The government has been defeated in the Commons for the first time since 1997 (the last time a government was defeated was actually in 1995, which was on the budget).
Blanket (not Blunkett ) coverage on all news channels; any news specials on the way I wonder?
This is a great day for the Conservatives. Tony Blair's authority is crippled.
I think at 90 day law should have went though. The pro's outweighed the con's and the media actedl like police would hold them for 90days, when infact most suspects wouldnt need 90days, most some might off.
Michael Howard calling for Blair to resign. Could this be the last straw for Tony?
I doubt it, isn't this the first vote he's lost?
The Sky Report with Julie Etchingham will be coming live from Westminster tonight.
Sky also have an interview with the PM..Adam Bolton just said he was going to interview him on Live at Five.
But News 24 managed to get theirs out first. To be fair, the BBC always get first priority on political interviews, so no great shock. Was a bit embarrassing to watch Jeremy Thompson sitting there saying ''well, we're getting some titbits about what the PM's being say behind the scenes'' and in fact quoting stuff from the News 24 interview. Hardly 'behind the scenes' - a few years ago, when they had no viewers, it might've well as been!
As for Blair going, not a hope in hell. Don't forget the public supported him on this one, even if MPs didn't. If it was the other way around, he wouldn't have tried his luck.
Michael Howard calling for Blair to resign. Could this be the last straw for Tony?
As highlighted on Ch4 News by John Snow, Howard wasnt calling for John Major to be sacked when many of his proposed bills on Europe and fuel were defeated! Loved seeing Howard squirm and dodge that question
Whilst I don't want to get dragged in to a political discussion, this bill was a major infringment on human rights. As Mr Howard has said it is 1)unfair; the equivalent to a 6 month prison sentence and 2) unncecessary; it should not take the police 3 months to find suitable evidence against a suspect, and even if it did, they could keep applying to the magistrate for extra time (and a magistrate would probably only refuse if he/she felt that there was a substantial reason to not allow them to)
But it will be interesting to see what the next few days have in store TV wise, I think this will lead the news for the next few days, perhaps get Kaplinsky out in the field tomorrow, and maybe even breakfast will come from Westminster (after all, it has been 10 years since something like this happened).
And what if Tony does go (please go!!!); what does everyone think we will see then?
Politically I feel it's a case of many MPs putting politics before national security - and I'm getting rather annoyed now that the Human Rights act seems to be being exploited for all the wrong reasons.
This is a side note, but the courts ruled that not letting prisoners vote is against their human rights. Surely under that logic, locking them up should be banned too!
Back to TV - maybe I'm being naive but I do feel they are blowing this out of proportion. Yes, it's a good story and the first time TB has lost a vote, but I can't see it leading to his resignation.
By the way they summarised the events at the end of the Evening News tonight viewers could quite easily have been under the impression that Tony Blair had indeed quit, though of course, he hasn't!
And as for Michael Howard - does anyone, even in the Conservative party, actually care what he thinks?
"Is it the beginning of the end for Blair"
" How long before Blair hands over to Brown"
Now i havent agreed on everything Blair has done in past, but i think 90 day was ok, its not like they would have been help right up to day 90 only in extreme circumstances.
I hope that Blairs stays right until the last days of his time left in office and i hope he steps down days before next election is held. As for Gordon Brown for PM, the Media Masturbation for this guy is OTT, what is there obbession with him. I hope someone else will sucseed Tony, John Prescott would do well LOL
) coverage on all news channels; any news specials on the way I wonder?