“Thoughtless and quite cruel”
11th June, 2009
For the absence of doubt, I’m the one on the left
First James Purnell, now Hazel Blears. I’m beginning to feel like a Catholic priest.
The Salford MP was in the MEN offices today to talk about what’s happened over the past few weeks.
She outlined three major regrets: the timing of her resignation, wearing that brooch, and her ‘YouTube if you want to…’ remark in a piece for the Observer.
Ms Blears doesn’t deny it was a joke at the prime minister’s expense. She couldn’t. She said she had immediately apologised, and that Mr Brown had accepted.
“I thought it was clever – it was too clever by half,” she told me a few minutes ago. “It was flippant and I only realised later how hurtful it was. It was thoughtless and it was hurtful.”
You can read the rest of the interview in tomorrow’s MEN. Highlights include: I didn’t know James was going, I won’t be back in government, and I was ’shocked’ by GB calling my behaviour unacceptable.
There is also a video clip here that’s well worth a watch.
Not sure why you have this desire to sit listening to corrupt politicians regurgitating their tales of woe in the hope that the publicity they had, could be re-introduced because they cannot live without adoration and attention by the media.
Countless columns about Purnell,and now its Blears showtime indicates the next interview will be with mouthy Caroline.Well with more than 200 Labourites at it,I reckon you will have plenty of working interviews ahead David,but please lets have it straight,your conversations are with hard nosed people who deserve nothing more than dumping out of the lives of their victims for good.Its time the victims not the scoundrels were acknowledged,not the dregs within the political system that need banishing Are they also treated to a free MEN meal because if so thats also being paid out of my subscription as a daily purchaser of the MEN,hence I am entitled to voice my opinion.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
I think we made her a cup of instant coffee.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
John, let it be. If anything, this interview gave Mrs. Blears more rope to hang herself with, metaphorically speaking.
She was the one gloating while “rocking the boat”, and now she’s coming back all contrived only because the hapless blairite “coup” failed miserably. It confirms her duplicitous attitude, and further erodes trust in her and her co-conspirators. What’s not to like ?
June 12th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Fair play to her – she faced the music, she gave an explantion and she showed character when pressed with David’s questions.
(Unlike those creepy Cabinet colleagues in grey suits that have kept their heads down. I mean you, Mr. Hoon.)
I’ve never been a fan (following her time in the Home Office with David Blunkett), but I’ve always had a sneaking regard for her energy and her Can-Do attitude. I can imagine that her characteristic need to take action and do something when all around her were dithering, was her undoing.
I’ll take a Champion, a fixer, a negotiator, a banger of heads together and an active MP over a ditherer and a skulking grey suit any day. (I’m still talking about you, Mr. Hoon!)
Good luck to you, Hazel. You’re well out of it.
June 13th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Poor old Hazel…………
So what if she and her fellow politico-gangster followed the House’s rules.
Quite clearly she has lost the moral and ideological rationale to remain an MP.
Not just for Salford, but to represent a political party that has pretensions to create a fairer society.
If Hazel did had a ounce of political morality about her. If she still pretends to be a woman of the left. Then she would just retire at the next election and allow a new generation of principled people to take over.
That she isnt, just indicates that she lacks such commitment or belief.
Now that’s rich.
June 14th, 2009 at 4:27 pm