The Political Week on Twitter: May 7th – 11th
It's been one of the busier weeks in politics, and the Twitterati has not been holding back. Here's our pick of the best tweets from the week the coalition rallied from an elections bashing with Cameron and Clegg's relaunch and a new legislative agenda.
Trouble brewing over the long weekend
After the bruising local election results Conservative MPs, whose party had suffered its worst night for 15 years, were not in a particularly happy mood, triggering stories that the Queen's Speech would shift dramatically to the right…
Phones are hot this weekend between Conservative MPs. Lots to discuss.
— Rob Wilson (@RobWilson_RDG) May 6, 2012
Thank God for Boris. Cld Cameron's ambitions be any lower. In Standard i v he's aiming for a 'Conservative led' gov in 2015 not Con majority
— Nadine Dorries MP (@NadineDorriesMP) May 2, 2012
#EppingForest MP Eleanor Laing reminds David Cameron “The Lib Dems make up one fifth of the coalition, not one half."thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/n…
— Ben Murphy (@benjmurf) May 4, 2012
Tory MP on local elections in his constituency: "Our vote was telling us it was staying at home to remind the PM who elected him and why"
— Sophy Ridge (@SophyRidgeSky) May 8, 2012
The coalition relaunch
A blue and yellow tractor factory provided the venue for David Cameron and Nick Clegg's coalition 'relaunch' event, where they turned over a new leaf by agreeing to carry on exactly as they had before.
Cameron & Clegg to say economy is in worse state "than anyone thought". Agree – thanks to them. In 2010, growth was 2.1%. Now in recession
— Michael Dugher (@MichaelDugherMP) May 8, 2012
The Cameron Clegg coalition relaunch seems to basically be 'we've been really busy doing LOADS of stuff, please give us a break'
— Neal Mann (@fieldproducer) May 8, 2012
My God it can't get any worse than this. Coalition relaunch is actually making Cameron and Clegg look moretired than before.
— Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) May 8, 2012
Anyone else notice the irony of the large blue tractor pulling the little yellow trailer behind it?
— Martin White (@martinwwhite72) May 8, 2012
This Cameron and Clegg event looks like a relaunch of cliches rather than that of the economy.
— sunny hundal (@sunny_hundal) May 8, 2012
The Queen's Speech
Amid all the pomp and circumstance of the state opening of parliament came the politics: a series of bills focusing on the economy, justice and constitutional reform, to quote Her Majesty. Reactions were, as usual, varied…
Might replace the traditional "My Lords and members of the House of Commons" with "OK, listen up morons" #queensspeech
— Elizabeth Windsor (@Queen_UK) May 9, 2012
In 2 years this Prime Minister has gone from David Cameron to David Brent – @Ed_Miliband #QueensSpeech
— Labour Press Team (@labourpress) May 9, 2012
Why do BBC make point that "fewer than 20 Bills" announced in Queen's Speech?It's the same as in 2009 and more than in 2007 and 2008.
— David Jones (@DavidJonesMP) May 9, 2012
I'm so proud of this Queen's Speech. Real change not hyperactive Blair-style legislating dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2…
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 10, 2012
As there was nothing new in today's #queensspeech, it seems the Coalition's relaunch amounts to nothing. The public is losing patience.
— Clive Grimshaw (@MisterClive) May 9, 2012
Queen's Speech has got fairly dismal reviews in the papers today. Deservedly so. Was real lowest common denominator stuff.
— Patrick O'Flynn (@oflynnexpress) May 10, 2012
Lords reform
The coalition might have wanted a focus on economic issues and criminal justice reforms, but the Queen's Speech was overshadowed by proposals to reform the House of Lords. Tory MPs weren't keen on the idea…
Dropping Recall (& all reference to direct democracy)… & wasting time instead on Lords reform that won't happen. Great legacy for the LDs
— Zac Goldsmith (@ZacGoldsmith) May 9, 2012
Tory Lords reform hostility shows they're incompetent and inflexible to govern. Constitutional reform suits them when it's PCCs, Mayors etc.
— Josh Newlove (@JoshNewlove) May 10, 2012
… prompting speculation that a deal might be made allowing the coalition to abandon the measure in return for reversing other changes. Meanwhile, the debate began as the legislative process got underway.
So deal is Coalition will break promise to voters on Lords reform in return for breaking another promise on slimming down Commons. Bad deal.
— Patrick O'Flynn (@oflynnexpress) May 9, 2012
I find myself in two minds about the reform of the Lords. Why? I rather like the idea of a non elected chamber anti democratic though it is.
— tim lott (@timlottwriter) May 10, 2012
Sir George Young says he anticipates Lords reform bill introduced to Commons before MPs go on summer hols
— James Landale (@BBCJLandale) May 10, 2012
'LOL DC'
The week was supposed to end with dramatic headlines from the Leveson inquiry, as Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks – both former editors of the News of the World, and both resignation scalps from the phone-hacking scandal. But when Brooks revealed that David Cameron had signed off his texts to her with 'LOL DC' – meaning lots of love, David Cameron – Twitter had a field day. Here's a few brief highlights below…
I can exclusively reveal that David Cameron has also' signed off a couple of texts to me "LOL, DC x". He does it to lots of people.
— Iain Dale (@IainDale) May 11, 2012
.@MarkfergusonukWhen the week started expectation Coulson and Brook's evidence would be devastating for Cameron. Best we've got is LOL.
— Dan Hodges (@DPJHodges) May 11, 2012
Turns out Cameron uses LOL in texts to mean "Liquidise Oliver Letwin"
— Armando Iannucci (@Aiannucci) May 11, 2012
How can we expect David Cameron to run the country when he doesn't even know what LOL means? Talk about out of touch! #LOLgate #leveson
— Brown Moses (@Brown_Moses) May 11, 2012
Just got an email from David Cameron. "I'm sad to announce that my beloved grandmother has passed away. LOL". #LOLgate
— Steve Williams (@jeeveswilliams) May 11, 2012
I've just sent a text to Dave saying "Foxtrot Oscar!" He replied "Have a good weekend too Tom!" #LOLgate
— Tom Scorza (@TomScorza) May 11, 2012
Surely the troubling part of #LOLgate is that Cam was so close to Brooks that he wished her love, rather than his poor grasp of text speak?
— Amy Wilson (@AmyWilsonTele) May 11, 2012
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