Forum Topic

Lambert's latest....

I may have continued to read Lambert's latest blog post where it not for it's bitter and offensive and rather juvenile preamble. Boris has been in intensive care and hasn't seen his pregnant partner for weeks, yet Lambert is more concerned that he has gone off to his second home for a reunion. Does he mean Chequers? At first I thought he may be suffering from lockdown stir-crazy syndrome, but he seems to be getting out and about actively on his trusty steed Pegasus. But it didn't end there - he proceeds to be insulting to ministers holding briefings and makes a personal attack on the facial expressions or characteristics of the female Home Secretary - justified by a comment on the BBC's "Have I Got News For You". Enough is enough! If you must write a blog Mr Lambert then keep your biased and churlish opinions to yourself.  Concentrate on your duties and observations  as a councillor in the community. I would normally suggest you get out more, but in this case some reflective self-isolation may be more beneficial.

Paul Brownlee ● 1944d26 Comments

Plenty of Tory local councils are also complaining/politely pointing out that they are having difficulty fulfilling their obligations within their present budgets.

Peter Evans ● 1935d

As you know Vanessa Keeping to budget is a swear word to Hounslow council

Gill Hutchison ● 1935d

I am no apologist for the Labour party - or the council for that matter - but I think that response is unfair in the extreme and of course you could say - typical glib Tory answer. This current crisis has put an enormous strain on all services be they national or local and I think everyone recognises that - quite how anyone was supposed to be able to budget for a pandemic I don't know, it's been a case of reacting as things happened rather than being pro-active. By and large I think Hounslow have done a good job under very difficult circumstances.

Vanessa Smith ● 1935d

Well, in fairness has has just won the GE, pretty much overwhelmingly. So the reality is most of the country supports him.

Alex Shpinkov ● 1935d

Typical labour answer . It's never enough money.  Learn to budget  learn to prioritise the most important project to spend the money

Gill Hutchison ● 1935d

See my response on the other thread. The money from central government is nothing like enough to cover our extra costs, and their rhetoric now seems to acknowledge that.

Guy Lambert ● 1935d

And of course no mention of the extra money hounslow got from central govt to fund anywhere that was impacted by the pandemic

Gill Hutchison ● 1935d

It's a shame we can't isolate Johnson permanently

David Burke ● 1939d

How many times are we going to hear this statement.Public sector net debt, adjusted for inflation, rose by 53% between 2009/10 and 2016/17. https://fullfact.org/economy/labour-and-conservative-records-national-debt/

Neil Chippendale ● 1939d

Oh, and there I was thinking that there was a global recession 2007/8.

Anne England ● 1939d

Save for the fact that they can isolate Boris far better at Chequers as 'No.10' is little more than an office block with a modest flat in it (which is why Bliar moved into No.11). Far too many people passing through to keep him and them truly safe.

N V Brooks ● 1940d

And does Lambert really think labour would have done it any better . After all they left the country nearly bankrupt. I'd trust the medical science over any labour member anyday .

Gill Hutchison ● 1940d

I agree with Neil.  He could have gone to No 10.

Philippa Bond ● 1941d

I enjoy Guy's weekly blog and commend him for keeping it up week after week.

Christopher Hugh Dakers ● 1942d

Unfortunately the news media and TV fete big name bullies and proper journalism and journalists are on the sidelines.But they provide the readers and viewers with what they want. If they do provide more detailed factual stuff ratings and sales drop. That's down to us not them.

Raymond Havelock ● 1942d

At this present time it is BoJo’s second home irregardless of the fact that it is only a temporary home during his tenure in number 10.

Neil Chippendale ● 1942d

I'm not offended Guy, just disappointed. You implied that Chequers was Johnson's second home, when in fact it is a retreat given to all incumbent Prime Ministers since 1921 - regardless of their politics. It's not just a Tory-Toff-Pad. Many past users were Labour PM's. None before - to my knowledge - utilised it after having been struck down by a life-threatening virus and spending time in intensive care. You have a responsibility to put the facts into perspective. Some of your readers can be influenced by your words, regardless of how tongue-in-cheek you intend them to be.So, it wasn't funny - it was bitter. Ten years ago a Brentford Labour MP took advantage of privilege and acquired a luxury apartment in Waterloo, stating that it was necessary to be close to Westminster. Even though that individual had a home only 30 minutes away. Indeed it was a joint venture and now well documented. That was an abuse. I haven't forgotten, along with many other Brentford residents. I wonder how you would have addressed this matter were you a Councillor at the time and writing your blog? Please continue to write your humorous blog in the spirit intended - but don't be a hypocrite, and be careful that some people actually may believe every word you say.

Paul Brownlee ● 1943d

I didn't see the Morgan interview at the time but having since watched it the Health Minister immediately says "I'm sorry I can't..." as soon as Morgan shows the headline.Now whilst we can see it through the TV cameras, clearly she couldn't see it (for whatever reason) and attempts to say so immediately, but Morgan, being the arrogant hypocrite that he is, smugly immediately tears into her about laughing at the headline.Many moons ago Ian Hislop and Clive Anderson, without even having to try, showed Morgan for exactly what he is, as did the Leveson Inquiry.  Sadly, the despicable oik of a human hasn't had his dose of karma yet, but one can hope.

Adam Beamish ● 1943d

Nicholas Beard, I don't think anyone with the remotest feeling for those who have died, or for their relatives and friends,would have been impressed by the care minister's response to Piers Morgan's question. Political party membership should in this instance have absolutely nothing to do with the ability to sympathise. I sincerely hope that some of those MPs who cheered at the failure of Parliament to pass a bill that would give a higher pay rise to nurses are now doing a bit of soul searching. I sadly suspect that there are quite a number who are spending rather more time working out how to spend their £10,000 windfall.

Sue Rowe ● 1943d

Thats right one law for Scotland and one fot England in this case.

Nicholas Beard ● 1943d

'and I for one don't disagree with his comments about Boris going off to Chequers to 'recover'.'Well, as was pointed out by numerous people yesterday on various social media platforms - the Chief Medical Office in Scotland lost her job because she poodled off to her second home - so what do we have with this sojourn at Chequers? Is it again one law for one, and one for another?

Vanessa Smith ● 1943d

Oh no, he certainly looked ill, it just makes no sense to me (and on the face of it seems contrary to the message the Government is preaching to us mere minions) why anyone would head straight from hospital to what is effectively their weekend place, particularly to live with their pregnant partner.  I'd have thought it would have been wiser to stay in no. 10 for 7-14 days after being discharged.As for Nicholas bringing up Piers Morgan, the fact that Mr. Morgan has reinvented himself as an apparently credible social commentator sadly shows how it isn't always the cream that rises to the top, but the lowest of the low too.

Adam Beamish ● 1943d

Why the inverted commas around 'recover', Adam? Surely you're not one of the loonies who believe that he was never really ill?

Susan Kelly ● 1943d

Guy is Labour. So I imagine seeing the care minister laughing at Piers Morgan asking about 4000 dead in care homes would not have impressed. However when it was disclosed that she voted against the nurses having more than 1% in 2017 and the film showing MP'S cheering when it was passed would have made a big impression on a cleary sincere man.

Nicholas Beard ● 1943d

"Bitter and offensive" ?! - geez, someone is touchy !.  I've often said that I don't like it when the blogs by Councillors on these forums descend into political attacks, but Guy's opening paragraph is hardly a vicious political attack, and I for one don't disagree with his comments about Boris going off to Chequers to 'recover'.Indeed, of the various Councillors who writes blogs on these forum I always think Guy is one of the few who doesn't descend into political one-upmanship, and there's usually a undertone of light-hearted respect/admiration within his blogs when he refers to Cllr. Todd as 'Genghis' etc.And over the years I've met and had dealings with most of the local Councillors, and even those who I often find write 'overly-political' blogs I've always found to be entirely amenable and reasonable in person.

Adam Beamish ● 1943d

I'm sorry to offend you Paul. My blog is always light-hearted and pokes fun, and I'm a Labour party member deeply unimpressed by the government.Reading my blog is not compulsory. Many enjoy it. If you don't like it, don't read it. I follow precisely this strategy with most newspapers.

Guy Lambert ● 1943d