Thursday 23 April 2009
Shouldn't the parliamentary party be being seen to support Nick more?
Watching Nicks Clegg's budget response, you see and hear the usual appalling parliamentary behaviour in the background. The emptied out chamber, the hubbub of other MPs talking and the views of other MPs ignoring Nick's speech completely. What Tories are left are busy discussing strategy and writing notes (not on Nick's speech!).
I often wonder whether the speaker can do anything to stop this but I know this is part of the establishment game to belittle us in the eyes if the public.
However, I really think our own MPs should at least be seen to be paying attention and reacting to his speech especially if they are in the doughnut around him that will be seen on the news (and hopefully fool the viewers into thinking MPs are still listening).
I know it's probably been a long boring day but they can at least pretend to be interested for the sake of the cameras. The arms-crossed scowling slump is not a good look, St. Vince.
They should also not be looking round, looking bored, writing, talking, concentrating on what they are reading with a pen in their mouth, looking round with a pen in their mouth, nudging a colleague to get more reading material to then flick through, looking like this is a waste of their time and generally being distracting. I'm looking at you Ms Goldsworthy!
I'm not sure that maybe the only reason we saw the other empty benches, the Tories plotting and the slouching St. Vince was that they had to cut to a long shot to avoid the distracting background.
Just a thought!
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3 comments:
Julia is probably reading papers relevant to the budget which only get published when the Chancellor stands up. So I think it's a bit of a harsh criticism.
Given Labour's propensity for hiding things in the detail, one day an opposition leader will stand up and say, "how can I possibly comment on a budget which includes several hundred pages of complex material only published a few minutes ago.
I'm not saying she's not doing something useful and all your comments about Labour are correct but if you are in the leaders protective media doughnut you look supportive and interested.
Depressingly, however much work we put into the budget day response, the main thing that matters is the pictures on the news.
If I'm interested in what someone is saying I take notes. This is what Julia is doing. She does nod and say "hear hear" a few times.
I, too, think your crit is a bit harsh.
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