6 British officials quit in Blair revolt

[maddezmom]

LONDON - Six junior members of British Prime Minister Tony Blair's government resigned Wednesday to protest his refusal to set a date to leave office amid a growing Labour Party revolt. The rebellion flared despite strong hints by senior ministers that Blair planned to step down within a year, and a news report claiming the departure date would be July 26.


"I no longer believe that your remaining in office is in the interest of either the party or the country," Tom Watson, who was minister for veterans in the Ministry of Defense, said in a letter to the prime minister.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060906/ap_on_re_eu/britain_blair;_

[OwnedByFerrets]

1. Why is it

that every Country in the world has more balls than we do in amerika?:sarcasm:

[bdamomma]

4. one word we are too complacent and our bellies are to full.

[Xipe Totec]

5. It's the steroids

they do that.

[Gregorian]

6. Because we have never seen the actual results of fascism.

The dead bodies. The blood. The real suffering.

All we have seen is TV. And censored, at that.

America is soft and safe.

We have seen civil and revolutionary wars. Those are very different.

[Robbien]

13. So true

Forget about BushCo living in a bubble, all of America does.

[Massachusetts]

7. This is why....

"Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state."
Noam Chomsky

[BadgerKid]

11. Monty Python said it best

GRIM REAPER: Shut up! Shut up, you American. You always talk, you Americans. You talk and you talk and say 'let me tell you something' and 'I just wanna say this'. Well, you're dead now, so shut up!

[Kagemusha]

2. It's gone up to 7

"Seven members of Tony Blair's government resigned today in protest at the prime minister's reluctance to publicly name a departure date.

One junior minister, Tom Watson, quit as well as six parliamentary private secretaries, after 48 hours of leaks and rampant speculation about an exit timetable."

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labourleadership/story/0,,1865980,00.html

Edit: Blair's really ticked that this Watson guy quit before Blair could fire him.

[Amonester]

3. Too little, too late... but...

Better late than never...

After all, being brave and acting bravely, for the truth and real justice (against ALL intentional, criminal LIARS) to prevail is not THAT difficult to do, eh? :thumbsup:

[w4rma]

8. Blairites are the British version of our DLC. (nt)

[HMonk]

9. Self delete

[maddezmom]

10. Welcome to DU

and for the update. It's going to get ugly around here.

[HMonk]

16. Thanks for the welcome.

Nothing new in prev. post, hence the delete, that'll teach me not to do more than one thing at a time.

[goforit]

12. And Blair is laughing all the way to the bank!!!

Stand up and fight you resigning fools!

[knight_of_the_star]

15. No he isn't

In the UK resignation from the cabinet is the ONLY way a cabinet minister can protest the actions of the PM, it's been that way for over 200 years. That said, whenever you have a mass wave of resignations like this, the government in question is usually on its last legs and ready to go under sooner or later, usually sooner.

[CJCRANE]

14. It's up to 8 resignations now (BBC News 24)

[mcscajun]

17. Those Eight (8!) resignations are putting the pressure on...

...he may not last for more than a few months, if that.

LONDON, Sept. 6 — In a mood of gathering crisis, Prime Minister Tony Blair sought Wednesday to face down a revolt within his Labor Party as an extraordinary procession of eight junior aides resigned to protest his refusal to set a date to leave office soon.

(snip)

British news reports late Wednesday said Mr. Blair would make some kind of announcement on Thursday about his intentions, apparently bending to the growing pressure.

Mr. Blair has dismissed challenges in the past — he was once nicknamed Teflon Tony — but British political analysts said the mood seemed more venomous this time. Some analysts depicted the public pressure as a renewed effort by supporters of Gordon Brown, the chancellor of the Exchequer and Mr. Blair’s heir apparent, to force the prime minister from office within the next few months.

(snip)

“People in the country want a change,” said Doug Henderson, a former government minister seen as a member of the Brown camp. “There should be a new leader in place by the end of March.”

(snip)

“It is with the greatest sadness that I have to say that I no longer believe that your remaining in office is in the interest of either the party or the country,” Mr. Watson said in a resignation letter that he made public on Wednesday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/07/world/europe/07blair.html?hp&ex=1157601600&en=7944d5d2aa380862&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Stockholm]

18. K&R for throwing out Bushs' poodle n/t