One of our friends is in need!
The delectable Kerron Cross, assistant to Andy Reed MP wrote a short piece yesterday on his blog about aspiring Prime Minister John McDonnell.
“Interesting message on John McDonnell MP’s Westminster office answerphone at the moment, which goes something like this:
“You are through to John McDonnell’s office, this is a very busy office, so in the interests of serving our constituents this office is closed for business on Wednesdays, and we only accept messages between 10am to 1pm Monday to Thursday.”
Obviously that’s messages between 10am to 1pm Monday to Thursday, except for Wednesdays, I presume. So from this I take it that John McDonnell’s office is open 3 hours a day, 3 days a week. I bet he is grateful for that 10,847 majority. He may need it.”
However, Kerron then received a number of phone calls from John McDonnell’s office threatening him with legal action and also threatening to report him and his boss to the Chief Whip under the new Yellow Card rules.
Recess Monkey is outraged that this overreaction from McDonnell, in particular his willingness to stomp on the little guy and make the kind of fuss that could lose someone with a less understanding boss his job.
If you are as peeved as me, please email John McDonnell, copying your comments to me for publication.
Furthermore, if your boss is so inclined, please fee free to have them table the following EDM.
Conduct of John McDonnell MP
That this House calls on the Member for Hayes & Harlington to retract his threat of legal action against blogger and staff member Kerron Cross, notes that Members are in a much more powerful position than their staff; and calls on Members to exercise restraint when in dispute with other Members’ staff.
Incidentally, if you are a blogger then please write up this story in solidarity with Kerron.
editor[at]recessmonkey.com
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MISTAKE!!!
Guido covering this story could have been bad enough, but you Recess? - bad idea.
Using work computers to post to your blog, from which you are receiving advertising returns, is illegal. As is blogging from work (when you’re on the taxpayers dollar), but I assume that is too small an indiscretion to mention.
Deciding to call for an EDM against a prickly old communist like McDonnell is just asking for the MSM to break the story and lead to a crackdown to every blogger in Parliament.
Silly boy! take that post down immediately
James Sarn said this on July 14th, 2006 at 3:59 pm
McDonnell reaction was OTT. No doubt.
But what was Kerron Cross’s aim? Just reading the story it seems he wanted to suggest that people in John McDonnell’s office don’t do nothing all day!
I doubt that the 3 McDonnell’s assistants were pleased by Cross’ comment. If by chance they’re hardworking and not useless people, I suppose Cross will be ready to apologise to them.
Andrea said this on July 14th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
James Sarn - I am afraid you are much mistaken. Recess Monkey is not employed in Parliament, and so not using ‘work machines’ or on ‘taxpayers dollars’ (surely taxpayers’ pounds?) whilst blogging.
This is a perfectly sensible thing for Recess Monkey to cover, as bloggers in Westminster should not be afraid of bully-boy tactics like McDonnell is attempting. Kerron Cross simply posted on his blog what the public would hear on McDonnell’s answerphone - how in any way shape or form is that a crime?
Red Tamarin said this on July 14th, 2006 at 6:50 pm
James Sarn, what utter tosh and nonsense, Andrea, I think that Kerron might be suggesting that getting in touch with McDonnell’s office may not be too easy or convenient for a lot of people.
As far as McDonnell’s reaction, I thought the days of the Stalinist centralised bully had long but disappeared!
Curly said this on July 14th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
Curty, John McDonnell website gives his constituency office number as a contact. I suppose his constituents can contact him there (haven’t tried to see if it’s open all week though!)without passing for the Westminster office.
Andrea said this on July 14th, 2006 at 8:13 pm
Support the guy FFS.
We bloggers are all one IT sweep from the sack.
tyger said this on July 14th, 2006 at 10:07 pm
Crikey. Hope the poor electors of Hayes and Harlingrad don’t stray off message - Supermac will have them dangling from lamp-posts like kulacs.
Drew SW London said this on July 15th, 2006 at 2:52 pm
Has anyone even verified this to be true? Kerron is New Labour, John a socialist who has just declared he will run for leader - coincidental timing for a slur.
As a resident of Hayes, I know that John works very hard - which is why he gets 60% of the vote!
John Todd said this on July 17th, 2006 at 9:24 am
I think we can take it that Kerron wouldn’t make something like this up. He just blogged something that caught his interest - as he does - and Mr McD overreacted, as he is wont to do. The slur is on Kerron for suggesting he was politically motivated!
Rob said this on July 17th, 2006 at 11:35 am
handbags at dawn
Jimbo Jones said this on July 18th, 2006 at 12:13 am
I’m not entirely convinced by this. If John McD did overreact then has anyone thought why he did? Rather than accusing him of using bully boy tactics against Kerron, perhaps he was just sticking up for his staff – who work extremely hard (like most MP’s staff do).
Beav said this on July 18th, 2006 at 1:35 pm
When all three were naked, Vic took his penetration in hiting out their bodies.
zomoimmole said this on February 20th, 2008 at 8:58 am