Balls on 3

[ahinton]

"Sounds" is, I think, right - Balls will tell an audience of "Classical Music" listeners that he loves "Classical Music", appear on Strictly to show that mass audience that he's a regular guy - he'll gladly have a pint down the pub with you, Bbm, and the next night address a Temperance Society meeting on the evils of drink. He might keep very quiet about his threats, whilst "Children, Schools, and Families" Secretary, to take legal action against teachers who didn't do as he told them to do: that's the real measure of the man, and one for which I would be more likely to pour a pint over his head than drink one with him.

I might opine that this would be a waste of a pint were it not for the fact that my loathing of beer in all its forms suggests otherwise.

I'd no idea that he'd ever addressed a Temperance Society meeting on the evils of drink (but then I've never seen him participating in a rehearsal of Beethoven's Op. 127 either); had he done so, this would have surely sat most uncomfortably with responsibility for the tax revenues that would have been lost under his Chancellorship as a consequence of encouraging this kind of temperance had he ever attained such office...

[ahinton]

He'll not be relying on your vote anytime soon then, ferney.

He'll not be relying on anyone's anytime soon; he's no longer an MP!

[cloughie]

He'll not be relying on anyone's anytime soon; he's no longer an MP!

Who said for MP!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

D'you have evidence for all that Ferney...?

Well - the Temperance Society bit was conjecture (as, for that matter, was the having a pint with Bbm) - but the threats of legal action against Teachers is documented:

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/local-news/government-threatens-legal-action-after-3932380

[kernelbogey]

Well - the Temperance Society bit was conjecture (as, for that matter, was the having a pint with Bbm) - but the threats of legal action against Teachers is documented:

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news...-after-3932380

Thanks - I'd forfotten his role in that.

He never made much of an impression on me when on the opposition front bench. He's a respected economist, I understand, and teaches at Harvard or one of the other Ivy League Colleges. I warmed to him in his performances on Strictly Come Dancing* - although others thought it was appalling 'Dad dancing'. I particuarly enjoyed his Gangnam Style.

* Not that I watched this - I tracked it down on Youube .

[ahinton]

Thanks - I'd forfotten his role in that.

He never made much of an impression on me when on the opposition front bench. He's a respected economist, I understand, and teaches at Harvard or one of the other Ivy League Colleges. I warmed to him in his performances on Strictly Come Dancing* - although others thought it was appalling 'Dad dancing'. I particuarly enjoyed his Gangnam Style.

* Not that I watched this - I tracked it down on Youube .

How he or anyone else dances is of less than no interest to me.

I've never heard him play the violin, ether on his own or in the Financial Times String Quartet, so must and indeed will refrain from comment thereon...

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks - I'd forfotten his role in that.

He's a respected economist, I understand, and teaches at Harvard or one of the other Ivy League Colleges.

Clearly, unbeknownst to his loyal supporters, this man is a dangerous Marxist.

[ahinton]

Clearly, unbeknownst to his loyal supporters, this man is a dangerous Marxist.

Unbeknownst to himself as well, I have little doubt...

Does Yvette others for their Marxist tendencies, might you suppose?

[muzzer]

Is there anything this man can't do? I think we should be told.....

[jean]

...the threats of legal action against Teachers is documented.

It's hard to forgive the way he sacked Saron Shoesmith at a live TV press conference:

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2016/08/25/sharon-shoesmith-baby-p-blame-social-works-climate-fear/

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's hard to forgive the way he sacked Saron Shoesmith at a live TV press conference:
http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2016/...-climate-fear/

Yes - at the risk of turning this into a "Political" thread (inevitable, I suppose) this is typical of the "do anything for public approval" I detect/suspect in the man.

[ahinton]

Yes - at the risk of turning this into a "Political" thread (inevitable, I suppose) this is typical of the "do anything for public approval" I detect/suspect in the man.

I'm not so sure; it could as easily be "do whatever I fell like from which I might derive enjoyment as long as it's legal"!

[BBMmk2]

"Sounds" is, I think, right - Balls will tell an audience of "Classical Music" listeners that he loves "Classical Music", appear on Strictly to show that mass audience that he's a regular guy - he'll gladly have a pint down the pub with you, Bbm, and the next night address a Temperance Society meeting on the evils of drink. He might keep very quiet about his threats, whilst "Children, Schools, and Families" Secretary, to take legal action against teachers who didn't do as he told them to do: that's the real measure of the man, and one for which I would be more likely to pour a pint over his head than drink one with him.

A man of many different hats on, but no centralisation, perhaps?

[ahinton]

A man of many different hats on, but no centralisation, perhaps?

A man of several hats, none of which fit too well, perhaps?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'm not so sure; it could as easily be "do whatever I fell like from which I might derive enjoyment as long as it's legal"!

Wasn't (at least part of) the problem in the Shoesmith case the fact that it wasn't legal?