blunkett out

[SilentDeath]

So what acctually happened? I dont really follow pollitics much, and ive been asleepat work, for much of the past week.

[Rave]

He *apparently* abused his position to get a visa application fast-tracked for his lover's nanny.

And slagged off the rest of the cabinet in a book

Rich :¬)

[Zathras]

For what he has done in the ob, beofre all this, he has done well

I'd agree with you there, for everything Blunkett did up to about, oh, about 1990. He was like so many of the New Labour turncoats, a decent guy back then. How power affects people.

[Apex]

You reap what you sow.

[Byatt]

Hopefully the first of many such cabinet ministers to leave with head bowed in shame. Lets hope Charles Clarke suffers a similar fate.

[Zathras]

What's Ruth Kelly like then? Another cronie for the role of Education Minister? Shame the only half-decent Education Minister in recent memory (Estelle Morris) quit.

[Agent]

Only follow the politics that involves ID cards nonsence or tech related stuff, so gotta love the inq's title : "British ID card minister quits"

[petrefax]

Blair heaped praise on his ally as he bowed out.

"You leave government with your integrity intact and your achievements acknowledged by all," Blair said in a letter to Blunkett.

erm....am i the only one confused by this? since when did "integrity" involve sleeping with a married woman, then harassing her through the courts when she finally dumps your sorry ass, and abusing your position as a government minister to assist you with getting your leg over

good riddance i say, the man's a nuisance

[NiROE]

As the old saying goes... "Power corrupts..."

[Zedmeister]

good riddance i say, the man's a nuisance

He won't be missed for sure. I am dreading him pulling a mandelson as el presidento blair has him installed as another cronie advisor...

[RVF500]

The govt has retained it's integrity. When you have no integrity it's easy to retain.

Clarke has already said he will carry on the push for ID cards. Hope it brings his downfall too.

Is there a pattern forming here? Mess up education, go to the home office? Though for Clarke to get caught shagging someone else's wife the white stick will definitely have to be in the other person's hand.

Anne Widdicombe said "And all I can say is I hope they remember on the Labour benches how they gloated over us.". What goes around, comes around.

[shiato storm]

charles clarke = poison dwarf...!

[yamangman]

erm....am i the only one confused by this? since when did "integrity" involve sleeping with a married woman, then harassing her through the courts when she finally dumps your sorry ass, and abusing your position as a government minister to assist you with getting your leg over

good riddance i say, the man's a nuisance

I don't think it was quite like that. Reverse the roles and you'll get a better idea of what happened. Without a doubt though he abused his ministerial position, for that he has to go. But otherwise he has done nothing wrong and I for one think it's a shame. I hope he wins custody over his child.

On the subject of ID cards, with both Labour and Conservative on the push, without a doubt there is a much greater chance of seeing them than ever before.

[RVF500]

ID cards per se aren't a bad thing. The bad thing is the amount of information that is proposed to be held on them. Far in excess to what a simple ID card would normally hold. It is disturbing the extent to which government is intruding into our private lives.

[Theo]

ID cards per se aren't a bad thing. The bad thing is the amount of information that is proposed to be held on them. Far in excess to what a simple ID card would normally hold. It is disturbing the extent to which government is intruding into our private lives.

Agree completely. Add onto the fact that (as law-abiding citizens) we are expected to pay £85 for benefit of not being arrested and fined. Zipedy doodah.