This entry was posted on
Sunday, August 7th, 2005 at
7:11 am and is filed
under The Reality-Based Community.
Parliament’s integrity index just took a steep dive. The intelligence quotient isn’t looking too good either:
BBC – Former minister Robin Cook dies
Observer – An intellect that enthralled the House and made us think
Independent – A man of high principle – both prickly and brilliant
By Guardian Unlimited: Newsblog August 7, 2005 - 12:35 pm
Robin Cook: 1946 – 2005
The death of former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook is slowly being digested around the web. The two Scottish broadsheets are fulsome in their praise; in Scotland on Sunday (reg required), Arthur MacMillan describes him as “one of the most principled…
By D-Notice August 8, 2005 - 7:05 pm
Have you seen what Craig Murray’s been saying about Cook?http://www.craigmurray.co.uk/archives/2005/08/those_of_us_who.htmlI was one of a few enthusiasts in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who welcomed the arrival of Robin Cook as Foreign Secretary and his declaration of an ‘Ethical foreign policy’. The majority were hostile and cynical, but not nearly so much as was Tony Blair.Within a very few weeks, Blair arranged Robin Cook’s defeat at Cabinet when Cook wanted to stop the export of British Aerospace Hawk jets to the Suharto regime of Indonesia, which has a strong history of vicious repression of its disparate peoples. I was told by a Cabinet Minister who sided with Cook, that Blair managed Cook’s cabinet defeat in as confrontational and humiliating a manner as possible.Plainly there would be no ethical foreign policy under Blair, and ‘New Labour’ would be even snugger in bed with the arms industry than the old version. One of Blair’s lead men on Hawks to Indonesia was Jack Straw, who declared in the register of members’ interests that 50% of his election expenses had been paid by Lord Taylor, a Director of British Aerospace.
By Carl August 10, 2005 - 6:43 pm
First Mo Mowlam raced to hospital close to death…Then the Gnome Cook “falls over” and dies…If I was Clare Short, I’d be shitting meself right now.But is it Tony’s doing? Or Gordon, clearing out the potential rebels to challenge him taking the leadership job…It’s like “Highlander” isn’t it… There can be only one.Anyways, it’s just a thought.I’ll get me coat.