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peterbuss

Listed below are comments made by peterbuss between Tuesday, 24th March 2009 and Thursday, 29th October 2009.

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Changing Britain's relationship with Europe 10:11am on 29 Oct 2009 Nick - this is a truly excellent piece of journalism if I may say so. I have maintained for a long time that David Cameron unlike many in the Tory Party does not have a visceal hatred of the EU and all its works but is a strong believer that our best interests lie in remaining in the EU. At the same time he is a strong believer in the Nation State and will not go down the federal route. I remember Ken Clarke saying only a few months ago that David Cameron is a mild eurosceptic and of a very sensible sort!

It is clear that elationships and bridges will have to be mended and bult with Merkel and Sarkozy - but never forget that if Cameron becomes PM then they will need him just as much as he needs them.Realpolitik will take over.

I know the Cameron line will infuriate the Better Off Out Group - who whilst I disagee with them at the same time I do respect them - but as a One Nation Tory your news this morning is the most cheering I have heard for a long time on Europe .I also believe it represents where the vast majority of people in this Country are on Europe.
...gone 8:09pm on 15 Oct 2009 There you are Nick - as the sun sets on the same day the news broke, David Cameron has got it sorted. What a Leader - what a contrast to Brown.
Has he got a Legg to stand on? 09:31am on 13 Oct 2009 There was no limit on gardening and cleaning claims excpet the one that it had to be reasonable.All Clegg has done is effectively to say that what they claimed was NOT reasonable.Fair enough.It is a cunning Mandelson spin began yesterday to say that Legg had changed the rules - he has not and he did not - all he has done is to say what was reasonable.

Can someone please explain to me why Godon Brown claimed a penny for gardening and cleaning as he lived in grace and favour homes at our expense? Where was the EXTRA cost he was incuring? Also what about his Sky sub?
First thoughts 5:29pm on 25 Aug 2009 Laura - you have been so briiliant thus far but you ae much too soft on Brown on this one. What a stupid statement he made. I mean none of us in the first place thought he would be enraptured by the bombers homecomng for goodness sake - and we all know the release is a devolved matter.So what has he actually told us - precisely zilch because he is silent on whether he agrees with the decision to relase the guy - and he's silent because he's basically a coward.No other word for it. He is using the devolution issue as a device so he can "get out of" a tricky no win situation. Since when has Gordon Brown ever before been slow in commenting on other devolved matters dealt with by the SNP .There are even planted Scotish Labour MP's quesions at PMQ's to give him an opportunity to rubbish the SNP.This decision to relelase the convicted bomber has implications for the whole of the UK - thats why he should say what he thinks.
So I'm sory Laura - but in effect he's still hiding.
A glimpse of life after Freddie 9:17pm on 21 Aug 2009 A marvellous spell of bowling by Broad.The King is dead - long live the King !!

The dodgy umpiring decisions do even themselves out. Watson was absolutely plumb LBW when he had hardly scored a run but was given not out. So far 3 England batsmnen in this match have been out off blatant no balls - so no Aussie whinging please !!
A public element 09:03am on 18 Jun 2009 Yet again the PM fails to fully involve the othe Parties in a matter which affects the whole Nation.He just cannot abide not being in total control.We saw it ove the expenses issue and now we are seeing it yet again over this matter.
Questions that MPs dread 09:59am on 08 May 2009 Nick - I just wonder whether you may have become too close to the Westminster Village. You are too kind to our MP's over this matter. Take the cases of Browns double claiming for plumbing and Straws over claiming on Council Tax.As someone who woked in local govt for many years I can assure you that such claims made by any local govt officer would have resulted in dismissal for gross misconduct on the grounds of fraudulent use of public funds - indeed as a Personnel Manager I have indeed been involved in sacking people just for that sort of offence. For Brown to wring an apology out of the fees office when it was him who signed off the double claim is disgraceful.For Straw to claim it was done in error and when he found out about he corrected it ( waa that when he realised it would be published by the way !) it doesn't wash as he again was the one signing off for the claim. I can really really assure you Nick that such excuses would not wash for any other public servant making these claims and I am not sure you have really recognised just how serious these matters are.I could also mention the quite disgraceful practice of some MP's doing up second homes, selling them off at a profit, pocketing the money and then repeating the practice over and again.
Harriet Harman, kept saying ad nauseum this morning that it was all within the rules, but there is a preamble to the rules talking about the spirit of what should be claimed which would seem to negate much of what has in fact been claimed.Evan Davis was absolutely brilliant this morning in pessing the hapless Harman on this matter without sadly any success.
I'm a Cameron supporter but I don't kid myself that the Tories (or indeed Lbi/Dems) will come out any cleaner on this matter than Labour - it will look worse for Labour though as they will (foolishly) keep prattling on about having a moral compass etc etc and I'm not sure how impressed their core vote will be with their Leader and Foreign Secretary claiming for cleaning expenses and gardening in these troubled times.
Back to work 11:44am on 20 Apr 2009 Hope you had a good holiday Nick - good to have you back.

Although Labour continually set out those dividing lines outlined in your piece, it would be wrong to say that this marks out the choice facing the British people as those lines are pure and utter spin.After the next el;ection any party that wins will have to increase taxes and cut public spending - the choice is simply the balance between those two, how fast the PBSR will be reduced and whp is prepared to get more for les by a major ovehaul and reform of the public sector.

Smeargate is moe than a Westminster Village story Nick - you may not be up to speed on this. Its about serious matters, including the relationship (some might say cowering relationship) between the Lobby and Downing Street.
The blame game 4:03pm on 01 Apr 2009 You may well be right Nick, but won't do Gordo a scrap of good with the voters - the guy is absolute toast.In fact the love -in today with all its implications of spin may even turn more voters off Brown.
On board the G20 express 5:15pm on 24 Mar 2009 Nick - I see then, the BBC line is "don't worry, nothing really settled and agreed, but it will be a success because it has the apearance of such". Honestly Nick - I think you're a great guy, but this is unadulterated Labour bias - it really is. In one of your quiet moments just read again what youi have written and reflect on its implications please.

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