Farewell, Jack Straw

[mrph]

As the non-UK folk reading this may or may not be aware, we had local elections last Thursday. Nothing that directly affects Tony Blair or his MPs - but poor results are still seen as a clear warning shot, a sign that if they don't change something they'll get hammered in the next general election.

Early the next morning, Tony Blair was already hard at work making changes - sacking ministers who'd lost public confidence and "rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic" (...and where's Stephen Colbert when you need him, hmm? :)

One of the more surprising changes was the demotion of Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary. The Guardian has some views on just why this happened...

Mr Straw has said repeatedly that it is "inconceivable" that there will be a military strike on Iran and last month dismissed as "nuts" a report that George Bush was keeping on the table the option of using tactical nuclear weapons against Tehran's nuclear plants.

...

His fate was sealed when the White House called Mr Blair and asked why the foreign secretary kept saying these things.

Eeek. No further comment.

Comments

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

And told him to stop, being also a point made. "Please stop telling your children that being gay is ok, regards, Rev. F. Phelps" springs to mind

[paul-sticks.livejournal.com]

In relation to the Cabinet reshuffle, I think that it's a classic case of too little and too late. The sooner this government go, the better in my mind.

In relation to Iran, let's face it, Dubya is a war monger who seems hell bent on world domination, disobeying the rules and interferring with foreign affairs in which he seems to have little or no understanding. If Iran is a threat or any other nation for that matter, it's surely down to the UN to enforce penalities, restrictions or sanctions, not some meglomaniac in the White House?

[lilgreendave.livejournal.com]

"inconceivable!"
"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means!"

[jorune.livejournal.com]

Eeek indeed.

[mimmimmim.livejournal.com]

There's not much that bothers me more than the thought of going to war with Iran. I used to work with Iranian ladies (back when I worked at the fruit factory), and they were lovely and had no problem with Britain. Now we're sabre-rattling at them on GWB's behalf. Ruining our relations with another country to appease the US. The Iranians are lovely people. Well, the ones I met were.

The other thing that bothers me is, I don't think it's a winnable conflict.

[giggly-teapot.livejournal.com]

do you know who won our local election?
3 greens and counting [2 of which are into the inkies!]
eek

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

I'd like to see this Government go too, but not if it means the Tories getting back into power.