(no subject)

[therealpm]

"The situation becomes curiouser and curiouser. As you know, Madam Deputy Speaker, I am a kindly chap and always charitable towards Ministers; far be it from me ever to cast aspersions on the competence—still less on the mindset—of Ministers. However, in the circumstances that my hon. Friend has just pithily described, is he not concerned 'hat the Minister is becoming almost as unfocused as tile right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson)?" HC Deb 14 February 2001 vol 363 cc342-56

"Finally, the right hon. Lady is a highly experienced parliamentarian: will she concede that the regulations were introduced, without prior parliamentary scrutiny, under the auspices of the lost and not lamented right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson)? He gave minimum notice but caused maximum hassle for business." HC Deb 11 February 1999 vol 325 cc470-83

"If the Government want to honour their pre-election commitment, they should be prepared to accept the new clause as it would remove burdens otherwise imposed on small companies. I am particularly sorry that the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) has wafted out of the Chamber. I thought that he might be good enough to stay for the exchanges on new clause 1, because, as he does on other matters, the right hon. Gentleman has form on this subject. Under the protection of parliamentary privilege, I can even go so far as to say without fear of a writ for defamation that the right hon. Gentleman has previous convictions on the subject of regulation.

...

I shall confine myself, Mr. Deputy Speaker, to the hope that the right hon. Member for Hartlepool will prove to be a sinner who repenteth, and that he will join us in the Division Lobby. He need be in no fear of being traduced or attacked if he does so. If it would be helpful for him, I shall, on this one occasion, make the very dangerous commitment to hold his hand as we walk through the Lobby in support of new clause 1, at the risk of considerable damage to my own reputation. I should be happy to do that for the benefit of having the right hon. Gentleman on side." HC Deb 30 March 1999 vol 328 cc882-920



The record for the number of references to my good self made by an individual politician is currently jointly held by Mr Norman Baker and Mr John Bercow.  Is there anything you'd care to say, John?

Comments

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

The examples you draw upon and, indeed, the majority if not entirety of the references made about yourself come from the era in my parliamentary career dubbed "Bercow Mark One" during which time my only goal, it now seems, was to attempt to annoy as many people as possible; bringing you into the discussion seemed the easiest way to provoke and distress a great number of honourable and right honourable members on the then government benches, for some reason.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

...I've seen better impressions of Tony, though that's not saying much.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

There's nothing wrong with my impressions, thank you.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

I would suggest you stick to impersonating Tory MPs; an activity which does not require you to shuck off your propensity towards employing antediluvian vocabulary.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

...I'm never going to live that one down, am I?

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

Alastair still teases me about the 'inner steel' line.

It was rather public.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Yes, but I've had far more embarrassing coverage since then; I was hoping it would have pushed that particular speech to one side somewhat, but alas I fear I was mistake.

[paddythebamf.livejournal.com]

So in other words, old boy, you haven't changed a bit.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

I think you'll find that I am rather more selective with regards to the people I intentionally pester these days.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

'Bercow Mark 1' seemed to focus on the Labour benches, 'Bercow Mark 2' was characterised by a tendency towards friendly fire, and 'Bercow Mark 3'is duty bound to annoy both sides equally. I'd hardly say you'd become more selective.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

If honourable and right honourable members are annoyed by the way in which I uphold the traditions of parliament then that is a side effect of my action and not their intention.

[paddythebamf.livejournal.com]

*ponders*

&headshake*

So you want the Prime Minister to swear whenever your name is mentioned?

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

The Prime Minister is at perfect liberty to swear at whomever's name he wishes. If he's still holding a grudge about one tiny little comment I made many years ago, then so be it.

[paddythebamf.livejournal.com]

I'm quite sure you've never, ever made another annoying comment since.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Not one that he's taken to heart quite as much as that.

[paddythebamf.livejournal.com]

I'm sure it was exquisitely cutting then.

Since I don't have Hansard to hand (and have enough on my hands with my own intra-party squabbles), care to tell me what it was?

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

If I remember correctly, it was just before he declared he was standing for the leadership in '05. I think I said something along the lines of "In the modern world, the combination of Eton, hunting, shooting and lunch at White’s is not helpful when you are trying to appeal to millions of ordinary people". As it transpires, he was rather touchy about the subject of his class and the fact that his father was Chairman of White's at the time...

[paddythebamf.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, yes, that was rather cutting, wasn't it?

Still, I'm sure that since you're both grown-ups and you say you haven't caused him any offence since that he'll eventually get over it.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

...he tried to get a terminally ill candidate to run against me in the election with hopes that the person would die at the appropriate time to stop me regaining my position as Speaker. I think it's going to take him some time to 'get over it'.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

Somewhat unfair, John. Other Tories attempted to field a terminally ill candidate. Cameron, conversely, stepped in during the 2010 elections to shore up your vote.

...I think I may need to go and wash my mouth out after that. Damn George.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

...at the last possible moment and only because it would have reflected badly on him if they had managed to find someone.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

Your party leader backed you, when defenestration would have been far more popular with his own backbenchers and with the press.

Stop. Sulking.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

I am not sulking.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

Whinging, then. Complaining. Griping. Being anything other than delighted that you weren't chucked out at the first available opportunity.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Any more synonyms you'd care to throw my way or have you quite finished?

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

Depends on whether you're going to throw any more self-pitying nonense about.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

It wasn't self-pitying. I was simply pointing out one of the reasons why it appears that Cameron will find it hard to forgive me any time soon.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

He appears to have already done so. I would venture that you have more than enough enemies in this world, without allowing your imagination to conjure up further adversaries.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

How many times do I have to tell you, Peter; I'm not paranoid! They really are out to get me.