Tony Blair Heckled in House of Commons

[Bilko]

Tony Blair was heckled a few moments ago in the public gallery at the house of commons. First of all I didn't even know there was public gallery in the house of commons, I just thought it was a bunch a fuckers saying 'yehhhhhhhh, yehhhhh' and waving bits of paper about. I can already see the news tonight, particularly on ITV 'if these hecklers can force their way in, what is to stop someone with more extreme intentions getting in.' Blair's fucking witty response with that smug grin across his fucking face makes me hate him more.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3458541.stm

[elderford]

Yes there is a public gallery, because when they do something secret a man dressed up in knicker-bockers makes a comment about removing "strangers", ie. as opposed to saying "people who pay for everything so we can sneer at them for being so poor and stupid".

[butnut]

On Radio 5 they've already said that they'll install screens to protect the MPs.

[Sherringford Hovis]

They'd better be bomb and bullet-proof.

Where's OUR screens to protect us from politicians?

[smoker]

Where's OUR screens to protect us from politicians?

good point, every british citizen should be issued with one veto on law

[me]

The hecklers have managed to get the session of the house suspended it say on sky news, thats some good going that. Well done the general public. I can never remember a session of the house being abandoned. That has amused me greatly.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/home

edit: wrong link !!

[smoker]

from the guardian:

"
It is believed the last time a debate was stopped was during the debates on Section 28, under Mrs Thatcher, when lesbians abseiled into the chamber."

mint!

[me]

from the guardian:

"
It is believed the last time a debate was stopped was during the debates on Section 28, under Mrs Thatcher, when lesbians abseiled into the chamber."

mint!

My word !!!!!!......
Wish I had that  "shocked" Smilee now.

[Lord Spong]

At least six protesters are being held by police in cells at the House of Commons and are likely to face questions about how they got tickets for the debate and whether they came from an MP.

Erm...   so what have these people done wrong then??

[smoker]

how they got tickets for the debate

godamm touts

[butnut]

I thought you could just queue up and get it in. Isn't the idea that we live in some sort of democracy, and that the people have some kind of right to watch the laws being made?

Or I am being naive again?

[Bilko]

On Radio 5 they've already said that they'll install screens to protect the MPs.

Pete Townsend used to have a Perspex shield between himself and the amplifiers when he appeared on stage, because his hearing is fucked from all those years of playing too LOUDDDDD.

*Insert your own joke about keeping Townsend in a Perspex shield to keep him away from children.*

[smoker]

i actually read that as perspex child, funny thing this word association

[Still Not George]

At least six protesters are being held by police in cells at the House of Commons and are likely to face questions about how they got tickets for the debate and whether they came from an MP.

Erm...   so what have these people done wrong then??

I have a suspicion that disrupting a meeting of the House is a crime of some sort. Probably only caution-worthy, but it's enough to wind up in the cells.
I was entertained by the revelation that there's cells in the House, though - wonder how long it's been since those were used?

[butnut]

I was entertained by the revelation that there's cells in the House, though - wonder how long it's been since those were used?

Every night there's probably a few kinky MPs locked away in there.

[elderford]

Tony Benn was dragged down there for half an hour or so by the Man At Arms Sargeant once I seem to recall.

Wouldn't Heseltine have been for chucking the Mace about back in the 80s?

[smoker]

Tony Benn was dragged down there for half an hour or so by the Man At Arms Sargeant once I seem to recall.

Wouldn't Heseltine have been for chucking the Mace about back in the 80s?

can you expand? never heard anything about these incidents

[Ambient Sheep]

"It is believed the last time a debate was stopped was during the debates on Section 28, under Mrs Thatcher, when lesbians abseiled into the chamber."

mint!

My word !!!!!!......

Gosh, you sure know how to make a chap feel old...still I suppose it's like me hearing about stuff during the Harold Wilson government or something...

[elderford]

[edit]

Hilarious reply but with image so large it made the thread difficult to maintain roadholding.

Here's the mace bit, although I reckon it was 1986 as in 1976 I was only interested in Action comics and Jaws.

Heseltine wields the mace

Michael Heseltine famously seized the mace after a particularly heated debate in 1976.

The evening of 27 May proved to be a particularly eventful one for the House of Commons. The government was attempting to steer its Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Bill through the Commons.

The Bill was hotly contested, with Michael Heseltine leading the Conservative opposition. The vote on an amendment had been tied, and was lost on the Speaker's vote. The vote on the main government motion - which one would have expected also to be tied - was in fact carried by the Labour Government.

At this, some of the Welsh Labour MPs began to sing 'The Red Flag'. Heseltine, infuriated by the traditional Labour Party anthem, grabbed the mace and held it over his head.

He was restrained by Jim Prior, replaced the mace and left the Chamber. The Speaker suspended the sitting until the following day.

The next morning Michael Heseltine apologised unreservedly for his behaviour.

[smoker]

space to rent

[Ambient Sheep]

Tony Benn was dragged down there for half an hour or so by the Man At Arms Sargeant once I seem to recall.

Wouldn't Heseltine have been for chucking the Mace about back in the 80s?

can you expand? never heard anything about these incidents

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!

Actually I don't remember the Tony Benn bit either.

[Bilko]

I remember about 5 years ago Tony Benn used to have a problem with his teeth. Whenever he spoke he used to whistle on certain letters and words. He must have got them fixed because he doesn't do it anymore. It was very funny and took away any credibility on any serious subject he was commenting about.

[Munday's Chylde]

Nobody here ever been to the public gallery then? I've been twice, it's more rubbish than you could ever imagine.

[smoker]

a few extarcts from the bbc article:


He called the Hutton Report exhaustive, saying it had cleared the government of sexing up its Iraq dossier.

bullshit


Amid the interruptions, Mr Blair joked: "I somehow feel I am not being entirely persuasive in certain quarters."  

3 of the 4 it seems like


Mr Blair called the BBC report which sparked the Hutton inquiry "100%" wrong.


BULLSHIT! one piece of information was wrong

He told MPs he accepted the Iraq Survey Group had not found the banned weapons he had expected to be uncovered, but they had found evidence of weapons programmes.


Even if the group found nothing more "we would have been irresponsible in the highest degree not to have acted against Saddam", he argued.


they have found nothing more. many other countries with anti-western agendas have worse weapons. and irresponsible is rushing into a conflict your army is not prepared for, your people don't want, and which you have virtually no say in conducting, then lying about it all

[Still Not George]

One part managed to stick in my somewhat engorged craw:

"Whether the country was right to go to war is not a matter for committee, but for the Government, for Parliament and ultimately for the people to decide".

First point, Tony - 'the country'? It was you and your party's decision, mate. We had nothing to do with it. I don't remember there being a referendum on the issue.

Second point, Tony - fair enough, it's not a matter for a committee. Yup, it is a matter for the people. So I suggest you call a General Election right the fuck now, making it clear that's what the basis for the election is, and we'll see what the people think, eh?

[Artemis]

I seem to recall back in the days when I was aware of PMQs and the like but didn't appreciate it for the circus of overgrown schoolchildren it is now, that there was an incident of people in the 'spectators gallery' dumping a load of flour on the MPs below. Can't remember much more then that but remember thinking how cool that was at the time.

[Blue Jam]

Pete Townsend used to have a Perspex shield between himself and the amplifiers when he appeared on stage, because his hearing is fucked from all those years of playing too LOUDDDDD.

Didn't Keith Moon also manage to fuck up Townshend's hearing by setting off fireworks in hotel rooms?

[Dusty Gozongas]

Anybody been listening to this?

Hoon and Cook knew that the '45 minute' claim referred only to battlefield weapons  but the PM didn't!  OK.  We forgive you Tony.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

After his release, protester Richard Hering said about the Commons: "There is a completely fake debate, nothing is actually discussed."

Could it be?

[Dusty Gozongas]

So.  The heckling continues after the public gallery is emptied, yet ITN news chooses not to make this evening's parliamentary debate the main story.  Did anybody hear 5Live tonight?  If not, you missed a very interesting treat.

Tony is on his way out.  It's nice to see the news media showing a little restraint  for a mo.....