Blunkett admits 'I made mistake'
No question, he had to go. As Malcolm Rifkind said yesterday on the radio, it's not a hanging offence, it's not even an offence, but it showed misjudgement. And you know when Malcolm Rifkind and I agree, it's probably because it's self-evident.
From the day BLunkett resigned last year, I knew he would be back in Government following the election . I can assure you I do not have a direct line to Tony Blair, so if I knew, surely Blunkett knew, so I don't really understand why he considered it necessary to get involved in the murky business world. The main thing that brought down the Major governemnt, even more so than general incompetence was this underlying sense of sleaze.
There's been a helicopter hovering all morning somewhere over Westminster. Between the Abbey and Trafalgar Square. I saw it just a few minutes ago, then went back inside and saw obviously helicopter-shot footage of Bliunkett's ministerial jag en route to the Palace. I expect that the chopper's there for another reason and the BBC is just hitching a ride. Otherwise it seems a little bit of an unnecessary expense just to show a disgraced soon-to-be former Minister off to hand in the seals of office.
This creates a vacancy in the Cabinet. If I were obliged to place a bet I would wager a modest amount on Hazel Blears. If, however, Yvette Cooper gets it, you know that Gordon Brown's in control. Other names to bandy about are Douglas Alexander, or the longshot, Stephen Timms, current MoS for Pensions.
I reckon. WTF do I know?
