Breaking News: Blunkett To Resign

[Admiral Valdemar]

BBC News

Blunkett quits as home secretary

David Blunkett has quit as home secretary following a string of newspaper claims that he fast-tracked a visa for his ex-lover's nanny.

Mr Blunkett denies the claims but has faced increasing pressure in recent days from members of his own party.

His position became more uncertain after he criticised a string of Cabinet colleagues in a new biography.

The BBC's Mark Mardell said the withdrawal of support by Labour colleagues delivered the final blow.

Fuckin' A! He was a useless home secretary just like he was a useless education minister and this scandal wasn't going to be swept away. Let's not forget his upcoming book shooting himself in the foot.

[Jon]

This is a good day for the UK, thank fuck.

[Joy Division]

Fuckin' A! He was a useless home secretary just like he was a useless education minister and this scandal wasn't going to be swept away. Let's not forget his upcoming book shooting himself in the foot.

I couldn't disagree more. He was one of the main reasons I even vote New Labour.

[Admiral Valdemar]

I couldn't disagree more. He was one of the main reasons I even vote New Labour.

The idea is to vote against the blundering idiots, not for them. No one will be sad to see him go. That Tessa Jowell wasn't much better at education, but Jack Straw was better as home secretary.

[Dartzap]

Indeed, my dad was just telling me about his far right actions during his early days.


any guesses as to who will replace the Doe Eyed One?

Now, i must wonder where Dead Ringers are going to get some new material from?

[DaveJB]

any guesses as to who will replace the Doe Eyed One?

John Reid seems to be the one Blair turns to after someone resigns in disgrace.

[Dartzap]

Charles Clark is alo being thrown forward as a posibility

[TheDarkling]

John Reid seems to be the one Blair turns to after someone resigns in disgrace.

I think he will be kept at health but it really depends where Blair wants to focus his biggest gun (which Reid is in my opinion).

As for Blunkett’s performance as home secretary, he seemed to do fairly well.

He certainly annoyed the civil liberty people enough to convince me he was actually doing something.

[Admiral Valdemar]

His ID card idea I agree with, but it's not that that fuels this resignation, I feel he was lacking in other areas.

[DaveJB]

According to the BBC, Downing Street's confirmed that it's Clarke (who has been replaced by Ruth Kelly).

[Lord Pounder]

it's about fecking time. If a Tory pulled half the shit Blunket had been accused off New Labour would be screaming "Tory Sleaze" for another decade. Please let it be anyone but that prick John Reid, i met him several times when i worked in Northern Irish politics and the fecker was a waste of space.

[TheDarkling]

His ID card idea I agree with, but it's not that that fuels this resignation, I feel he was lacking in other areas.

What fuels his resignation is the media's annual political scalp taking to make sure the politicians know who really rules the country. Blankett’s personal problems, indiscrete comments in his book and possible mild abuse of his powers just made him an easy target.

What other policies of Blunkett’s do you disagree with?
The Anti Social behaviour measures seem to be coming along nicely, since they instituted a curfew and gave the police to disband public gatherings the local town/village seems to be a lot more peaceful and the locals seem to feel much safer.
The police have also used recently given powers to shut down a drug den in the area which they were quite happy with.

My local constabulary is one of the first outside London to start using their new powers and from what I can see they are having the intended effect.

[Admiral Valdemar]

What fuels his resignation is the media's annual political scalp taking to make sure the politicians know who really rules the country. Blankett’s personal problems, indiscrete comments in his book and possible mild abuse of his powers just made him an easy target.

What other policies of Blunkett’s do you disagree with?
The Anti Social behaviour measures seem to be coming along nicely, since they instituted a curfew and gave the police to disband public gatherings the local town/village seems to be a lot more peaceful and the locals seem to feel much safer.
The police have also used recently given powers to shut down a drug den in the area which they were quite happy with.

My local constabulary is one of the first outside London to start using their new powers and from what I can see they are having the intended effect.

The ASBO has only just started to get useful, before then, it was otherwise useless as most seemed to break it regardless until we got harder on such breaches. The problems stem with community officers, rather than true cops and other bureaucratic crap that has inundated the police offices of this nation for years now. Maybe not Blunkett's fault for bringing it in, but he certainly didn't help them.

In the end, it was a "too little, too late" deal.

[TheDarkling]

The problems stem with community officers, rather than true cops

Unfortunately the government works on a budget, the people don't want to pay more in taxes so the government is forced to choose how to spend the cash.

CSO are cheaper than regular cops but can carry out many of the same functions (especially in the government’s new take on crime fighting, that is making the public feel safe).

It may become apparent that CSO aren't worth the cash but early reports from the field seem to indicate that the natives like the return to the bobby on the beat.

With that said the government has increased the number of regular police by 12,500 which isn't bad considering the alternative.

and other bureaucratic crap that has inundated the police offices of this nation for years now. Maybe not Blunkett's fault for bringing it in, but he certainly didn't help them.

The government has made it easier for the police to hand out fines and the like, I remember Blair going on at some length about how he had spoken to some police and asked why they didn't do anything about low level crime and the cops told him it wasn't worth the paper work.

The new powers the police have been given go some way to alleviating this problem (although there may be farther to go).

In the end, it was a "too little, too late" deal.

He was only in the job for there years and he got rather a lot done in that time.

He didn’t earn his reputation an authoritarian madman by idling away his afternoons.

[Sharp-kun]

Mu current thoughts:

Damn.

What happens if the inquiry actually ends up clearing him?

[DaveJB]

What happens if the inquiry actually ends up clearing him?

He'd probably get back into the cabinet after the next election.