On 3 Nov 2014 at 10:31pm HotOffThePress wrote:
Just heard Norman has resigned as minister. What gives?
On 3 Nov 2014 at 10:37pm Hazy wrote:
Busted for drugs.
Plans to spend more time promoting his music career.
On 3 Nov 2014 at 10:40pm Zebedee wrote:
In a nutshell? Because Norman's quite a good bloke and the ConDem government is pretty sh1t. He'd had enough of it. Good for him.
On 3 Nov 2014 at 10:50pm Emmanuel Goldstein wrote:
Apparently he needed time off to help promote The Reform Club's up-and-coming Christmas album "Chestnuts Voting for A Token Liar"
On 3 Nov 2014 at 11:09pm nick wrote:
I wonder which Society has Norman effigy this year?
On 3 Nov 2014 at 11:15pm normans wisdom wrote:
Because he's an MP with principles and morals. A rare thing these days. Well done Norman.
On 3 Nov 2014 at 11:28pm Old Bloke wrote:
He was useless.
No loss whatsoever.
With luck he'll get voted out here as Lewes becomes even more barmy and goes Green
On 3 Nov 2014 at 11:37pm Insider wrote:
moving to UKIP ?
On 3 Nov 2014 at 11:42pm Local wrote:
Very obviously a cynical attempt at self-preservation, trying to make people forget that he was on the point of orgasm in 2010 when grasping a slice of power through the coalition, by hoping that folk believe his claim now that he's so so different from the Conservatives.
I know many people who find him truly repellent. I'm tempted to agree with them after this manoeuvre.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 12:17am monty cute wrote:
Well said, Local. Cynical and calculated.
But - after all those years he lied to us that a vote for him was the only way to keep out the Tories - we won't forget your betrayal, Norman.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 6:04am Clifford wrote:
LibDem minister resigns six months before election. Now there's a surprise. Who's next as they try to make us forget their part in destroying the NHS?
On 4 Nov 2014 at 6:07am John Johnson wrote:
More to the point Clifford, 6 months before an election after 4.5 years in Government. Won't vote for him again anyway and hope he loses his seat. Honestly don't care who to.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 6:47am Sword of Truth wrote:
Presumably he has resigned because they won`t let him and Caroline Lucas legalize drugs. That and wishing to be in position to criticize the government of which he has been a part .
Or maybe he wishes to return to Scotland or , just as likely , get some fat sinecure pout of the EU while he still can.
Its all good
On 4 Nov 2014 at 7:51am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Sounds like a case of the sinking ship leaving the rats, to me.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 8:19am ducatipete wrote:
Independent?
On 4 Nov 2014 at 9:06am Norman wisdom wrote:
What a load of cynical tosh. The man has principles and sticks to them. Unlike any of you numpties who just use it to stick the knife in. Shame on you.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 9:20am Fred wrote:
Truth can be like a knife being stuck in.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 9:22am Mark wrote:
Absolutely. I'm not a Lib Dem but I've always admired Norm and although this is almost certainly a tactical move, I wouldn't characterize it as cynical. It's expedient. The timing is good considering the slimey stuff that's been going on at the Home Office recently (with the establishment abuse enquiry) our supposed moral guardians - pshaw!!!
On 4 Nov 2014 at 9:26am Pilesqueen wrote:
He has the same problem with Teresa May as the police do!!!
On 4 Nov 2014 at 9:52am Roman Banker wrote:
He didn't have to resign for the usual reasons of affairs and expenses. He's given up six months or so of ministerial pay to go on the back benches. How many other people would do that?
Which London-based professional politician will the Conservatives choose for the Lewes seat I wonder?
On 4 Nov 2014 at 10:12am Zzz.. wrote:
You lot are far too cynical for your own good, in fact so cynical that despite all evidence to the contrary you still decide that Norman's resignation is some sort of machiavellian political manoeuvre. It's really very simple. He got fed up of the Lib Dems being taken for a ride by the Tories and decided he could have no more of it. Also, can you imagine what it must have been like working under that witch Theresa May?
On 4 Nov 2014 at 10:24am Normans wisdom wrote:
"An outstanding minister" according to his party leader and deputy pm. Of course the idiots kicking the bloke on here won't be happy until he's gone. Then they will start on his slimy, morally corrupt, self serving, smug Tory replacement.
You've never had it so good.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 11:03am Bishop wrote:
Lib Dems - dead in the water !
On 4 Nov 2014 at 11:17am lewes resident wrote:
glad to see the back of him unfortunately I can't see Lewes having a conservative MP again please please not Green.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 11:27am Bertie Blox wrote:
Slimy, morally corrupt, self serving smug politicians?
Was going along with that until some fool appeared to suggest it only applied to the Tories and excluded the as bad and often worse Liberal Democrats and Labour Party
On 4 Nov 2014 at 12:18pm PLUMPTON LAD wrote:
He has done the right thing, putting principles first.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 1:44pm belladonna wrote:
I dont think it's anything to do with principles.
1. He is seriously unpopular in his constituency for propping up a Tory government which has instigated many unmandated policies and laws (eg privatising the NHS) so he needs to do some serious campaigning to keep his seat.
2. If he was resigning on principle why didn't he do it earlier when it became obvious what the Tory government was about - how about when they reneged on PR, stitching up the Lib Dems with a stupid vote they could never win ?
3. He also wants to spend more time in his band. Being a minister means he has to work harder in office. Being on the backbenches allows him to pursue his second career.
The lust for power from the Lib Dems was just too tempting. They will have spend 5 years propping up the most right wing disastrous government that has decimated peoples lives. Now we are six months away from an election and the LDs are worrying about being wiped out. I predict the SNP, UKIP and Greens will hold the balance of power after the next election.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 3:18pm lewes resident wrote:
let's hope the Lib Dems are wiped out and that we have a majority Tory government. definitely don't want UKIP or the Greens in power, look what they have done to Brighton, ruined it.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 3:31pm Another Lewes resident wrote:
Norman has indeed resigned on principle. The problem is that he only principle he has is "Looking after number one"!
The man has no principle(s) or he (and a number of his other equaklly grasping, spineless, LibDem colleagues) would have voted against the increase in student fees as they had vociferously campaigned against the increase. However, in order to gain/retain places in the combo cabinet they ignored "principle" and voted for the increase to ingratiate themsleves with 'Call Me Dave' and his merry men. A party/person with any backbone would have put principle before party, or personal career, gain.
It may have been four or five years ago, and Norm (and his psycophantic poster "Normans Wisdom") seems to think that that betrayal of trust has been forgotten...not so Norm, not so.... you may find a number of chickens coming home to roost next spring... I hope you've got an alternate career lined up just in case?
Still, if he's going to go on the campaign trail I can't wait to see if he is happy to see fracking go ahead, is happy to cap immigration in some way, is happy to see further nuclear power stations opening etc. Lets see what he says when asked to give a simple "Yes" or "No" answer to some simple questions.
However, given his track record, whatever he may tell me on the street in answer to those questions, I'd take it with a pinch of salt...
On 4 Nov 2014 at 3:52pm Town flyer wrote:
But he is still a lib dem mp, he has only resigned his ministerial post not his well paid job as a lib dem mp so it really is meaningless isn't it. If he had the aforementioned principles he would have resigned from the party too. No?
On 4 Nov 2014 at 4:11pm Local wrote:
I love this 'privatising the NHS' nonsense! Bringing some commercial realities to its cosy little bubble maybe, but don't forget that many private sector companies are withdrawing from the NHS as there isn't conventional commercial sector profit to be made. But some will remain active, bringing welcome expertise to one of the most wasteful and unsustainable organisations in Europe - if not the world.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 4:27pm normans wisdom wrote:
Another Lewes Resident: Is that your brain or are you running it in for a moron?
On 4 Nov 2014 at 4:58pm Sword of TRuth wrote:
I agree with Mark, I frankly despise Norm`s politics but he seems an alright chap and if he is expediently distancing himself from the government well ... dear dear dear whatever next.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 6:07pm Walking through mud wrote:
Get him back sorting out the Sussex Joke roads and the parking
On 4 Nov 2014 at 6:46pm Normans wisdom wrote:
Norman on the BBC 5 minutes ago explaining his decision. Difficult to fault the bloke really. But he could cure cancer and still idiots on here would criticise him.
Well done Norman.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 7:33pm john wrote:
I'm still waiting to see how far he has pushed the St Anne's/Subud issue. Possibly lots of back room work? - but lets wait and see. It's a cut and dried line in the sand issue, or it should be.
On 4 Nov 2014 at 8:52pm Phfellow2004 wrote:
There is probably much more than meets the eye with Baker's resignation. Already his esteemed Leader has distanced himself from Baker's move to step down. Norman is a maverick and certainly not a team player. He never expected, following the 2010 General Election, that he would end up as a powerful Transport Minister within the Coalition. During his term at the Ministry of Transport since 2010 he actually did absolutely nothing to resolve the No 1 transport issue in his Constituency namely the A27. Meanwhile, the road has been frequently paralysed following serious incidents and several deaths. His silence has been deafening but he still wants to be a rock star! The last time he took time out/off was to ignore his constituents to write a book about Dr David Kelly which lined his pocket. Watch this space...........if he has any sense now, he should not stand for re-election in 2015 and go and take up a juicy job in Brussels with his EU luvvies.