Gavin’s Gaily Gigest

Confirmation from the House of Commons via email that Boris Johnson has yet to take the Manor of Northstead (due to arcane Parliamentary rules, an MP can’t actually resign, instead they have to take a Crown office, and the Manor of Northstead is one of them):
"We have not been notified of any application to the […]

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Continuing the Boris Johnson Resignation Watch, spotted today in the House of Commons: one part-time Mayor of London representing Henley (in um…. Oxfordshire) at Prime Minister’s Questions:
  (Still from this PMQ’s video)
2 days, 14 hours and 20 minutes without a full-time London Mayor so far…

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Boris Johnson will have three jobs on the go should he become Mayor of London following today’s election. The Times is reporting* that not only will Boris take on the job of representing and running London (population: 7.5 million, City Hall budget: £3.1 billion), but he’ll also keep his seat as MP for Henley for […]

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Hot on the heels of Boris Johnson’s announcement that Labour MP Kate Hoey will join him in City Hall (should he win) as an unpaid advisor on advise on sport and the 2012 Olympics comes the Ken Livingstone smear campaign. Speaking on LBC radio he said:
"But I’m surprised he’s going to take her advice on […]

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Bruce Kent, writing on The Guardian’s Comment is Free blog, argues that Brian Paddick should name his second preference:
"The Lib Dems have earned a reputation for independence and radical politics. If they do not make it quite clear that they understand and reject what Johnson stands for they will be throwing away, not just in […]

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Charlie Brooker in today’s Guardian gives five well-argued reasons not to vote for Boris Johnson in the upcoming London Mayoral election (as well as slightly endorsing - but really not - Brian Paddick). My favourite reason comes last:

I’m genetically predisposed to hate the Tories. It’s my default, hard-wired position. If Boris wins, their simpering pudge-faced […]

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The new edition of Politalks, your weekly satirical news roundup, is here. This week we discuss sexual heroes big, small and disgustingly huge:

Feel free to share and share alike, and for those who are interested, here’s the transcript:
The world gained a new sexual hero this week. A man of such awesome virility he must masturbate […]

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Sunder Katwala, Secretary-General of the Fabian Society*, has written to the Liberal Democrats’ eight London MPs (as well as Nick Clegg and Sarah Ludford MEP) urging them to use their second choice votes in the upcoming London mayoral election to support Ken Livingstone. This follows Peter Hain’s barely veiled threat that supporting Ken is the […]

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Lee unfortunately couldn’t do the animation for this week, so you’re left with only my nasal dulcet tones and the script for this week’s Politalks (ah, just like the old days) to guide you through Iraq, Obama, the Tory surge and Parliament on Youtube
Listen to this week’s Politalks:

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Listen to the show:

 

 Standard Podcast [31:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tories surge ahead in the polls, both nationally and in London, with worrying (for Ken) second choice preferences.
Jo Swinson calls for Parliament to be on Youtube (and listen out for the baby in this part).
The Iraq War five years on.
PMQs, China and Tibet.
Obama’s […]

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