Hoon, Hewitt & Byers Have Whip Suspended

Brown plotters Hoon and Hewitt as well as Tony's mate Byers have all tonight had the Labour Whip suspended following the Dispatches programme which revealled that the individuals focused upon where in fact soliciting cash for influence.

Basically all three, who are standing down at the next election are now suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party, but this does not mean they will lose salary or perks in the remaining two or so weeks before Parliament is dissolved.  This is a token slap on the wrist for the boys and girls on the way out just before their big pay-offs.  Moran has already had the Whip suspended over expenses... she didn't look to ill on camera touting for cash, did she!

The big questions are now these:

1. Why did Gordon Brown insist no investigation would be necessary?  He has suspended the trio within an hour of the Dispatches programme airing.  What information was shared with him, was he lied to earlier today?

2. Is Gordon Brown now admitting he was wrong to insist prematurely that no investigation was needed?

3.  Will the Police be invited to investigate?  The recorded interviews all took place away from Parliament.

4.  What are the Conservatives going to do in the new Parliament to make absolutely sure that the rules are clear and adhered to; how and when will wrong-doers be punished.

50p Tax Rate Reaction #1

"To pick on a small group of people is not the basis of a tax policy," the former Transport Secretary said. Why was it timed to come in before the election next year, "when this is clearly political positioning rather than a principled or strategic approach to taxation."

"It was an elephant trap so large that even the most myopic old tusker could see it," he said, and should be opposed because "it is damaging to the Labour party in Government. It breaks a key manifesto pledge which the party will regret for many years to come." If it was so important, it should have been introduced after the election to avoid breaching a manifesto pledge. Instead it was done for "cynical political reasons". He finished: "Is it a short term or a permanent measure? The Chancellor had implied it was short term. Others in the Cabinet disagreed."

Quotes attributed to former Cabinet minister Stephen Byers, and was lifted from Brogans Blog.