BREAKING: GREAT BRITAIN VOTES TO LEAVE EUROPEAN UNION!!!

70TH ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORY OVER JAPS CELEBRATED ALL OVER THE WORLD -- BUT NOT IN USA??!!!!!!

"Eleven and a Half Wonderful Years"

RIP Maggie!

the royal wedding...catered by KFC(c)

there's nothing like a (alleged) british sex scandal

maybe he's just a cheapskate?

from The Mirror

William Hague may resign over gay aide claims

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By James Lyons 3/09/2010

William Hague was battered by Tory grandees yesterday questioning his judgment over the decision to share hotel bedrooms with a young aide.

The Foreign Secretary's party weighed in after his extraordinary statement - denying he was gay - failed to end the storm over his relationship with Christopher Myers.

Friends suggested a disillusioned Mr Hague could be set to leave Government.

One said: "William lives and breathes politics but recently has not looked like a man whose heart is it in it for life."

At a Foreign Office press conference, a grim-faced Mr Hague, 49, said of Mr Myers, 25: "He is clearly someone who is rather fed up with politics and who can blame him?"

Mr Hague said he understood the younger man's decision to resign as a special adviser because of the strain placed on his family by unfounded allegations about the pair.

Mr Myers resigned on Wednesday when Mr Hague released his statement admitting the two had shared hotel rooms but denying anything improper.

The minister also insisted his marriage to Ffion, 42, was strong despite heartache over unsuccessful attempts to start a family. He said he had never been in a relationship "with any man".

The wealthy former Tory leader hoped the declaration would put paid to allegations sparked by the Guido Fawkes political gossip website and draw a line under it all.

But he faced a barrage of fresh questions after senior Conservatives, led by ex-Cabinet minister John Redwood, accused him of a lack of judgment.

The Foreign Secretary, faced reporters at yesterday morning's press conference with his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle, who is, coincidentally, gay.

EXPERIENCE

Mr Hague, whose personal fortune is estimated at over £2million, refused to say why he decided to share a room with Mr Myers.

He said: "I made a very personal statement, which was not an easy thing to do. I am not going to expand on that today.

"My wife and I felt we had had enough of the circulation of untrue allegations, particularly on the internet, and at some point you have to speak out about that and put the record straight."

He also declined to respond to criticism from fellow Tories or reveal why he decided to appoint Mr Myers, who has no experience of foreign affairs, to the post paying £30,000 a year.

Mr Hague insisted: "I think everything else was covered in what I said yesterday and I don't want to add to that any further." Questions if Mr Hague had holidayed with Mr Myers or given him gifts were rebuffed by his spin doctors.

A statement from Mr Myers "categorically" denied any improper relationship.

But the pressure on Mr Hague from his own party increased. Former chairman Lord Tebbit said the one-time leader had been "naive at best, foolish at worst".

John Redwood, who Mr Hague once replaced as Welsh Secretary, said making the personal statement invited criticism.

Writing on his blog Mr Redwood said: "I have studiously ignored the rumours and stories circulating on other websites and at a fairly empty Westminster.

"Today I cannot ignore it, as Mr Hague has issued an unusual statement and invited comment. It confirms he has shared hotel rooms with a young male assistant...

Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/09/03/william-hague-may-resign-over-gay-aide-claims-115875-22533321/#ixzz0yRw1hI6c
Go Camping for 95p! Vouchers collectable in the Daily and Sunday Mirror until 11th August . Click here for more information

UK Govt Boozes Up Whilst People Suffer...

Government spends £18,000 on wine

Yesterday, 11:49 am
Press Assoc.


Almost £18,000 has been spent topping up the Government wine cellar since the General Election, it has emerged - leading to calls that the entire collection should be sold off to raise money. Skip related content
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Government spends £18,000 on wine Enlarge photo

Foreign Office minister Henry Bellingham revealed that Government Hospitality, which manages the cellar, had spent £17,698 on new stock since May 6 - bringing the total value to £864,000 - though he insisted the standard practice of buying wines young saved money for the taxpayer.

But with public sector pay and pensions set to be squeezed in Tuesday's Budget as ministers seek further cuts to deal with the £155 billion deficit, Labour former Cabinet Office minister Tom Watson called on the coalition to sell off its fine wines to prove "we're all in this together".

Mr Bellingham revealed the latest purchase in a written Commons answer to West Bromwich East MP Mr Watson.

"Government Hospitality (GH) in Protocol Directorate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has responsibility for the management of the stock in the Government wine cellar," Mr Bellingham said. "Apart from beverage wines that are bought on an ad hoc basis, GH usually buys new stock on two or three occasions each year, as advised by the GH Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine.

"GH buys wines young, when first available in the retail market and relatively less expensive, and stores them until they are ready to use. It purchases throughout the year according to its requirements, market rates, availability and value for money. Since May 6, 2010 Government Hospitality has spent £17,698 on new stock for the cellar.

"None of these wines has yet been used. Careful management of the Government wine cellar enables GH to provide wine for high profile events at significantly below the current market rate, making substantial savings for the taxpayer."

The minister also said a total of £80,662 had been spent on new stock in 2009-10, adding: "This was itself a reduction on the 2008-09 figure of over 30%."

Using a series of parliamentary questions and Freedom of Information requests, Mr Watson was also told that the total value of the cellar is now £864,000 and features high-profile wines from the likes of Chateau Latour, Chateau Lafite, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Mouton Rothschild.

But attempts to find out exactly what vintages are held by the Government - and served up to VIP guests at departmental banquets- were blocked on commercial sensitivity grounds.

Toast?

PM Gordon Brown on track to lose the May 6 General Elections, ending 13 years of Labour rule.

Source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/elections/news/article/leaders-out-as-tories-edge-forward/N0108001272736823479A

The three party leaders embarked on a whirlwind rush around the country on the final weekend before the May 6 General Election, encountering supporters, hecklers and protests as they battled for votes.

Polls in the Sunday papers suggested that there was still everything to play for in the tightest election for a generation, with Conservatives extending their lead but still looking unlikely to secure an outright majority.

An ICM survey of key constituencies for the News of the World suggested that a swing from Labour to Liberal Democrats in marginals could let the Tories seize the extra handful of seats which would put them within hailing distance of forming a government with the support of Northern Irish unionists. But David Cameron insisted that he was still fighting for outright victory, and was not thinking about the prospect of post-election deals with other parties.

And Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, boosted by the endorsement of the formerly Labour-backing Guardian, said the contest was now a "two-horse race" between his party and the Tories. He declined to say how many seats he was aiming for, declaring only "the sky's the limit".

Prime Minister Gordon Brown admitted he was fighting for his political life as he warned voters that a Tory victory would cost thousands of public sector jobs and cost one million families up to £10 a week in tax credits.

Mr Cameron added the backing of the Sunday Express - which said he offered "a long overdue return to decency and traditional values" - to earlier endorsements from The Times and The Sun. And Tories edged forward in a number of polls for the Sunday papers, recording support of 35%-38%, compared with 23%-29% for Labour and 25%-29% for Liberal Democrats.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Vince Cable denied that "behind the scenes talks" were under way to determine what would happen in the event of a hung Parliament. And Mr Cameron dismissed talk of deals with the Lib Dems.

Mr Cameron - who faced British National Party protests as he visited Stevenage and Romford - launched his "contract" for the NHS, promising to increase health spending by more than inflation every year, fund extra cancer drugs and scrap targets.

Meanwhile, Mr Clegg urged voters to follow their hearts when they cast their ballots, rather than voting tactically for the party which they thought could win in their constituency.

The Independent on Sunday urged its readers to vote tactically against Conservatives in the hope of securing a hung Parliament in which a Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition could usher in electoral reform. But Mr Clegg told voters in Somerset: "Every single vote counts. It's precious. Vote for what you believe in. Vote for the future that you really want."