Favourite Blair moment of 2005

**milanbenes** · 28 December 2005, 10:43

I liked it when the new members of the EU, linked up with the frogs over the cap

Milan.

**benn0** · 28 December 2005, 10:45

this one

**AlfredJPruffock** · 28 December 2005, 13:11

Sleaze watchdog stalls Blair's 'crony' peer list

By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor

Published: 28 December 2005

Tony Blair has become embroiled in a new "cash for favours" row over his nomination of prominent Labour Party donors for peerages.

The parliamentary sleaze watchdog has blocked the Prime Minister's working list of 28 peers, which includes businessmen who have donated thousands of pounds to his party.

He submitted the list of 11 Labour peers, eight Tory peers, five Liberal Democrat peers and four Northern Ireland peers in November. It was first revealed in The Independent on Sunday.

Now the House of Lords Appointments Commission has put a hold on the peerages, pending further checks. "The appointments commission is holding it up because they are dissatisfied with some of the names on the Prime Minister's list. Some members of the commission are holding out as a matter of principle," one source close to the cross-party commission of peers said.

"They think it's getting ridiculous. The embarrassment for Labour is that some people are due to get honours and, if they don't get them, they will have a right to be peeved. They have told these people they are going to get ermine and it's being held up."

Those nominated by Mr Blair for peerages include Labour donors such as Dr Chai Patel, who runs the Priory clinics, Sir Gulam Noon, founder and chairman of an Indian food company in the UK, Barry Townsley, a stockbroker who gave £6,000 to Labour and sponsored a city academy in Hillingdon, and Sir David Garrard, a property developer millionaire who donated to Labour and contributed £2.4m to the Bexley city academy but who has previously given £70,000 to the Conservatives under William Hague.

A number of Tory donors are also on the Conservative list drawn up by David Cameron's predecessor as leader, Michael Howard. It threatens to reopen the row over "cronyism" that erupted when Mr Blair awarded a peerage to Paul Drayson, a Labour supporter who donated more than £1m to the party. Lord Drayson of Kensington founded the pharmaceutical company PowderJect, which secured Government contracts for smallpox vaccine. He has since been made Defence Procurement minister.

The commission was set up as part of the reform of the upper chamber after the removal of hereditary peers to answer criticism that future Prime Ministers could abuse their power of patronage over life peerages.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by any of those on the list but Commission members asked for further evidence on the tax status of some of the nominees, who are normally required to pay tax in the UK.

The list also raises the issue of the use of peerages to reward party donors. Cash for peerages caused a furore in the early 20th century when the then Liberal Prime Minister, Lloyd George, accepted bribes for honours.

Trade union leaders were traditionally given Labour peerages, but it has now become common for businessmen who have donated large sums to parties to be given peerages. Labour's list contains more traditional Labour figures, such as Sir Bill Morris, 67, the former general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union, Maggie Jones, of the health workers' union Unison, and Joyce Quin, 60, the former home office minister who stood down at the last election.

PM's nominations

* Sir David Garrard, property millionaire, co-founder of the Minerva Corporation that controlled Allders stores; gave £200,000 to Labour and donated £2.4m to Bexley city academy. Also gave Tories £70,000 for a call centre at central office. Knighted in 2003 for charity work.

* Dr Chai Patel, 69, CEO of Westminster Health Care group which owns The Priory Clinic; gave £5,000 to Labour Party funds. One of the architects of the Government's policies on the elderly and also an adviser to the Department of Health.

* Sir Gulam Noon, 69, founder of Noon Products which specialises in ready-made curries in the UK; donated more than £220,000 to Labour since 2001 in nine separate donations. Knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 2002 for services to business.

Tony Blair has become embroiled in a new "cash for favours" row over his nomination of prominent Labour Party donors for peerages.

The parliamentary sleaze watchdog has blocked the Prime Minister's working list of 28 peers, which includes businessmen who have donated thousands of pounds to his party.

He submitted the list of 11 Labour peers, eight Tory peers, five Liberal Democrat peers and four Northern Ireland peers in November. It was first revealed in The Independent on Sunday.

Now the House of Lords Appointments Commission has put a hold on the peerages, pending further checks. "The appointments commission is holding it up because they are dissatisfied with some of the names on the Prime Minister's list. Some members of the commission are holding out as a matter of principle," one source close to the cross-party commission of peers said.

"They think it's getting ridiculous. The embarrassment for Labour is that some people are due to get honours and, if they don't get them, they will have a right to be peeved. They have told these people they are going to get ermine and it's being held up."

Those nominated by Mr Blair for peerages include Labour donors such as Dr Chai Patel, who runs the Priory clinics, Sir Gulam Noon, founder and chairman of an Indian food company in the UK, Barry Townsley, a stockbroker who gave £6,000 to Labour and sponsored a city academy in Hillingdon, and Sir David Garrard, a property developer millionaire who donated to Labour and contributed £2.4m to the Bexley city academy but who has previously given £70,000 to the Conservatives under William Hague.

A number of Tory donors are also on the Conservative list drawn up by David Cameron's predecessor as leader, Michael Howard. It threatens to reopen the row over "cronyism" that erupted when Mr Blair awarded a peerage to Paul Drayson, a Labour supporter who donated more than £1m to the party. Lord Drayson of Kensington founded the pharmaceutical company PowderJect, which secured Government contracts for smallpox vaccine. He has since been made Defence Procurement minister.

The commission was set up as part of the reform of the upper chamber after the removal of hereditary peers to answer criticism that future Prime Ministers could abuse their power of patronage over life peerages.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by any of those on the list but Commission members asked for further evidence on the tax status of some of the nominees, who are normally required to pay tax in the UK.

The list also raises the issue of the use of peerages to reward party donors. Cash for peerages caused a furore in the early 20th century when the then Liberal Prime Minister, Lloyd George, accepted bribes for honours.

Trade union leaders were traditionally given Labour peerages, but it has now become common for businessmen who have donated large sums to parties to be given peerages. Labour's list contains more traditional Labour figures, such as Sir Bill Morris, 67, the former general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union, Maggie Jones, of the health workers' union Unison, and Joyce Quin, 60, the former home office minister who stood down at the last election.

PM's nominations

* Sir David Garrard, property millionaire, co-founder of the Minerva Corporation that controlled Allders stores; gave £200,000 to Labour and donated £2.4m to Bexley city academy. Also gave Tories £70,000 for a call centre at central office. Knighted in 2003 for charity work.

* Dr Chai Patel, 69, CEO of Westminster Health Care group which owns The Priory Clinic; gave £5,000 to Labour Party funds. One of the architects of the Government's policies on the elderly and also an adviser to the Department of Health.

* Sir Gulam Noon, 69, founder of Noon Products which specialises in ready-made curries in the UK; donated more than £220,000 to Labour since 2001 in nine separate donations. Knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 2002 for services to business.

**OwlHoot** · 28 December 2005, 13:28

Originally posted by wendigo100

I can not decide between:

1. Cameron telling him he was the future once, and Blair visibly shrinking into his seat with a sick, forced grin.

2. Blair telling the nation that suicide bombing has nothing to do with his decision to invade Iraq, because "they are just using it as an excuse."

3. Blair telling the nation in June that ""The UK rebate will remain and we will not negotiate it away. Period." [sic]

Any good 'uns I've forgotten?

Blair plaintively whining that 90 day internments without trial must be brought in because the police want it, but then finding the police are dead set against another couple of his pet projects, 24 hour drinking and merging of regional police forces.

I'm surprised the guy doesn't hobble around with a limp, considering all the AK47 magazines he's emptied into his foot.

**AlfredJPruffock** · 28 December 2005, 14:17

Least we forget ...

The Organised Dangerous Criminal Act introduced specifically to target a solitary Peace Protestor near Westminster , which failed to remove him due to the fact it applied only to protests lodged FROM July 1st and the poor chap had been there for almost a couple of years prior to July 1st ...

... and thats from ex Barrister Blair !

Favourite Blair moment of 2005