Regards, Ivan
Posted on 04/27/2006 1:29:13 AM PDT by MadIvan
Tony Blair's Government was in turmoil last night after scandal and crisis left three of his most senior Cabinet ministers fighting to save their careers.
On the most chaotic day since Labour came to power, John Prescott became an object of ridicule over a two-year affair with a civil servant; Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, was under intense pressure to resign over the foreign prisoners scandal; and Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary, was heckled and slow-handclapped by nurses.
With only a week to go before local elections in England, the timing could not have been worse for the Prime Minister.
On Mr Blair's own Black Wednesday, Mr Prescott, 67, cancelled his engagements and was missing from his usual place in the Commons for Prime Minister's Questions as he tried to save his marriage.
The Deputy Prime Minister said he regretted the relationship with one of his secretaries, Tracey Temple, 43, which had ended "some time ago". In a statement, he said: "I have discussed this fully with my wife, Pauline, who is devastated. I would be grateful if we can get on with our lives together."
No 10 said that Mr Prescott had not offered to resign; nor had he abused his position by having an affair with a civil servant.
Mr Blair's official spokesman said that Mr Prescott had strong support and was a "real benefit" to the country and Government. He played "an absolutely vital role".
No 10 said the affair was a "private matter". But some Labour MPs said that Mr Prescott, who has frequently joked about Tory sex scandals, could become a laughing stock and no longer able to act as power-broker between Mr Blair and Gordon Brown over a leadership handover.
Photographs published by the Daily Mirror showed Mr Prescott embracing Miss Temple. Despite No 10's defence, questions were raised at Westminster about whether he had abused his position and compromised a member of his staff.
The pair flirted in his ministerial office, apparently embarrassing other civil servants. They also carried on their affair in Mr Prescott's Whitehall flat and his grace-and-favour country house, Dorneywood. Miss Temple accompanied Mr Prescott to a memorial service at St Paul's cathedral for Iraq war dead.
Downing Street sought to distance Mr Blair from the scandal and later gave lukewarm support for Mr Clarke after David Cameron, the Tory leader, said he should resign because he had misled the public and could no longer give proper leadership to the Home Office.
Mr Clarke admitted to the Commons that he still did not know the whereabouts of most of the 1,000 foreign prisoners released without being considered for deportation.
An embarrassed Mr Blair confessed that when he rejected Mr Clarke's offer to resign on Tuesday, he had not been told that hundreds of prisoners had continued to be released even after ministers had been alerted to the loophole in the system.
Tory MPs jeered Mr Blair when he walked out of the Commons as Mr Clarke rose to make a statement. Officials said the Prime Minister had "a packed programme" and had left for a meeting with Scottish businessmen.
David Davis, the shadow home secretary, repeated calls for Mr Clarke to resign. He said there had been "a culpable failure to protect the public".
Mr Clarke apologised for the Home Office blunder but told MPs that he had decided not to resign because Mr Blair had agreed that it was his responsibility to get the prison system working correctly.
On a day that drew comparisons with the disarray of the dying days of John Major's government, Miss Hewitt was barracked for the second time in a week by health service workers over NHS reforms and hospital job cuts.
She was unable to finish her speech to the Royal College of Nursing's annual conference in Bournemouth as nurses shouted "enough" and "resign".
In the Commons, Labour MPs were subdued when Mr Cameron told Mr Blair that "enough was enough" as the Prime Minister struggled to defend the Government's reputation.
Downing Street dismissed suggestions that Mr Blair's administration was in terminal decline, insisting that "government is about dealing with unforeseen events". But Labour MPs were in no doubt that Mr Blair's leadership would be an issue if the party suffered heavy losses in the local elections next Thursday.
Mr Blair was reported to be preparing to relaunch his Government after the elections with a much-delayed Cabinet reshuffle. There were indications last night that it could be bigger than had been expected.
Sources said there were suggestions that Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, might stand down because of the pressures over her husband, David Mills, who is fighting corruption charges.
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
It hurts like the dickens.
L
The Boy King Camerooon is a complete idiot - but I agree, still an improvement.
The third term is when everything goes tits up.
I agree. Labour has been in power too long and it shows.
Regards, Ivan
It's good news of a sort. But if there's a massive tilt to the Lib Dem, the Green party or to some other bunch of Guardian-readers then we're no better off. It'll be interesting to see where the swing goes.
I agree with your concern. It really didn't take three terms for the veneer to wear off "New" Labor. However, my fear is that the people may believe that the only thing that can save their quasi-socialist state is more socialism! Unfortunately, Cameron isn't exactly cultivating a winning or compelling message.
I agree -- and I'll admit I was backing him in the leadership contest (our local MP did not) but have had my doubts since. Still, I'm endeavouring to give him the benefit of the doubt.
If he doesn't get a least one ministerial scalp (Clarke's), I will be very upset.
So am I!
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