Reid To Leave Cabinet Before The Scandal Breaks

John Reid has told the BBC he is not staying in the Cabinet. I think that's a great shame. I rate Reid as one of Labour's star performers, who connects very well with the values and concerns of ordinary Labour voters, especially those whose natural inclination is to vote BNP (tough on crime, tough on the people who cause crime).

Asked whether he was jumping before he was pushed, Mr Reid said: "I have discussed it with Gordon, I've had a very good discussion with Gordon on a number of these issues. He has made plain to me there's a place in his government for me but he understands and he accepts my decision on this."

Which makes it all sound very amicable and jolly. Just a completely understandable fate for someone so closely associated with The Great Leader and with a job record in Government (Armed Forces Minister, Transport Minister, Scottish Secretary, NI Secretary, Labour Chairman, Commons Leader, Health Secretary, Defence Secretary, Home Secretary) that does not leave much room for manoeuvre.

Why people can't leave a man alone to fall on sit own sword, I simply cannot understand. That Tory b*****d Iain Dale has gone too far this time, revealing that there is more behind the story. According to Dale: "But even worse than that, he got to hear of a big tabloid scandal brewing, which portrayed him, shall we say, in a less than chivalrous light. It was clear that the newspaper concerned was preparing to run the story if and when he announced his candidacy. And so Dr Reid shuffles off into the great political waiting room muttering "Enoch was right". All political careers do indeed end in failure."

Talk about kicking a skinhead when he's down. There's just no sense of decency in politics any more. I wonder why?