Saturday, October 04, 2008
Ron on 'Bobby'*
Former Secretary of State for Wales, Ron Davies has told the Western Mail that he 'was “absolutely stunned” when he heard that Peter Mandelson was returning to the Cabinet.'
Mr Davies said: “Everyone knows about Mandelson’s capacity for manipulation, and Gordon Brown has always given the impression that he wanted to move away from the spin of the Blair years. I just don’t see any logic in bringing him back.
“His role was to act not only as an outrider for Blair, but as a lightning conductor. He would float ideas in informal briefings with journalists, hinting they were what Blair intended to do in order to gauge the reaction. When journalists tried to get on-the-record statements from Blair, they wouldn’t get anywhere.
“I just don’t buy the suggestion that he’s got some kind of unique expertise for the government job he’s getting that isn’t available from anyone else in Britain. Given Gordon Brown’s current difficulties, I can’t imagine he wants anything more from Mandelson than advice on improving his image, how to fight Cameron, how to seize on his weaknesses and how to use the buzz words of the day to advantage.”
Exactly why Gordon Brown did not ask Ron Davies to come back to the Cabinet and save his government is a puzzle that we may never get the answer to.
*'Bobby' was of course the code name adopted by Peter Mandelson in his communications with Tony Blair so as to avoid Gordon Brown getting any idea that the two were talking.
Mr Davies said: “Everyone knows about Mandelson’s capacity for manipulation, and Gordon Brown has always given the impression that he wanted to move away from the spin of the Blair years. I just don’t see any logic in bringing him back.
“His role was to act not only as an outrider for Blair, but as a lightning conductor. He would float ideas in informal briefings with journalists, hinting they were what Blair intended to do in order to gauge the reaction. When journalists tried to get on-the-record statements from Blair, they wouldn’t get anywhere.
“I just don’t buy the suggestion that he’s got some kind of unique expertise for the government job he’s getting that isn’t available from anyone else in Britain. Given Gordon Brown’s current difficulties, I can’t imagine he wants anything more from Mandelson than advice on improving his image, how to fight Cameron, how to seize on his weaknesses and how to use the buzz words of the day to advantage.”
Exactly why Gordon Brown did not ask Ron Davies to come back to the Cabinet and save his government is a puzzle that we may never get the answer to.
*'Bobby' was of course the code name adopted by Peter Mandelson in his communications with Tony Blair so as to avoid Gordon Brown getting any idea that the two were talking.
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"Exactly why Gordon Brown did not ask Ron Davies to come back to the Cabinet and save his government is a puzzle that we may never get the answer to."
Was that a joke? I'm not being harsh or anything, I just genuinly don't know whether you are serious or not?
Was that a joke? I'm not being harsh or anything, I just genuinly don't know whether you are serious or not?
# posted by 
: 12:02 PM
: 12:02 PM
The only open Gay in our village here claims that Brown may be under pressure from the Gay Gordons to have brought back Mandy Bob much to the annoyance of our Gwladys. No doubt Edna in Plaid Cymru might suggest it was the PM's moment of madness. We will have to wait for confirmation from Born Again's office cleaner Mrs Mop, as she sees a lot of things we don't believe possible at Cardiff Bay - things you'd not suggest to a donkey or an ass at Trecco Bay.
"erm...it was a poor attempt at irony!"
I thought it must have been something like that! ;)
I thought it must have been something like that! ;)
# posted by : 9:28 PM
: 9:28 PM
Bobby was the name used by the Blair campaign during the 1994 leadership campaign to avoid alienating Labour MPs - not just Gordon Brown - by revealing that Mandy was working on the campaign.
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: 8:02 PM<< Home
