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Britain
Jack Straw gets the boot
2006-05-05
Spring cleaning at 10 Downing...
Prime Minister Tony Blair fired his law and order chief and chose a new foreign secretary on Friday, trying to restore public support in his troubled government after his Labour Party took a pounding in local elections. Home Secretary Charles Clarke, embroiled in a politically damaging furore over the failure to deport foreign criminals, confirmed that Blair had removed him from office. Blair removed Jack Straw as foreign secretary, replacing him with Margaret Beckett, who had headed the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Blair's office said Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who admitted an affair with a secretary, will keep his title. News reports said Foreign Secretary Jack Straw had been transferred to a new position.

Posted by:Seafarious

#16  Jack Straw, a wonk for all seasons.
Posted by: Captain America   2006-05-05 20:36  

#15  Him more scotch tape like.
Posted by: 6   2006-05-05 15:23  

#14  Does this mean he's not a "nail", Twelfth Imami?

alas, just some good rust, But

infidel treachery will not go unpunished!

/Bawwaaaaa
Posted by: RD   2006-05-05 15:23  

#13  Does this mean he's not a "nail", Twelfth Imami?
Posted by: Darrell   2006-05-05 14:53  

#12  Jack Straw gets the boot

sad day this

he will be sorely missed. :(
Posted by: the Twelfth Imami   2006-05-05 14:46  

#11  fellow deadheads, unite!
Posted by: Frank G   2006-05-05 14:24  

#10  My oh my oh my old buddy yer appeasin' much too slow ...

Appeasin' much too slow

(Guitar solo)
Posted by: docob   2006-05-05 14:06  

#9  Cosmic Charlie: Dang, beat me to it!
Posted by: Xbalanke   2006-05-05 13:55  

#8  Question for the UK guys:
I thought the election results could be interpreted as a rightward shift? Why put Beckett in a more important position in response given that she seems to be to the Left of Straw.

As an American I appreciated Straw on Iraq. He disappointed me on Iran but let's acknowledge the good too as the man is now leaving the stage.
Posted by: JAB   2006-05-05 10:49  

#7  How did a guy from Wichita get to be British FM?
Posted by: Cosmic Charlie   2006-05-05 10:45  

#6  I guess Straw was just too hard-line for them.
Posted by: Perfesser   2006-05-05 10:08  

#5  Beckett is a waste of space she is anti war and far too green, Iran and the rest of the worlds idiots will get it even easier now
Posted by: Alex   2006-05-05 09:31  

#4  The Blunkett of Straw is finally withdrawn from front line servive.
Posted by: Duh!   2006-05-05 08:01  

#3  Sea - Beckett is one of the Labour Old Guard - could be seen as a safe pair of hands. Sure she'll still peddle the old appeasement line..
Posted by: Howard UK   2006-05-05 07:19  

#2  Shep, I'm not well-versed in UK politix, but IMO replacing your Foreign Secretary with your Food/Environment minister is not a step forward...
Posted by: Seafarious   2006-05-05 07:07  

#1  so long jack! rofl , hopefully who ever replaces him might not take the same stupid appeasement line with Iran
Posted by: ShepUK   2006-05-05 07:05  

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