replace.. it is Character and Judgement that matters the most in leadership, the ability to take decisions and to accept the full responsibility that comes with that... also the humility to surround yourself with the best minds in the business for advice and analysis of how best to achieve a positive outcome (which is where Bush scores highly in my opinion) No doubt we live in interesting times. This, not 10 years ago, is the real end of the Cold War Era where real-politiking shored up some hideous regimes at the expense of their populations. Not a viable policy for security any nore.. not in our Globalised World.

and i can't see blair sacking anyone from the government as LBJ said in the 60s... "I'd rather have him iside the tent, pissing out, than outside the tent, pissing in"

I thought the thread meant Tony Cook had quit. Phew!

is steve gardiner waiting in the wings....? "0ne day all this will be mine"

clare short had a pmt moment last w/e and is now trying to salvage what is left of her career but it is too late. blair will kick her out when this is all over. cook is a hasbeen. his speech was designed to make him appear honourable (ask his first wife) but the 'don't let this happen to your kids' (a rarely seen advert from the 'don't shag ugly people' party) will see him disappear up the a.rse of brit politics soon enough, thankfully. Whilst I wait for war to break out (if I believe our reporters - har har) I offer the forum the following as a peace initiative: (it's a kind of job share thingy) Bush, the rabbit in headlights, is installed as Palestinian leader. Blair, the easter bunny, admits his wife is ugly (but is good for a BJ) and leads the prov IRA. Chirac admits to a liaison with Schroeder on Clapham common. Schroeder admits to dying his hair and playing turkey with Chirac - gobble gobble - and will go into exile within 48 hrs or we will come after his @!#$. the Saddams- for there are many - will walk into clapham police station and shuffle like naughty boys outside the heads study. Donald Rumsfeld will shut the f.uck up. (along with Paisley, Sharon and any other twat) I am appointed New World Leader. If anyone has a problem with that then please see my assistant, Ms Donna Fukwivme, who will surely blow your brains out

*get her* * flounces from thread*