Ministry for Administrative Affairs

Feeling Good?

People, it's a new dawn, a new day, a new Parliamentary session - are we all excited? Are we? Woohoo. Well, it looks like it's going to be slightly more interesting than last week (with all due respect to Brenda) as at least we get PMQs, but unfortunately the debates… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 11 Nov 2007 10:34 AM. Permalink

That Was The Week That Was

...and the Tories are back in town!

The story so far: A good week in the polls for Labour after their Conference ratcheted up speculation on a snap election, to the point that everyone just assumed it was going to happen. Gorgeous, brooding Gordon Brown - ably assisted by his brilliant coterie of young advisors - was… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 13 Oct 2007 10:14 AM. Permalink

Behind the Terrace curtain

Dave's Conference gamble

What to do if you are a leader wanting to make sure your party toes the line at Conference? Gord had the right idea: go in early, fast, and hard. Everybody knows that the leader's speech is what all the journos are staying around for - Westmonster couldn't move… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 28 Sep 2007 12:04 PM. Permalink

Climbing The Greasy Pole

Conference Snorker Watch

Labour Party Conference is not noted for doing much for the Westmonster rotundity, and 2007 was no exception. Those delegates who have made it through to this, the final, day are looking decidedly hungover, weary, and in many cases constipated. Those of us who attempted the Conference Challenge - that… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 27 Sep 2007 11:27 AM. Permalink

While You Were Sleeping

Blondes, thugs and dark corners in the big tent

Gorgeous pouting blonde, Boris Johnson wins Tory nomination for the mayoralty. Even given that all political careers end in failure, it looks like Bojo's might conclude sooner than expected. George Osbourne backtracks. Jack Straw outlines plans to introduce the Loitering Youths And Suspicious Young Hoodies (Summary Execution by Have-A-Go… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 27 Sep 2007 10:43 AM. Permalink

Points, In Order

Et tu, George?

BONG! Was it only a matter of time before young Jedi George Osbourne got the jitters about the Cameroon agenda and made moves towards the dark side of the Force? Fraser Nelson's Spectator article tomorrow will be well worth a read. In the meantime there's more on the Ben Brogan… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 26 Sep 2007 6:40 PM. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

What would Mariella do?

Is anyone else watching the Q&A session with Gord chaired by Mariella Frostrup? Despite the almost heroic efforts of Brown, it's proving to be an immense struggle for him to manage to get a word in edgeways. We do now, however, know quite a lot about The Life and… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 26 Sep 2007 3:03 PM. Permalink

While You Were Sleeping

Conference wagon rolls on

A YouGov poll has put the comrades on 44, eleven points ahead of the Tories who are flatlining on 33. The LibDems, however, are down three on 13. It tolls for thee, Ming. Peter Riddell takes a punt on an autumn election being held on either 1st or 8th… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 26 Sep 2007 11:00 AM. Permalink

Points, In Order

Pre-Campbell insania

BONG! Westmonster is off to perv at listen to the musings of Alistair Campbell in an hour, so it's gonna be an early roundup, kids. Priorities and all, ya know? BONG! Spotted earlier was Labour MP Parmjit Dhanda wearing quite the loudest suit (maroon with brown tie) seen so far… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 25 Sep 2007 4:59 PM. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

Isn't he the dreamiest?

Judging from the number of ladies-of-a-certain-age walking past the Westmonster pitch as Conference breaks for lunch, it would seem that young master Miliband has quite a following amongst the female delegates. Next time he has to make a speech like that, maybe he could liven it up by flirting with… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 25 Sep 2007 12:55 PM. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

Someone to watch over me

There's a palpable sense here that, given Brown made his keynote speech yesterday, Conference is all over bar the shouting. Nevertheless, this hasn't stopped Gord making his presence felt. As Johnson delivered his address to Conference this morning, Brown sat stony-faced behind him like a terrifyingly corporeal Banquo's ghost. Conscious, perhaps,… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 25 Sep 2007 12:42 PM. Permalink

While You Were Sleeping

Making a clean breast of it

Political betting on the newspapers' reaction to the address of Gord, in which Westmonster senses a tremor in the Force. Is the Sun's love-in with Labour coming to an end? Speaking of the Sun, this doughty defender of national sovereignty took its campaign to Bournemouth yesterday. The message: we want a referendum!… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 25 Sep 2007 10:55 AM. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

Children! Children! Future! Future!

Wesmonster assumes that Brown has headed for the bunker to have a look at what the laydeez and gentlemen of the meedja are saying about his Conference speech and how it's playing in the country, and so shall we. In terms of the comrades, after ten years of Blair, Brown… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 24 Sep 2007 6:19 PM. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

Erm... Just Venting

After an early tussle to bag a seat in front of the TV in preparation for the Address of the Gord, your action news reporter realised that she had left her Conference guide up the hill in the Mariott. Legging it up the hill in a force eight gale, Westmonster… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 24 Sep 2007 3:29 PM. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

LIVE: Gordon Speaks

Westmonster provided live coverage of Gordon Brown's speech to the Labour Party Conference. The transcript appears below: 2:14 PM: A minute to go by Westmonster's reckoning until Gord makes his triumphant entrance into the Conference Hall. Everybody is clustered around TV screens, waiting, and trying not to be bored by… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 24 Sep 2007 2:00 PM. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

Question and Answer Insania

The assembled masses who had battled with the hangover to attend the Question and Answer session with Hazel Blears, Harriet "I Am A Woman" Harman, and James Purnell were treated to a debacle that would have had David Dimbleby wincing. For starters, whether Keith Vaz, who was chairing the… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 24 Sep 2007 1:01 PM. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

You Can't Handle The Truth

Tory defector Quentin Davies (pictured) has just drawn a small crowd around the TV as he delivered a resounding bitch-slap to former boss David Cameron. Party members looked like they were undecided as to what facial expression it was appropriate to wear as Quentin - clearly prepared to have a stiff… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 24 Sep 2007 12:22 PM. Permalink

While You Were Sleeping

Waiting for Gord

The day of Brown's first Conference speech as PM: journalists spend the early hours hoping that if they roar "areyergonnacallanelection?" at unexpected junctures during the morning interviews, it might startle him into letting slip some sort of definite answer. Labour ahead on 42, Conservatives and LibDems each down two at 34… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 24 Sep 2007 10:20 AM. Permalink

Points, In Order

A Safe Pair of Eyebrows

BONG! Alistair Darling says that everything is nice. BONG! The excellent Spectator blog nails the internal dichotomy of the Broon. BONG! The Gord doesn't rule out a snap poll. And this is news...how? BONG! Labour at highest ratings EVAH this parliament (or, at least since the Boy Cameron was put in charge… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 23 Sep 2007 11:21 PM. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

Ambitious Young Berks A-Go-Go

As the Conference meets in Bournemouth, Westmonster is keenly conscious of the fact that some of the conversations she has overheard contain sentiments that probably weren't at the forefront of the movement's founding fathers one hundred years ago. Maybe it's due to old age and the consequent grumpiness, but your… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 23 Sep 2007 12:45 PM. Permalink

While You Were Sleeping

Greetings from the land t'interweb forgot

Day two of the Labour Party Conference and the WiFi still isn't working. Anyone surprised? Anyone? Last night LBGT (which stands for "Les/Bi/Gay/Trans," fact fans) Labour held a reception at which the oft-heard female lament of "Where are all the decent men?" was comprehensively answered. Newly-selected PPC Stephen Twigg… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 23 Sep 2007 12:05 PM. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

Party like it's 1918, baby!

"So who have you seen so far?" asked one TV newsman to another certain well-known reporter. "Only Tommy Two-Dinners and the usual array of MPs who expect to be here at this time." First day of the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth: the stalls are still being set out, there… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 22 Sep 2007 7:25 PM. There are 2 comments so far. Permalink

News From The Big Tent

LabourHome-less

Literally been walking up and down hills for miles trying to find a wi-fi connection. Westmonster was assured the entire exhibition centre would be covered end-to-end with wireless. Needless to say we we're just venting here, but sometimes it seems the Labour Party can't set anything up adequately other than… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 22 Sep 2007 5:36 PM. Permalink

While You Were Sleeping

The new democracy, worried Tories, and lady-bits

Trade unions set to utilise their bloc vote over public sector pay: the last time that they can use this method of holding the Labour executive to account. After the, er, reforms to party structure go through next week, the composite motion will be a thing of the past. Worry ye… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 22 Sep 2007 8:53 AM. Permalink

Department for Expanding the British Museum

Shock episode of Newsnight!

News reaches Westmonster that the Fabian Society in association with Newsnight will be hosting a special debate at Labour Party Conference set to be broadcast next Tuesday on...have a guess...go on...yup: Iraq. Quelle surprise. The troops may be pulling out, but the Beeb offensive goes on.… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 21 Sep 2007 2:09 PM. Permalink

Westmonster: “Labour Party Conference 07”