Prospects for Thursday, 27 March
- 27 Mar 08, 10:26 AM
Robert Morgan is today's programme producer - here's his early email.
Good morning everyone,
We have a strong undercover film from Zimbabwe on the eve of the presidential elections from Richard Downes and Ian O'Reilly. We also have an interview with presidential candidate Simba Makoni. I'll tell you more in the meeting.
It's been reported this morning that at least 44 people have been killed in clashes between Iraqi and US forces, and Shiite militiamen from the Mehdi Army. What exactly is happening on the ground in Basra and across the country?
Should we be looking at the MPs expenses story again today? Are there any other stories we should be doing like asylum story or the pregnant man. Do come to the meeting with your ideas.
See you in a minute,
Robert
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I must admit I thought the 'pregnant man' story was an April Fool that had leaked early. But it does prompt a wider debate, with the current legislation over stem cell research, of the balance between what is possible and what the ethical, legal and moral ramifications are.
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Robert, Is there any chance of a report on the constitutional issues raised by Tony Blair's posturing and blagging around the world, while still an MP. Surely the precedents would suggest that he should have left the H of C's before accepting the multiple posts that he's busy with now. Or is he hoping to be asked back by a grateful Labour Party when they realise that Gordon Brown is leading them to electoral disaster?
John Russell
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Comment 2- didn't Blair resign as an MP on the day he resigned as PM?
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#2 #3 - yes he did resign, TB used to be MP for Sedgefield, his resignation led to a by-election in June 2007 (Phil Wilson, Lab, now holds the seat)
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BLAIR AND THE CAUSES OF BLAIR
Blair鈥檚 haste to dump Sedgefield and to run from Britain, tell much of the man. By extension, his clear lack of integrity highlights failure in the sequence of events that brought him to high office.
(1) Party-approved, he was placed in a safe seat where they voted Labour 鈥 not 鈥淏lair鈥.
(2) Further party approval, and rubber stamping by a powerless monarch, brought him to almost absolute power, without ever being scrutinised for psychological cracks.
(3) Having oratory and charisma (both empty attributes) he led many blindly, and blinded many more into following. The ecstatic Labour Party said: never mind the quality, feel the width. The other parties scrambled to find a clone.
(4) We got what we voted for. We caused Blair. A combination of suffrage for the ill-informed, bigoted and plain stupid, and a disconnect between votes and results (that Mugabe would be proud to own) gives us a House of Charlatans playing Party Games with us as pawns.
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Thanx Nick and Cloe.
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Asylum seekers are not the only people being returned to Zimbabwe from Britain. Recently, a family court sent a child back to Zimbabwe under the terms of the Hague convention on child abduction. The judge believed that the child would be safe there.
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As usual posting on the Newsnight Web-site is a battle of wills against it would seem heavy censoring
I think "Newsnight" should change its name to "Newsnot" as it just wants to sent reporters away to make glossy films
Paul Mason's film was boring and what did it learn us other than Paul enjoys being in the front of the Camera ..Please someone save this show or cut back on the high paid presenters if it is just going to be process films
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