John Prescott has given vent to his private feelings about the Bush
presidency, summing up George Bush's administration in a single word: crap.
The Deputy Prime Minister's condemnation of President Bush and his approach
to the Middle East could cause a diplomatic row but it will please Labour
MPs who are furious about Tony Blair's backing of the United States over the
bombing of Lebanon.
The remark is said to have been made at a private meeting in Mr Prescott's
Whitehall office on Tuesday with Muslim MPs and other Labour MPs with
constituencies representing large Muslim communities. Muslim MPs wanted to
press home their objections to British foreign policy and discuss ways of
improving relations with the Muslim communities.
Some of the MPs present said yesterday they could not remember Mr Prescott
making the remark. He has been at pains to avoid breaking ranks with Mr
Blair in public although he is believed to have raised concern about the
bombing of Lebanon at a private meeting of the Cabinet. But Harry Cohen, the
MP whose constituency includes Walthamstow, scene of some of the police
raids in the alleged "terror plot" investigation, said Mr Prescott
had definitely used the word "crap" about the Bush administration.
"He was talking in the context of the 'road map' in the Middle East. He
said he only gave support to the war on Iraq because they were promised the
road map. But he said the Bush administration had been crap on that. We all
laughed and he said to an official, 'Don't minute that'." Mr Cohen
added: "We also had a laugh when he said old Bush is just a cowboy with
his Stetson on. But then he said, 'I can hardly talk about that can I?'
Told that others at the meeting could not recall the words, Mr Cohen said: "
He did. I stand by that."
The Deputy Prime Minister's office said last night that the meeting was
private and would not confirm or deny his use of the word "crap". "
These discussions are intended to be private and remain within the four walls,"
said one official. "They are private so that there may be frank
discussions."
Many Labour MPs have been infuriated by the spectacle of Mr Bush and Mr
Blair jointly supporting the Israeli action. The Labour MPs went to see Mr
Prescott to lodge their criticism of the Government's foreign policy and
some said last night that they would be delighted if he did break ranks over
the Bush administration following the outcry at the bombing of the Lebanon.
In the private discussions with Mr Prescott, the Labour MPs representing
large Muslim communities pulled no punches in their criticism of Mr Blair
for giving his backing to Mr Bush. Another of those who was contacted about
the conversations did not deny Mr Prescott's words, but laughed and said: "
I can't discuss that." When asked whether he had heard Mr Prescott use
the "C-word", he said: "I don't remember that."
The Deputy Prime Minister is said to have made it clear he strongly backed
the efforts by Mr Blair to persuade the Bush administration to revive the
road map for Palestine and Israel. Mr Blair has given a commitment that he
will give the peace process his priority when he returns from his holiday in
the Caribbean.
"There was a very robust exchange of views," said the MP. "
We had a row about community relations. The Deputy Prime Minister was told
in no uncertain terms that the Government was relying too much on the elders
in the Muslim community who didn't have the credibility that was needed."
Muslim Labour MPs also told Mr Prescott that they needed to retain their own
credibility in their communities, which was one of the reasons why they had
signed a controversial letter calling for a change in British foreign
policy. They said it was not helpful for the Government to have attacked
their letter.
Mr Prescott has been accused in the past of making his feelings known about
the Republican administration in the White House. He became friendly with Al
Gore, the unsuccessful Democrat presidential candidate in 2000, during the
negotiations on the Kyoto treaty and allegedly told Mr Gore after his defeat
that he was sorry he lost the race to Mr Bush.
Mr Prescott is also known to have used the word "crap" in relation
to political events before. Earlier this month, he angrily rejected claims
that he could resign over the row about his links to the bid by the tycoon
Philip Anschutz for a super-casino at the Millennium Dome as "a load of
crap".
Mr Prescott was left in charge by Mr Blair when the Prime Minister went on
his delayed holiday but has largely taken a back seat while John Reid, the
Home Secretary, has led for the Government on security and the alleged
terror plot to blow up planes across the Atlantic.
Behind the scenes, Mr Prescott had to contend with growing backbench demands
for Parliament to be recalled to debate the crisis in the Middle East. It
remains an option, in spite of the ceasefire in the Lebanon. Campaigners
claimed they had the signatures of more than 150 MPs from all parties for a
recall. Significantly, they included Ann Keen, the parliamentary private
secretary to Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, who is on paternity leave
following the birth of his second child. Jim Sheridan, the Labour MP for
Paisley and Renfrewshire North, resigned as the parliamentary private
secretary to the defence ministers over the bombing of Lebanon.
Mr Prescott has been keen to show Labour MPs that he is prepared to listen
to their grievances but has insisted on party discipline to avoid splits. He
will be furious at his alleged remarks being repeated, but the signs of
dissent within the Cabinet are becoming greater.
Straight-talker's way with words
* Posing with a crab in a jar at the Millennium Dome, while Peter Mandelson
was standing for election to Labour's ruling national executive committee,
he said to cameramen: "You know what his name is? He's called Peter. Do
you think you will get on the executive, Peter?"
* When asked why a car was transporting him and his wife 200 yards to the
Labour Party Conference in 1999:
"Because of the security reasons for one thing and second, my wife
doesn't like to have her hair blown about. Have you got another silly
question?"
* On the Millennium Dome: "If we can't make this work, we're not much
of a government."
* "The green belt is a Labour achievement, and we mean to build on it."
(Radio interview, January 1998)
* On the Tories at the 1996 Labour conference: "They are up to their
necks in sleaze. The best slogan for their conference next week is "
Life's better under the Tories" - sounds like one of Steven Norris's
chat-up lines."
* When asked by a journalist about Peter Law's decision to quit the Labour
Party after 35 years: "Why are you asking me about this? I don't care,
it's a Welsh situation, I'm a national politician."
John Prescott has given vent to his private feelings about the Bush
presidency, summing up George Bush's administration in a single word: crap.
The Deputy Prime Minister's condemnation of President Bush and his approach
to the Middle East could cause a diplomatic row but it will please Labour
MPs who are furious about Tony Blair's backing of the United States over the
bombing of Lebanon.
The remark is said to have been made at a private meeting in Mr Prescott's
Whitehall office on Tuesday with Muslim MPs and other Labour MPs with
constituencies representing large Muslim communities. Muslim MPs wanted to
press home their objections to British foreign policy and discuss ways of
improving relations with the Muslim communities.
Some of the MPs present said yesterday they could not remember Mr Prescott
making the remark. He has been at pains to avoid breaking ranks with Mr
Blair in public although he is believed to have raised concern about the
bombing of Lebanon at a private meeting of the Cabinet. But Harry Cohen, the
MP whose constituency includes Walthamstow, scene of some of the police
raids in the alleged "terror plot" investigation, said Mr Prescott
had definitely used the word "crap" about the Bush administration.
"He was talking in the context of the 'road map' in the Middle East. He
said he only gave support to the war on Iraq because they were promised the
road map. But he said the Bush administration had been crap on that. We all
laughed and he said to an official, 'Don't minute that'." Mr Cohen
added: "We also had a laugh when he said old Bush is just a cowboy with
his Stetson on. But then he said, 'I can hardly talk about that can I?'
Told that others at the meeting could not recall the words, Mr Cohen said: "
He did. I stand by that."
The Deputy Prime Minister's office said last night that the meeting was
private and would not confirm or deny his use of the word "crap". "
These discussions are intended to be private and remain within the four walls,"
said one official. "They are private so that there may be frank
discussions."
Many Labour MPs have been infuriated by the spectacle of Mr Bush and Mr
Blair jointly supporting the Israeli action. The Labour MPs went to see Mr
Prescott to lodge their criticism of the Government's foreign policy and
some said last night that they would be delighted if he did break ranks over
the Bush administration following the outcry at the bombing of the Lebanon.
In the private discussions with Mr Prescott, the Labour MPs representing
large Muslim communities pulled no punches in their criticism of Mr Blair
for giving his backing to Mr Bush. Another of those who was contacted about
the conversations did not deny Mr Prescott's words, but laughed and said: "
I can't discuss that." When asked whether he had heard Mr Prescott use
the "C-word", he said: "I don't remember that."
The Deputy Prime Minister is said to have made it clear he strongly backed
the efforts by Mr Blair to persuade the Bush administration to revive the
road map for Palestine and Israel. Mr Blair has given a commitment that he
will give the peace process his priority when he returns from his holiday in
the Caribbean.
"There was a very robust exchange of views," said the MP. "
We had a row about community relations. The Deputy Prime Minister was told
in no uncertain terms that the Government was relying too much on the elders
in the Muslim community who didn't have the credibility that was needed."
Muslim Labour MPs also told Mr Prescott that they needed to retain their own
credibility in their communities, which was one of the reasons why they had
signed a controversial letter calling for a change in British foreign
policy. They said it was not helpful for the Government to have attacked
their letter.
Mr Prescott has been accused in the past of making his feelings known about
the Republican administration in the White House. He became friendly with Al
Gore, the unsuccessful Democrat presidential candidate in 2000, during the
negotiations on the Kyoto treaty and allegedly told Mr Gore after his defeat
that he was sorry he lost the race to Mr Bush.
Mr Prescott is also known to have used the word "crap" in relation
to political events before. Earlier this month, he angrily rejected claims
that he could resign over the row about his links to the bid by the tycoon
Philip Anschutz for a super-casino at the Millennium Dome as "a load of
crap".
Mr Prescott was left in charge by Mr Blair when the Prime Minister went on
his delayed holiday but has largely taken a back seat while John Reid, the
Home Secretary, has led for the Government on security and the alleged
terror plot to blow up planes across the Atlantic.
Behind the scenes, Mr Prescott had to contend with growing backbench demands
for Parliament to be recalled to debate the crisis in the Middle East. It
remains an option, in spite of the ceasefire in the Lebanon. Campaigners
claimed they had the signatures of more than 150 MPs from all parties for a
recall. Significantly, they included Ann Keen, the parliamentary private
secretary to Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, who is on paternity leave
following the birth of his second child. Jim Sheridan, the Labour MP for
Paisley and Renfrewshire North, resigned as the parliamentary private
secretary to the defence ministers over the bombing of Lebanon.
Mr Prescott has been keen to show Labour MPs that he is prepared to listen
to their grievances but has insisted on party discipline to avoid splits. He
will be furious at his alleged remarks being repeated, but the signs of
dissent within the Cabinet are becoming greater.
Straight-talker's way with words
* Posing with a crab in a jar at the Millennium Dome, while Peter Mandelson
was standing for election to Labour's ruling national executive committee,
he said to cameramen: "You know what his name is? He's called Peter. Do
you think you will get on the executive, Peter?"
* When asked why a car was transporting him and his wife 200 yards to the
Labour Party Conference in 1999:
"Because of the security reasons for one thing and second, my wife
doesn't like to have her hair blown about. Have you got another silly
question?"
* On the Millennium Dome: "If we can't make this work, we're not much
of a government."
* "The green belt is a Labour achievement, and we mean to build on it."
(Radio interview, January 1998)
* On the Tories at the 1996 Labour conference: "They are up to their
necks in sleaze. The best slogan for their conference next week is "
Life's better under the Tories" - sounds like one of Steven Norris's
chat-up lines."
* When asked by a journalist about Peter Law's decision to quit the Labour
Party after 35 years: "Why are you asking me about this? I don't care,
it's a Welsh situation, I'm a national politician."
