Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons

LabourOutlook Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 09:06:32 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Amongst the reaction to yesterday's welfare reform paper, there was little discussion about quite how badly Conservative Shadow Work & Pensions Minister Chris Grayling did.

His Commons performance was dire - implying that people on welfare in Glasgow can't be bothered to work by stating that he wouldn't have wanted to release this report while fighting a by-election in an area of high welfare dependency. Purnell pointed this out in his reply, saying that Grayling "betrays a deep misunderstanding which still pervades the Tory party about the parts of this country that they simply do not understand" and that "people will not say that they do not want that support. When I was there recently, people were asking for extra powers and extra support"

More on this at Labour Outlook > > >






tags: (all tags)

Display: Sort:
Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons | 12 comments (12 topical)

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#1)

by DDave3 on Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 04:06:59 PM GMT

Whilst I did not see Grayling's performance in the House, I am continually amazed at how much air-time Grayling is given by Conservative Head Office. In particular, to 'vehemently attack' Government policy. I know that he is considered the chief Tory attack dog, but I'm just so underwhelmed every time I see him. This latest epidsode merely reinforces that opinion.


Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#2)

by swatantra on Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 06:11:08 PM GMT

Just shows how weak Camerons team are. Apart from 4, all the others are second raters. God help the country if the Tories ever win.


[ Parent ]

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#5)

by NB on Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 11:20:24 PM GMT

Which other 2 (apart from Cameron and Hague) do you have in mind?


[ Parent ]

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#6)

by swatantra on Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 10:20:50 AM GMT

Osborne and Teressa May.


[ Parent ]

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#7)

by NB on Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 10:48:47 AM GMT

Well clearly Cameron, Osborne, Hague, Grieve and May completely outclass their opposite numbers in intellect, competence and almost every other dimension.  Milliband is almost as bright as Hague but has none of Hague's wit, eloquence, courage or experience. The only portfolio where there is a reasonable contest in competence that I can think of is Justice, where Straw (the last heavyweight in the Cabinet) is pitched against Herbert (whose think-tank Reform was enormously effective).  Can you think of a single Cabinet Minister who is not outclassed by their shadow at the moment?


[ Parent ]

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#8)

by NB on Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 10:50:50 AM GMT

Apart from Grayling. I'll concede that Ed Balls is brighter and in many ways more effective than him - though if charm, grace and not being Gordon Brown's mini-me become important factors Ed is sunk.


[ Parent ]

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#9)

by swatantra on Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 11:03:12 AM GMT

I wouldn't say that any of the Government Front Bench is outclassed by any of the Opposition Front Bench. The Govt Team give as good as they get, and perform even better than the Opposition on most occasions. Cameron is coming across as increasingly as a whinging public schoolboy these days; so too is Osborne; and Hague can't deal with Harriet Harman and neither can Teressa May. Jacqui Smith is putting up a gutsy performance.


[ Parent ]

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#10)

by NB on Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 11:41:13 AM GMT

Never mind your class prejudice. ITRW

  • Cameron v Brown - 19 point lead;
  • Osborne v Darling - people have totally lost confince in Darling and Labour's "economic confidence";
  • Hague v Milliband, a walkover (BTW although Harman pleases Labour loyalists by daft remarks about hats and May when she stands in for PMQs, she is clearly floundering and out of her depth "keep unemployment up" etc.. and Hague completely sunk her leadership ambitions)
  • ditto Grieve v Smith (Grieve is a real QC and about the most trusted MP in the house - Smith is manifestly out of her depth - gutsy she may be but totally inadequte, she's basically a schoolteacher)

No-one can deal with Harman,  esp Gordon who can't stand her.  And she has made a terrible mess as Leader of the House, God help us if there is another bank failure because she is so incompetent and disorganised that she has failed to get the new legislation passed before the recess.


[ Parent ]

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#11)

by swatantra on Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 12:16:25 PM GMT

Grieve lacks any charisma or personality whatsoever; he might have a 'brilliant' mind but he'll turn any ordinary citizen off after 3 mins or less. A hasty appt by Cameron which he will regret. But then, isn't there an imminent reshuffle due?


[ Parent ]

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#12)

by NB on Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 06:33:10 PM GMT

I'm afraid you're quite mistaken on this.  But the description does fit Gordon perfectly.  I thought we were talking about competence and ability...


[ Parent ]

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#3)

by LabourOutlook on Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 07:12:29 PM GMT

You can watch the exchange here

Purnell starts at 59min 30sec

Grayling starts at 1hr 10min


[ Parent ]

Re: Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons (#4)

by RedRooster on Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 11:02:56 PM GMT

I had to interview Grayling for my uni newspaper a few years ago, just after Howard became leader.  He came across as nothing so much as a frightened frog.


Chris Grayling bombs in the Commons | 12 comments (12 topical)