I don't suppose many of you have been following this as closely as I've been forced too, but it's decidedly dodgy.
QuoteLiam Fox quits as defence secretary
Defence Secretary Liam Fox has resigned.
He has been under pressure after a week of allegations over his working relationship with friend and self-styled adviser Adam Werritty.
In a letter to David Cameron, Mr Fox said he had "mistakenly allowed" his personal and professional responsibilities to become "blurred".
The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Cameron concluded Mr Fox could no longer continue.
The defence secretary has faced allegations about his links to his former flatmate Adam Werritty after it emerged that the lobbyist had accompanied him on 18 foreign trips despite having no official role.
Mr Fox was being investigated by the Cabinet Secretary amid claims that he had broken the ministerial code.
In his resignation letter, Mr Fox said he had "mistakenly allowed the distinction between my personal interest and my government activities to become blurred".
"The consequences of this have become clearer in recent days," he added. "I am very sorry for this.
"I have also repeatedly said that the national interest must always come before personal interest.
"I now have to hold myself to my own standard. I have therefore decided, with great sadness, to resign from my post as secretary of state for defence."
Despite being many years younger, Werrity was Fox's flat mate and best man at his wedding. He became a health lobbyist when Fox was shadow secretary for health, then a defence lobbyist just after he was made defence secretary. He visited Fox at the MOD 22 times, despite having no official role or security clearance. And he just happened to turn up on many of Fox's overseas visits, despite having a salary of just £20,000.
Gay lover?
More like he offended the press and they have destroyed him.
There is a story somewhere in all the innuendo and tale-telling, but I have no idea what it is :hmm:
As Brazen suggested, it is unlikely to be an elevating story when the truth emerges, if it ever does.
This looked dodgy. Especially the Sri Lankan angle.
I find it weird that anyone thought they'd have to pay someone to lobby Liam Fox to be Eurosceptic, Atlanticist and pro-Israel.
On the other hand Fox seems to have been a pretty poor Defence Secretary so I won't miss him.
There's a joke quoted over at the Telegraph :
"Must be a first. Minister resigns to spend less time with friends and family."
:D
It's Whitehall's worst kept secret that Dr Fox bats for the other side. (Not that it should be an issue: the problem is the other conflicts of interest.)
I'm a bit surprised, I thought that since he'd survived till today he was in the clear. I suspect there's some other angle to this about to surface. All this is highly improper.
Tory sleaze is all very mid-nineties. Will Cameron now launch: Back to Basics?
Should have come out before taking up ministerial office, It's not as if anyone of any consequence cares anymore.
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on October 14, 2011, 11:28:34 AM
Should have come out before taking up ministerial office, It's not as if anyone of any consequence cares anymore.
His wife might be a little taken aback.
Your gay lover as best man at your wedding?
Ouch. His poor wife.
Quote from: Berkut on October 14, 2011, 11:30:38 AM
Your gay lover as best man at your wedding?
Ouch. His poor wife.
We haven't heard who *she* had as her maid of honour ... ;)
Quote from: Brazen on October 14, 2011, 11:30:33 AM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on October 14, 2011, 11:28:34 AM
Should have come out before taking up ministerial office, It's not as if anyone of any consequence cares anymore.
His wife might be a little taken aback.
I would imagine that she knew all about it anyway.
Quote from: Berkut on October 14, 2011, 11:30:38 AM
Your gay lover as best man at your wedding?
Ouch. His poor wife.
I assumed that he must come from that certain slice of society where his wife woulc come to expect it. But according to his wiki page it sounds like he came from quite humble origins.
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on October 14, 2011, 11:32:52 AM
I would imagine that she knew all about it anyway.
I've frequently considered offering myself up as a beard for a rich homosexual. Especially if he had a job that got him a second house for his boyfriend. I told Mart if he was still single when he was 30 we'd come up with a deal, but he never took me up on it :glare:
Mart can be very insensitive to other people's needs at times ;)
Philip Hammond's his replacement. I think that seems a good choice.
Does he get his organ played too?
Quote from: Brazen on October 14, 2011, 11:35:08 AM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on October 14, 2011, 11:32:52 AM
I would imagine that she knew all about it anyway.
I've frequently considered offering myself up as a beard for a rich homosexual. Especially if he had a job that got him a second house for his boyfriend. I told Mart if he was still single when he was 30 we'd come up with a deal, but he never took me up on it :glare:
Mart ain't in the closet, as he's told us over and over and over again... so why would he need a beard? :(
Quote from: Caliga on October 14, 2011, 05:41:20 PM
Quote from: Brazen on October 14, 2011, 11:35:08 AM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on October 14, 2011, 11:32:52 AM
I would imagine that she knew all about it anyway.
I've frequently considered offering myself up as a beard for a rich homosexual. Especially if he had a job that got him a second house for his boyfriend. I told Mart if he was still single when he was 30 we'd come up with a deal, but he never took me up on it :glare:
Mart ain't in the closet, as he's told us over and over and over again... so why would he need a beard? :(
Beyond that isn't he also in denial about his age?
They have beards that can help with that!? :o
Quote from: Caliga on October 14, 2011, 05:52:19 PM
They have beards that can help with that!? :o
Get a hipster moustache?
What is that... like a Freddy Mercury moustache? Mart would badass with one of those.
Quote from: Brazen on October 14, 2011, 11:35:08 AM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on October 14, 2011, 11:32:52 AM
I would imagine that she knew all about it anyway.
I've frequently considered offering myself up as a beard for a rich homosexual. Especially if he had a job that got him a second house for his boyfriend. I told Mart if he was still single when he was 30 we'd come up with a deal, but he never took me up on it :glare:
I have a boyfriend now. :unsure:
Quote from: Martinus on October 15, 2011, 02:25:11 AM
Quote from: Brazen on October 14, 2011, 11:35:08 AM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on October 14, 2011, 11:32:52 AM
I would imagine that she knew all about it anyway.
I've frequently considered offering myself up as a beard for a rich homosexual. Especially if he had a job that got him a second house for his boyfriend. I told Mart if he was still single when he was 30 we'd come up with a deal, but he never took me up on it :glare:
I have a boyfriend now. :unsure:
I pity the fool.
Anyway, couldn't have happened to a nicer closet-case asshole:
QuoteWhile studying medicine at Glasgow University in the early 1980s, Fox resigned his position on the university's Students Representative Council (SRC) in protest at the council passing a motion condemning the decision of the university's Glasgow University Union (GUU) not to allow a gay students society to join the union. The SRC motion called both the union's decision and the explanations given for it "bigoted". The GUU maintained its stance regardless and the controversy was reported in the national media while leading to many other university student unions up and down the country, including Edinburgh, cutting ties with their Glasgow counterparts. Explaining his decision to resign from the SRC and support the GUU's position, Fox was quoted as saying "I'm actually quite liberal when it comes to sexual matters. I just don't want the gays flaunting it in front of me, which is what they would do."
QuoteIn an interview for the London Evening Standard he claimed that his impending marriage to Jesme Baird should mean an end to any gossip about his private life. However, he refused to deny that he might have had a gay relationship in the past.
"I know that some people use smears and I have heard them for years. They'd say, 'Why are you not married? You must be a playboy or a wild man or gay,' or whatever. Well, I'm getting married in December and I'm perfectly happy with my private life and it remains my private life. It's perfectly clear that Jesme and I are very much in love with each other. I'm not going into that smear territory, which people would love to get into instead of having a debate."
QuoteIn the past, Dr Fox voted against proposals to allow gay couples to adopt children and against the equalling of the age of consent. He did not vote on the Civil Partnerships Act.
Reminds me of this :lol:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.littlebritainfans.com%2Fimages%2FCharacter18.jpg&hash=abe57d3431c9bb4ae5574a4f2722f0ca999ee70a)
:lol:
But then that was done because it is such a tory cliche.
A cliche of right wingers in general actually.