A simply brilliant speech of resignation. (Watch it in RealVideo.) If only all politicians had similar gonads. Agree or disagree, you have to appreciate someone willing to take a pretty serious personal hit in the name of their beliefs.
[Oh, and this, while considerably less eloquent, is also reassuring. The whole world hasn't yet gone mad.]
Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :
He'll be ignored quicker than you can say "what?"
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
I must admit, my opinion of Cook has gone up after this. Of course, it wasn't very high in the first place...
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
Whereas Clare Short has chickened out.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
I'd think "chickening out" would work the other way 'round. All these ministers keep resigning, rather than staying on and fighting against the war. Pretty soon, they'll all have quit and there will be no-one left in power but the warmongers. And where will that leave you?
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
So there isn't going to be a "Seizure" miniseries, then?
Posted by The_Tom (Member # 38) on :
Tim: According to the Westminister system, a cabinet minister can't break ranks from the government on a vote. In order to oppose Blair he has to do so as a non-cabinet ('back-bench') MP.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Wow. The parliamentary system really is even dumber than the US' system...
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
It's called collective responsibility and you have prety much the same thing over there (I think- I wouldn't imagine the President would allow a Secretary of whatever to stay on if he opposed the Presidant's actions publicly). Also, given the fact there is a large anti war faction among the Labour backbenchers he may be able to build up sufficient support there to gain significant amount of influence.
Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :
I can't make out shit of what he's saying on that crappy streaming RealVideo, totally devoid of treble. I hate Realplayer.
Can someone post the gist of his speech?
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"...I wouldn't imagine the President would allow a Secretary of whatever to stay on if he opposed the Presidant's actions publicly..."
Perhaps not. But it isn't illegal. I mean, what's the point of the man's even having a vote, if it's already predetermined, regardless of what he thinks?
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
It's basically no different than the Republicans controlling Congress at the same time they hold the Presidency. It's (generally) expected that all Republican Senators and Representatives will support whatever legislation Bush puts forward.I suppose the closest analogy would be if the Senate Majority Leader (whoever he is right now) came out as anti-war. Whether Cook's actions are as close to political suicide as that would be right now, I couldn't say.
Funny thing: in Blair's broadcast last night, he urged everyone to put aside their differences, and support the troops now they're there. Yet only an hour later, on the political debate show Question Time, his twit of a Welsh Secretary, one Peter Hain by name (and no more Welsh than any other Welsh Secretary there's ever been), said that people who were anti-war but supporting the troops are hypocrites. Moron.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"It's basically no different than the Republicans controlling Congress at the same time they hold the Presidency. It's (generally) expected that all Republican Senators and Representatives will support whatever legislation Bush puts forward."
True. But that's an operational flaw, not a design flaw. Each party may almost always vote unanimously, but they aren't required to.
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :
it's not the entire party, just the cabinet. If I have time I'll scan in the relevant pages of my politics textbook.
quote: Whether Cook's actions are as close to political suicide as that would be right now, I couldn't say.
well, obviously he's not gonna have endeared himself to the Blairistas but my MP (The hon. Douglas Hogg, QC, MP, Viscount Hailshem (sp?)) came into our politics lesson yesterday and apparently his reputation has been greatly enhanced among the backbenchers. As opposed to Claire Short's, which is in tatters.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :