[Closed] Liam Fox, will he make it to the end of the week?

I dunno, but I'd rather see Theresa May get sacked for talking inflammatory bullshit about the human rights act.

are you kidding immigrant bashings the kind of stuff that tory wet dreams are made of

Doc Fox is the Mandelson of the Condems, mind boggling lack of judgement and inability to spot a hanger on.

Won't make any difference if he does get chopped, its not like he'd be replaced with anyone better or more decent

Although when the story broke I couldn't understand why everyone was so interested in the sexual-orientation of a DJ..., serious - only half-listen to a Sky News story.

If I remember the Sky News story, it was 'Dr Fox needs to explain his relationship with...'

has to go. Got the MOD to lie on his behalf = position untenable

Doc Fox is the Mandelson of the Condems, mind boggling lack of judgement and inability to spot a hanger on.

Runs a good constituency though as far as I can see. I wasn't happy to see the Tories in No.10, but I'm happy with him as my MP on the whole. If he loses his cabinet spot, will he be forced to step down as MP too?

Terrible lack of judgement. He'll be gone by Monday night.

grum - Member

I dunno, but I'd rather see Theresa May get sacked for talking inflammatory bullshit about the human rights act.

Or at the very least, have to admit she was talking utter pish. But instead Ken Clarke gets slapped down for being right. Nice.

Have no idea what Liam Fox is up to but he's got brilliant judgement obviously.

Surprised he has made it to the beginning of the week, so no is my answer to your question.

I'm happy with him as my MP

Just as well. For most Scottish Tories aspiring to become a Westminster MP, England is their only chance.

According to wiki he used to date natalie imbruglia the sometime celeb!! bizarre!

Yeah but who he's dated doesn't count. Also according to wiki, he took an anti-gay stance whilst a student at Glasgow University. All Tories who are publicly anti-gay are actually gay - that's a fact.

And that's the point.

If he's gay or bisexual himself, but been publicly opposing legislation supporting equality, then not only is he a coward and a liar but a hypocrite of the vilest kind too.

I hope he does make it past the end of the week. Only because I'm finding it all quite entertaining and enjoy Tory discomfort mind. It would be a far better result for him to stay as a continual reminder of Tory hypocracy and poor judgement.

On a human level I find myself feeling a bit sorry for him, as I always tend to when someone in public life ****s themselves up.

He'll be gone pretty soon. Interesting question is: who will replace him? As the most rightwing tory in the cabinet, with a hawkish view of foreign affairs, will Cameron be forced to replace him with another to appease them? I can see yet more infighting within the conservative party - super.

Gone by close of play Monday, I suspect, though I'd prefer it if he stayed. Watching him wriggle is hugely entertaining.....couldn't happen to a nicer person.

Fox will be sacrificed, publicly. A bit of moral decimation will appeal to Cameron, shows he's in touch.

'we expect the very highest standards in public life, regretfully accept his resignation, did excellent work blah blah blah.......'

Next!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15235982

Apparently Dave has full confidence in him. But then again, Dave had full confidence in Andy Coulson.

A bit like when the board of a football team come out and say that the manager has their full backing.

Time to clear your desk

The fact he is still there is a damming indictment of the Tory leadership. He clearly has to go so why not do it quickly and effectively.

Anyone would think there are deals and posturing going on.

The fact he is still there is a damming indictment of the Tory leadership. He clearly has to go so why not do it quickly and effectively.

Well, to be fair I'd prefer that all the facts were obtained before making a decision, rather than trial by media. There may be perfectly innocent reasons at to why a minister might have his mate along for international government trips and his mate claiming to be his advistor. It might just [i]look [/i]bad. It's not like he's in a particularly sensitive or important ministerial post, is it?

Apparently the tory leadership need to really screw him before sacking him, otherwise if they just strip him of his cabinet position he'll become a pain on the backbenches, and leader of the anti-coalition movement.

I don't really understand any of the above. I just read it in the paper and then got really annoyed...

troll was too blatant Mrs toast
Dave will struggle to sack him due to him being right wing and dave needing to keep him in the cabinet to appease the rabid wing of his party- was his offence any worse thna Vince cable [ yes] but the right wont see it this way they will think it i a witch hunt

Well its looking good for him this morning, isn't it? Safe as houses!

Every single paper is carrying a story about himand his relationship with his [s]boy[/s] best friend. Except they all seem to be diffeent ones 🙂

The most interesting one being that Mr Werrity has racked up £85,000 worth of flights alone, yet doesn't appear to actually have a job. Well.... not one he's telling anyone about. I regularly did that kind of thing when I wasn't working

Still in a job by lunchtime?

And the inquiry are requesting details of who Werrity's 'clients' are. 😆

Rusty Spanner +1

I think the papers are again following the internet, by which I mean sites like Guido Fawkes. The longer he stays, the more people are digging up. At some point the political cost of keeping him will be greater than the fallout from letting him resign. It will be a matter of timing, to bury other bad news perhaps?

Look on the bright side for Dave, it's keeping that nice Mr Huhne off the front pages.

Wouldn't be surprised to see him go by the end of today. I don't like the idea of MPs being hounded out of office by journos but it does seem like his judgement is pretty poor and he just should know better in his position. The fact that he doesn't means he should probably go.

I'd prefer to see MPs being hounded out of office by their fellows, by the electorate or by their party, or even by all three. But until that happens we have to rely on journos digging up dirt.

By which time it's no better than they, the MPs, deserve.

I don't care who he sleeps with. I do care if he's a liar and a hypocrite, as it seems he is. But that's hardly unique amongst MPs.

I'd like to see him replaced by the [i]real [/i]Dr Fox, the one off of Pop Idol.

I'm confused though, is this Tory supposed to be secretly gay or bent (corrupt) or both?

On a related note, a great article about male friendship by Tim Dowling

[url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/oct/11/liam-fox-adam-werritty ]I'm sure most blokes can relate to this[/url]

The press earlier today.

[img] [/img]

Kind of mixed on this one as he's not a bad secretary of Defence, but the joy of watching another f*** up in progress by this Government gets the better of me.

That Tim Dowling article is pretty much spot-on 🙂

I still reckon he will be gone by midnight
the constant gay slurs by nasty (public) school boys. like guido annoy me wasn't he on a mission to out Hague a while back ?

what's more depressing is the shameful world of arms dealers aides ministers and dodgy financial arrangements set up as charities to further rightwing agendas of capitalism and war

Its not being gay thats the issue - its the lies.

he's not a bad secretary of Defence

binners surely you have seen Hora 40 times in the last 18 mths?
I see a couple of mates at least every two weeks so I must be above that figure as well.

binners surely you have seen Hora 40 times in the last 18 mths?

Nah! He's stopped putting out 😉

On a serious note: I don't think anyone gives a monkeys about if he's gay or not. Thats a sideshow. The main issues to me is some random bloke sitting in on MOD meetings with issues about national security being discussed.

And the question that they seem most reticent on - who is paying for this bloke to swan around the globe, travelling first class and staying in luxury hotels. Whatever the answer to that one, I doubt its one where we'll all go "oh...that's who it was. That's ok then"

On a serious note: I don't think anyone gives a monkeys about if he's gay or not.

I do.

Not on a personal level - that's entirely his business, and not something that any right-minded person should concern themselves with, especially following Cameron's speech at conference - but on an entrely political one.

Don't forget that Liam Fox has either voted against gay rights votes (or been absent).....hypocrisy never smeels good.

if you can just overlook him taking his mate, who has no role in the govt or security clearance, on loads of foreign jollies where he meets arms dealing companies for 3 hour meals set up by said friend.
He has broken the minesterial code and he has laid himself open for attack...changing his defence has not helped much

Oh come, focus on the negativity...what about the fox hunt picture? He's done ok for the royal navy. I'm trying not to bring up any "hello sailor" jokes.

And the question that they seem most reticent on - who is paying for this bloke to swan around the globe, travelling first class and staying in luxury hotels. Whatever the answer to that one, I doubt its one where we'll all go "oh...that's who it was. That's ok then"

Exactly! Record unemployment, savage cuts etc and this * is flying his old chum around the world whilst we pay for them.

Why the need for "special advisors" anyway. I'm sure that most of us on here manage to do jobs to a reasonable level of competence without the need to ask a friend. Just see my company being thrilled to bits if I start submitting expenses for taking a pal with me.

Bunch of *s.

I do.

So do I. Anyone who takes a strongly anti-gay stance whilst being secretively gay themselves, and has a job which involves access to very sensitivity information - Secretary of State for Defence pretty much qualifies for that, poses a serious security risk.

well he made it to Friday afternoon

apparently its his links to private security / spy firm G3 that was the final nail I'm not sure if that means further revelations to come

No he didn't!

[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15300751 ]Fox Gone[/url]

Oooh should've put a pound on this.

Bye bye

Well he's so hard-faced - 'his face'd stand clogging' as my dad would say, that i expect we can expect something suitably lurid to have finished him off

My moneys on coke-fuelled, gay orgies with members of Al-Qaeda and some Muslim Swans, in the Pentagon,

My moneys on coke-fuelled, gay orgies with members of Al-Qaeda and some Muslim Swans, in the Pentagon

Wasn't that a plot line from an Andy McNab or Tom Clancy book?

So, who's next for the role? Brazier? Stewart? Someone with absolutely no relevant knowledge of the workings of the armed forces?

did alex ferguson christen the boyfriend? a display of good natured sportsmanship by arsene wegner - a bit of a wewwity one might say?

British politicians have a lot to learn.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15302695

So, who's next for the role?

Well we have just had a medical doctor in charge, my money is now on a former merchant banker or lawyer as I don't think any of the coalition has any military background.

See the above two names... One is a former Army officer and is now minister for reserve forces (Brazier), the other is a former Army officer (Col. Bob Stewart).

They might have some experience.

I think you're right though, we'll probably get a dentist.

Well, he certainly paid the price for trying to upset the applecart didn't he 😉

Its like an episode of Yes minister!

Let that be a warning to anyone who tries to close the comfortable revolving door between MOD civil service and the military industrial complex... A cynical person might suggest that Foxy boy might have asked a few too many questions about MOD procurement overspend, and started going behind the scenes and talking direct to the industry.

Tin foil hat, moi?

I'm glad he's gone - one of the most unpleasant Tories - and he's got some competition.

Hopefully someone will start digging up some dirt on Lansley or Pickles next.

Put a smile on my face for a Friday evening, that did.

So what was the last straw?

So philip hammond is now in charge of defence? Goodbye 80mph speed limit...

Let that be a warning to anyone who tries to close the comfortable revolving door between MOD civil service and the military industrial complex... A cynical person might suggest that Foxy boy might have asked a few too many questions about MOD procurement overspend, and started going behind the scenes and talking direct to the industry.

yup that'll be it. nothing to do with ferrying your lover around at the taxpayer's expense

Zulu-Eleven - Member

Tin foil hat, moi?

Nothing so rational.

Pinched from the D Tel article...

Fox has resigned. He actually handed the resignation letter to Oliver Letwin on Tuesday but the binmen only found it today.

Fox has resigned. He actually handed the resignation letter to Oliver Letwin on Tuesday but the binmen only found it today.

Surely Letwin must be next? Anyone with any kind of security-consciousness would never do what he has done, no matter what the content of the documents.

Make of it what you will. He didn't go until people started asking about G3, and about those invovled with his friend's charity.

I for one will miss Liam Fox after his departure. When the story first broke I thought it was a bit of a "non-story", but with every new day that passed, and with it the new revelations that came to light, I became more and more enthralled by the story.

I particularly liked it in the final days when his colleges and friends were telling the media what a 'great job' Liam Fox had done as defence secretary - it was so obvious that he was about to get the boot.

Is this the end of it then ? I guess that's what the government is hoping for...... how disappointing 😐

Let that be a warning to anyone who tries to close the comfortable revolving door between MOD civil service and the military industrial complex... A cynical person might suggest that Foxy boy might have asked a few too many questions about MOD procurement overspend, and started going behind the scenes and talking direct to the industry.

What? Z-11 blaming those pesky socialist public servants for the downfall of one of his own? Foxy boy supplied the ammunition for his opponents within the tory party, further exposing the divisions within the party.

So that's Coulson and Fox that had CallMeDave's 'full support' despite being in the wrong, and both resigned to save face.

After all these U-turns on policy and personnel, anyone know which way the coalition is facing?

'anyone know which way the coalition is facing?'

They will be making a lot of space around Huhne next, is my bet.

Anyone ought to know by now that in political circles, the phrase ‘full support’ is a synonym for “his days are numbered, we're just looking for the right individual to take over his job, and who else to reshuffle”.
It's been that way for years.

in political circles, the phrase ‘full support’ is a synonym for “his days are numbered

That also applies to football managers, kiss of death a few days after the Chairman utters the words.

[url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/15/liam-fox-resignation-exposes-tories ]More, [/url]

Looks like the story hasn't finished yet,

So the question is, are there any parties left to vote for? I think it has been ably demonstrated by politicians that they are self interested scum.

Let that be a warning to anyone who tries to close the comfortable revolving door between MOD civil service and the military industrial complex...

Um, I think he was more standing in the revolving door spinning round and round as fast as possible.

Wooo hooo, the digging continues...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/8829803/Liam-Fox-affair-Adam-Werritty-facing-fraud-investigation-by-police.html

That's Atlantic Bridge coming under the spotlight, just what they didn't want, I'd guess.

I hope Werrity has a strong constitution. This is the sort of media pressure that leads to tragedy.

id like to think that the 300+ parliamentary access passes issued to lobbiest this year come under some scrutiny now
though im sure that cameron will carry out as thorough a job as he did with reforming the banking sector
(eg a deferred deal to seperate casion and high street banks due to come in in the year 2000&never)

especially as [url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/15/liam-fox-atlantic-bridge ]George Osborne, Michael Gove, Chris Grayling and William Hague were all on Atlantic Bridges advisory council alongside Fox, and it was set up by camerons press secratarty[/url]
before it got shut down for using charity as a cover for political lobbying

[url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/revealed-foxs-best-man-and-his-ties-to-irans-opposition-2371352.html ]Werrity...and Mossad?[/url]

Despite Mr Werritty having no official MoD capacity, an Israeli source said there was "no question" that Mr Werritty was regarded as anyone other than Mr Fox's chief of staff who was able to fix meetings at the highest levels, and was seen as an "expert on Iran".

especially as George Osborne, Michael Gove, Chris Grayling and William Hague were all on Atlantic Bridges advisory council alongside Fox, and it was set up by camerons press secratarty
before it got shut down for using charity as a cover for political lobbying

I knew I remembered it from somewhere. They're the bunch of jokers who awarded the 'Margaret Thatcher Medal of Freedom'* to...

(drumroll)

Henry 'can't go to Chile, Agentina, France or Spain' Kissenger**

* 😯
** fo' real!

http://politicalscrapbook.net/virals/liam-fox-business-card/

[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15326494 ]watch hague squirm as lies/words trip out of his mouth[/url]
whilst discussing atlantic bridge