The Political Thread

[Modern Panther]

Serious news for the catholic church, there.  Serious, hilarious news.

I'm sure that we all wish the cardinal well in his new role as a hated outcast.

[Frank]

Serious news for the catholic church, there.  Serious, hilarious news. I'm sure that we all wish the cardinal well in his new role as a hated outcast.

I don't know, it's fun to take the pish out of what looks like breathtaking hypocrisy, but if this isn't just another Roberto Calvi-like bit of Vatican intrigue and power-playing ahead of an important vote that will probably decide the future of the church and the balance of power in Vatican City for a quarter of a century, then it's mostly just sad. An old man has wasted his entire life hating himself and furtively trying to find an outlet for what he's been taught to regard as shameful urges.

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

'Mike Judge, a spokesman for the Christian Institute, which helped fund Miss Ladele's case, added: "Christians will feel let down by this decision. It will only serve to reinforce the impression that Christians are being pushed to the sidelines of public life. "Our nation's highest court has effectively told them their concerns are not of general public importance." '

[Frank]

Pops; are you the kid who's been whacking off in my tool shed?

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

Ahhh....huh-huh-huh-huh-huh-heh....ummmm...huh-huh-huh.....no?

[Richmond Clements]

...words...

[TordelBack]

...wasted his entire life hating himself and furtively trying to find an outlet for what he's been taught to regard as shameful urges.

Who hasn't.

[Stan]

It seems BetFair and PoliticalBetting have UKIP as second favourites. This could be a dark day for Dave.

[Frank]

...wasted his entire life hating himself and furtively trying to find an outlet for what he's been taught to regard as shameful urges.

Who hasn't.

That's no way to talk about your wife.

[TordelBack]

...wasted his entire life hating himself and furtively trying to find an outlet for what he's been taught to regard as shameful urges.

Who hasn't.

That's no way to talk about your wife.

Or yer ma.

[JayzusB.Christ]

...wasted his entire life hating himself and furtively trying to find an outlet for what he's been taught to regard as shameful urges.

Who hasn't.

That's no way to talk about your wife.

Or yer ma.

It sounds so much better than 'your're mom', it really does

[Modern Panther]

the good cardinal has released a statement...

"In recent days certain allegations which have been made against me have become public. Initially, their anonymous and non-specific nature led me to contest them.

"However, I wish to take this opportunity to admit that there have been times that my sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal."

...or - I was accused of doing something wrong.  I thought I could lie about it.  Turns out I can't.  Bye.

[Frank]

Lindsey Hilsum of Channel Four News has just told me that the supposed assassination of Mokhtar Belmokhtar in Mali was probably not the work of Chadian troops, as early reports have suggested, but the result of a French air strike. The reason the French authorities might want to keep their dabs off this one is that they probably also wiped out seven of their own citizens who the jihadists were holding hostage ... which would be fantastically cynical, if true.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Initially, their anonymous and non-specific nature led me to contest them.

Now that is taking the piss.

[MercZ]

Lindsey Hilsum of Channel Four News has just told me that the supposed assassination of Mokhtar Belmokhtar in Mali was probably not the work of Chadian troops, as early reports have suggested, but the result of a French air strike. The reason the French authorities might want to keep their dabs off this one is that they probably also wiped out seven of their own citizens who the jihadists were holding hostage ... which would be fantastically cynical, if true.

There's some indication that he may have not even died, since the government is having trouble confirming it. If so this'd be like when the Libyan rebel groups claimed to have killed Qaddafi's sons on several occasions.