Denis MacShane's plea in mitigation...

Denis MacShane is guilty of expenses fraud, but his lawyer has included in his submission that Denis MacShane is a union man... as if that should be a mitigating factor.

BBC News - Police to re-open Denis MacShane expenses investigation

Oh dear, poor Denis MacShane...
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21119031

It's a good question

“This is an absolute double standard. I was convicted of false accounting but I never forged documents as Denis has. Why has he not been prosecuted when we were?”

That's Eric Illsley, the former Barnsley MP, as quoted by the Sunday Times. He received a 12-month prison sentence for false accounting. He has called on the police and the CPS to pursue Denis MacShane following his resignation as an MP.

How is not correct?

Don't worry Denis you can just put the extra cost on expenses...

Oh sorry, can you not any more? Oh dear, how sad, never mind!

Guido Fawkes has lots of information about the political demise of Denis MacShane and the possibility of a CPS prosecution.

The aftermath of the Ryder Cup

Wow!

I desperately needed an early night last night but once I started watching the Ryder Cup I just couldn't turn off. I ended up watching it in bed with the sound on 1, my head on the pillow and Mrs NotaSheep snoring alongside me. I must admit that when Martin Kaymer won on the 18th I did a silent fist clench, mouthed "Yesssssssssssss", then turned off the television and tried to get some sleep.

Ryder Cup singles day is one of my favourite sporting days and this year's was one of the best. Judging by the volume of my shrieks through the evening, Justin Rose's monster put to win the 17th was the biggie.

A final thought for such as Denis MacShane, this was not an EU team is was a Europe team.

The true foresight of the visionary Denis MacShane

Regular followers of my Tweets would know that I am not a massive fan of the Labour (well sort of) MP Denis MacShane. I find too much of what he says partisan for the sake of it and often incredibly stupid. So I was intrigued to read the following at Guido Fawkes' site today:

'If only we had listened to Denis MacShane just two years ago, we wouldn’t be in the horrendous mess we are now:

“For more than a decade we have been told that the euro was a terrible idea, while the good old pound sterling would protect the British economy from the wily ways of the Europeans. Now more and more people are asking why the pound is letting us down – and whether treating it as a shibboleth that cannot be questioned makes sense any more. All the old arguments against the euro have fallen away. There is no European super-state emerging with its adoption. There is no dictation of economic policy from Brussels.

If the euro were used here as it is without fuss in countries we are close to, including Ireland and the Netherlands, then the next Governor of the European Central Bank could easily be a Brit. But if British voters are no longer going to feel like poor relations whenever they holiday in other European countries, then before long someone is going to have to begin making the case that like shillings and pence, the pound may now have had its day.”'

Denis MacShane as right on the money there as usual!

The wisdom of Denis MacShane (update)

Further to this piece from earlier today, Denis MacShane has 'hilariously' misrepresented me by tweeting:

'Nice of unknown 2 me political blogger to write : "Following Denis MacShane on Twitter is often rewarding" Merci'

Nice try MacShane, unfortunately as you well know the line did not end with the word 'rewarding', it ended thus '... as you read such ill-considered tripe.'
Denis MacShane finished his Tweet with the french word for thank you 'Merci', I respond with the French expression 'Vous Merde.
 Disregarding the above it is noticeable that Denis MacShane has not admitted his stupid error in his earlier Tweet; why am I not surprised?


 

The wisdom of Denis MacShane

Following Denis MacShane on Twitter is often rewarding as you read such ill-considered tripe. Here's a tweet of his from earlier this morning:

That's: 'Everyone yawning, sleepy on Tube to H'row. Extra hour in bed pointless. Let's have Churchill time'

Should someone tell Denis MacShane that moving to Double Summer Time does not mean an end to putting the clocks forward and backwards each year; it's just that the base time will be one hour later.

Denis MacShane showing all the mathematical ability of his former leader and Chancellor Gordon Brown.

As an aside how many people favour moving to Central European Time as it would put UK on same time as the EU?

The right choice of phrase?

At PMQs today BBC 5Live described Denis MacShane as being 'Independent Labour'. Wouldn't 'Suspended Labour' or 'Under Investigation Labour' be a better description for this particular suspect MP?

What will satisfy the BBC re the phone-hacking affair?

The BBC are collecting scalps as they fight to first destroy any competition from the right of British politics in the delivery of news and opinion in the UK by ferociously attacking News International and pretending that no other news organisations are as or more guilty than News International. However the BBC's true target is the Conservative lead government and overnight it became clear that the new narrative, presumably agreed with some of the Labour leadership, is to destroy David Cameron's reputation, name and position. The attack dogs have been out already; Denis MacShane has been Tweeting his poison and no doubt Alastair 'pure as the driven snow' Campbell will be interviewed soon about ethical news gathering. The BBC/Labour alliance has no shame or sense of the absurd and so they could even use Damian McBride as an interviewee.

The BBC/Labour sense blood and will try and destabilise the government as much as possible. They will hope to collect David Cameron's scalp but will also try to 'shame' some LibDems into leaving the Coalition and crossing the floor of the House.

One almost admires the single-mindedness of the attacks were it not for the fact that the BBC is meant to be independent and unbiased in its news coverage, something that it has singularly failed to even attempt in its coverage of the phone-hacking story.

The BBC's news priorities

According to Denis MacShane on Twitter:

'So far in 2011 BBC has run 20 items on Tunisia, 377 on Egypt and 1140 on Israel. Is-Pal conflict big but can we hear abt Arab revolt?'

Now my feelings about Denis MacShane are well known but on the matter of Israel he is usually right on the money. This statistic feels right as it chimes with the BBC's obsession about the evil Israel oppressing the poor innocent Palestinian. Would any passing BBC worker or apologist care to explain the disparity in coverage?

Denis MacShane at it again

A Tweet this morning from Denis MacShane all but too my breath away:

'Time for public inquiry into why M Howarrd + SPAD Dave let in so many jihadi Islamists to live/preach violence in Londonistan up to 97?'

I'll let the replies posted by me and others speak for themselves:

'@notasheepagoat NotaSheep MaybeaGoat

@DenisMacShane Absolutely so, I presume you will also support one into Labour's massive increase in immigration post 1997?

 

@GarethJAnderson Gareth Anderson

@DenisMacShane @JohnRentoul I assume therefore that Blair and Jack Straw sorted all of that out after 97? Or just a cheap party point?'

Denis MacShane's chutzpah truly is astounding. Does he not realise what the Labour did to increase immigration 'to rub the right's face in diversity'?

Later on Denis MacShane maybe realised that even he couldn't be as blindly partisan as he had been and managed to Tweet this:

'Labour post 97 as bad as Howard on blind eye to Islamist infiltration. Nly got fired as min in 03 for denouncing this. Only chngd aftr 7/7'

Perhaps he could explain how policy substantially changed after 7/7 and also whether he thinks the government which he supported should apologise to the country for their woeful record on combating Islamic extremism in the UK.

 

Does Denis MacShane really not understand the difference between deficit and debt ?

That is a very poor analogy Denis. The deficit is not the mortgage, debt is the mortgage.

Thus if the UK only reduces the deficit over 4 or 5 or 6 years the amount of the debt/mortgage is increasing as are the interest payments payable to service that debt/mortgage. If the amount of the debt/mortgage increases too much and interest rates rise (a predictable result of Labour's Quantitative Easing policy) then ceteris paribus the annual deficit increases and thus the mortgage/debt. At some point the money markets lose confidence that the UK can service its debt, reduce its credit rating and thus make it harder to borrow more money (for if there is still a deficit we are still borrowing money and increasing the debt/mortgage). Now the UK is in a downward spiral of an increasing deficit and rising debt/mortgage and reducing confidence in the country - that way Sovereign debt default and penury lies.

Labour's plan to cut the deficit in half over four years was not an adequate solution, it only reduces the amount by which the country's debt is being increased year after year. Do you not understand that Denis?

Denis MacShane again

13 years of Gordon Brown underfunding the military and putting the country deeper and deeper into debt and Denis MacShane wants David Cameron to be attacked on the issue of military kit. Denis, your Labour government wasted so much money that there's not enough left to fund the armed forces as fully as David Cameron would like. Denis, your Labour government underfunded the UK's armed forces whilst claiming that they weren't. Denis, you and your Labour colleagues should hang your heads in shame rather than criticise this government.

Is today the day that Denis MacShane finally lost even a tentative grip on reality

If Denis MacShane truly believes that the BBC current affairs department is dominated by The Spectator and The Daily Mail then I fear for his sanity.

"They're seriously racist, racist people"

The words that got NPR's President Ronald Schiller fired/suspended, you can watch the video here, quote at around 2:58


I would hope you know the background to this story but if you rely only on the BBC for your news then you won't so take a read at The New York Times and American Power, oh a and here.


Meanwhile on Twitter selected as a top Tweet yesterday was this from Rob Delaney @robdelaney

I couldn't let that go so replied...

Rob Delaney has not replied to my tweet or, so far as I am aware, to any of the other tweets that complained about his attitude. I can't say I am surprised as leftist comedians as well as politicians like Denis MacShane tend to spout their 'wisdom' but rarely respond to critics.

I wonder if the Tea Party might like to start a campaign to get Tea Party supporters to ban Rob Delaney from performing in venues that they own or have influence over; just an idea...

Denis MacShane and another stupid Tweet

Denis McShane has done it again, he's tweeted without engaging his brain....

I have tweeted a reply...

but doubt that Denis MacShane will pay any attention, his blind support for some of the Labour leadership is odd for someone suspended by his parliamentary party whilst under police investigation.

The most stupid Tweet ever? From Denis MacShane of course...

'...Good to see smug London arrogance dented. All London teams are basically Tory'

Denis MacShane showing the great analytical mind that he is renowned for.

Denis MacShane - hypocrite

I have a growing dislike for Denis MacShane, which is not easy as I have hated him for quite a while. This morning Denis MacShane tweeted thus:

I replied:

and then

As usual I have received no reply from Denis 'Parliamentary Labour Party whip withdrawn while he is under criminal investigation' MacShane, he never responds to questions or criticisms - he is, from that standpoint, a perfect Labour MP.

A pot's supporter calling a kettle black?

Earlier this evening Denis 'Parliamentary Labour Party whip withdrawn while he is under criminal investigation' MacShane tweeted this:

'What's up with Liam? Shouty, rattled, off balance by Jim Murphy's idea of stronger military covenant. He is so bad tempered'

I think my reply was in order:

'@DenisMacShane You think Liam Fox is bad tempered; what was your opinion of Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor and then Prime Minister?'

You will not be surprised to learn that Denis MacShane has not replied; but then he never does.