Cherie Auctioning an autographed copy of the Hutton report into David Kelly's 'suici

[thejokerman]

More Marie Antoinette Behaviour From Cherie



Auctioning an autographed copy of the Hutton report into David Kelly's 'suicide' is incredibly distasteful. Guido has some other comedy auction ideas for Labour fundraisers; DNA from Blunkett, share certificates from Byers, tax advice from Mills, Lordships from Levy... oh, they already do that one.

MAY 2006 FUNDRAISER
22.05.2006

Jackson, Stewart

That this House notes that senior members of the Labour Party including hon. Members and Government Ministers attended a party fundraising event last week at the Arts Club in Mayfair; further notes that a copy of the official report by Lord Hutton into the death of Government scientist Dr David Kelly, signed by Ms Cherie Booth QC, was auctioned for party funds raising £400; believes this conduct to be in appalling bad taste, arrogant and crassly insensitive in seeking to make money, albeit indirectly, through hawking, as a novelty item, an official Government report into the death of a public servant; regrets the distress caused to the family and friends of the late Dr Kelly; calls on the Labour Party to apologise for such tasteless and offensive conduct and to donate the money raised to an appropriate charity; and deprecates such conduct by hon. Members.

[Basher]

Nothing surprises me any more where they are concerned.

Totally distastefull and downright disgraceful behaviour

[SPUGGIE J]

Typical of that self promoting brain dead women. The victims families must want here to just disappear.

[Shady McGough]

I truely hope this is a wind up, if not then I'm not gonna never gonna vote again

[mani]

nope not a wind up

cant find a link of it but its just on itv news

[mani]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...0&in_a_source=

[Wynonie Harris]

Perhaps not a major scandal in itself, but this is so symptomatic of the sheer arrogance of the present government. Everyday a new story seems to emerge which typifies their attitudes. John Prescott, for instance, who doesn't even have a proper job anymore stubbornly clinging on to his grace and favour country mansion which, according to friends, he only visits three or four times a year.

The party of the working classes? Don't make me laugh!

Let them eat cake!

[Col.Kurtz]

I missed the jist of the story on the news last night, all I knew was that cherie was in hot water again. Couldn't believe it when I saw the title of this thread! I think jokerman is spot on with the "Marie Antoinette" tag, I'm apalled.

[lettie]

What a disgustingly tasteless thing to do to raise a few quid. The fundraising event alone would have probably cost a bloody fortune to host. I can't see a function room in Mayfair coming cheap....... Banquet with the appropriate wines for each course and brandies to follow.....along with all the trimmings, transport to the venue etc. How much would it cost to host such an event.

If the labour party are that skint that they need to sell off official documents autographed by this country's greatest liability for a measly £400, isn't it time that they stopped squandering their funds hosting such ridiculously expensive events...

[Tealeaf]

Originally Posted by lettie

If the labour party are that skint that they need to sell off official documents autographed by this country's greatest liability for a measly £400, isn't it time that they stopped squandering their funds hosting such ridiculously expensive events...

...which raises the point of ownership of the original document. Was this something that Cherie found lying around in Tony's study? In which case it was government property and as such removal of the said item was theft. Or did Cherie nip out to the SO in Holborn to buy a copy? I suspect the latter is unlikely. So where did it come from?

[pendy]

Totally disgusting and completely tasteless. But then, what do people like Dr Kelly matter to this lot? Obviously nothing at all - just like the rest of us. We're just there to fund their megalomaniac schemes.

[thejokerman]

which raises the point of ownership of the original document

you make a good point Tealeaf, can any one help in finding out about ownership of this document???

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by thejokerman

you make a good point Tealeaf, can any one help in finding out about ownership of this document???

You have a point Tealeaf, but I think that at the time of the inquiry, copies would have been available to most media outlets and I'd think that copies would also be available from HMSO, things like this usually are, but that does not excuse Ms Booths pathetic behaviour.

[thejokerman]

Two Labour MPs behind the fundraising event where a copy of the Hutton report signed by Cherie Blair was auctioned have said theyregret any offence.
Chris Bryant and James Purnell said it was a private event and no money would now be accepted for sale of the report.
The Hutton Inquiry was convened after the death of government scientist Dr David Kelly, named as a source for a BBC story about the Iraq War.
Mr Kelly's local Tory MP, Ed Vaizey, says the auction caused offence.
Mr Vaizey made the claim after Tony Blair said he did not believe any offence was intended by auctioning the report into the weapons expert's death.
The report raised £400 for Labour coffers when it was auctioned in Mayfair in London last week.
In their statement, Mr Bryant and Mr Purnell said that they had not received any money for the report.
"This was a private event. No-one intended to give offence, and if there is any offence we sincerely apologise," they said.
"We have not received any money for this item and we want to make it clear that we will not accept any."
A Commons motion has already condemned the auction, which was attended by a number of government ministers, as "in appalling bad taste, arrogant and crassly insensitive" and for causing distress to the Kelly family.
It called for Labour to say sorry "for such tasteless and offensive conduct and to donate the money raised to an appropriate charity".
'Outside our control'
At prime minister's questions, Tory MP Robert Goodwill asked Mr Blair if it was right that copies of a report on an inquiry into a public servant's death should be "signed by celebrities" and "auctioned to raise funds for a political party".
Mr Blair replied: "I do not believe that any offence to anyone was intended."
However, minutes later, in a point of order, Mr Vaizey, who represents Wantage in Oxfordshire, told MPs: "When the prime minister said no offence was intended to be caused by the sale of that document, I can assure him that it was caused."
Solicitor Peter Jacobsen told BBC News that Dr Kelly's family was not going to comment on the controversy over the auctioning of the report, or Mrs Blair's signing of it.
He said the family viewed the affair as a matter outside their control.
Suicide
The prime minister's official spokesman said he would not get involved in the row, adding that "it was a party matter and nothing to do with us".
Meanwhile Conservative MP Graham Stuart is urging Sir Alistair Graham, chairman of the committee on standards in public life, to investigate.
But Sir Alistair said the complaint was entirely outside his remit as Mrs Blair was not a public office holder.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by thejokerman

Mrs Blair was not a public office holder.

She just acts like one!