Goodbye Peter
I have just recorded an interview with Peter Hain which might be his last formal turn before this week's Cabinet reshuffle. He seemed on good form although I don't imagine the list of questions were what he might have hoped for. After a few openers about nationalist claims of political interference with the DPP over Stevens and Pat Finucane's murder (Hain's response - I didn't know about the DPP's announcement before it was made) the rest of the interview went along the following lines (this is a sharply edited version):
MD The Sun says Gordon is going to sack you - they've had some good leaks before..
PH They've had some bad ones too
MD So is that all?
PH It's up to the PM. I'm not going to speculate..
MD: It must have been disappointing for Gordon Brown to offer Lord Ashdown your job
PH: GB phoned me and told me not to worry about all the froth. A lot of what was in the papers wasn't accurate...
MD: You came 5th in the Deputy Leadership contest. Do you regret getting involved...
PH: Je ne regrette rien...
The SoS will do his last Northern Ireland Questions on Wednesday by which time he will probably find it hard to make himself heard above the hubbub as MPs gather for Tony Blair's last turn. Will the Sun be proven right or will rumours that Mr Hain could get International Development turn out to be correct? All I know is that in his day dreams Mr Hain would have preferred a very different kind of interview today.. .
MD: You won the Deputy Leadership election handsomely - would you prefer to take the job of Deputy Prime Minister or Foreign Secretary?
PH: Mark it's obviously a matter for the PM but I have shown an ability to juggle two jobs in the past and I don't see why I shouldn't be able to do the same in the future...
MD: The Sun says that provided you play a senior role in the Cabinet it will back Labour in the next General Election
PH: They are very astute observers of the Westminster scene
MD: During the week Lord Ashdown indicated his willingness to accept a position as your butler
PH: You shouldn't believe all you read in the papers, but I think this appointment can be seen as an attempt to foster a new kind of politics, using people with unique talents in innovative roles..
Well we can all dream...
We shall be broadcasting NI Questions live on Wednesday at 11.30. But before that, tonight at 11.20 on 91Èȱ¬2 we have a special Stormont (not at all Live) which features Martin McGuinness' first question time. We could not broadcast it live this afternoon because of Wimbledon. I don't think viewers would have forgiven us for replacing Maria Sharapova with the DFM.
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I think Peter Hain should go in to the Child Support Agency as a civil servant for a year or two as an Admin Officer. He should learn what it is like to work long hours for low pay in uncertain conditions. He should take 10 days or more or 4 spells of sick in 1 year in order to break the trigger points for inefficieny. Then, by doing this he will automatically receive a written warning for inefficiency with a view to being sacked. Best thing to do is to take 2 spells of 6 days whih really falls within the triggers of inefficiency, receive a written warning and see how he feels. In order to break these triggers his absence must be A) Cancer, B) MS, C)any other medical problems and see how he feels.
Peter Hain I know what job could do -Street Cleaner. Based on your perfomance as Secretary of State you could work for Down Council and brush the street 1 day in 6 weeks. The other 5 weeks and 6 days you could claim Jobseekers Allowance (Dole
Now if you worked in Castlereagh Council you would quit after 1 day as you will never have experienced a days work like it...
Mark
Catch yourself on! Hinting that Peter Hain (aka Snake Oil Salesman) might be appointed Foreign Secretary is absolute nonsense. Next you’ll be forecasting that Tony Blair might become a Middle East Peace Envoy. How daft is that? What about Maria Eagle becoming the new Secretary of State for NI or even dafter, Ian Junior being given responsibility for equality issues? Stuff and Nonsense! On second thoughts……………………………!
Susie
Carryduff
Who cares where he goes as long as it as far away from here as possible
And its goodbye from Peter Hain and myself to NI ...
It was great while it lasted but I believe you will go on to create further peace and stability in
Northern Ireland.
Cheers!
SM THOMPSON/
New York Poet/USA:
ABSTRACT WRITER/shvoong.com
Tel Aviv, Israel: 2007: