The political week on Twitter
By Phil ScullionFollow @PhilScullion
The week's best political tweets in one handy location.
Revelations from former chancellor Alistair Darling's memoir about his relationship with then prime minister Gordon Brown led to considerable mirth:
@bbcHIGNFY – Alistair Darling's memoir will reveal feuding inside Gordon Brown's government, as well as details of bears' toilet habits in wooded areas.
@danjayjohnson – Here we go again let's all have a go at Gordon Brown. Almost forgot that Alastair Darling is one of the most boring people I've met
@TheGreenBenches – Alastair Darling favoured a 20% VAT rate. Gordon Brown was wise to keep a tight rein on him.
Transfer deadline day in the English football leagues caused many to speculate over whether MPs should also be subject to a last minute sale:
@TwungParliament – Should we have a political transfer day deadline? Which MPs would you like to see your leadership bringing in or removing from the bench?
@nigelfletcher – Perhaps politics should have a transfer day? Can think of a few MPs << probably wouldn't get much money for them though
Outspoke Conservative backbencher Nadine Dorries' proposed health and social care bill abortion amendment sparked debate:
@Glinner – I wouldn't trust Nadine Dorries to tell me the time, let alone guide policy on reproductive rights
@sdv_duras – laughs – Nadine Dorries: "I am not an MP for any reason other than because God wants me to be" such a good argument for new-athiesm
@susie0022 – Whatever people think of abortion, don't stand behind Nadine Dorries. The woman is a liar and a grubby politician. She disgraces her cause.
@caitlinmoran – "Abortion is a wickedness that grieves God's heart" – leaflet by Cafe Confidential, the organisation Dorries wants to counsel women.
@amolrajan – Cam "has sympathy" with Dorries, No 10 tell @paulwaugh. makes me mad. what it means is he supports her but is too cowardly to say in public
@SophiaPangloss – Ah suppose if Nadine Dorries is an MP by the grace o god, then it saves her constituents the bother o haein tae vote fer her next time…
@PompeyGoat – I can understand people not agreeing with Dorries, I can't understand what people think her motives must be to hate her so much.
@MShapland – *Insert random Dorries is some kind of crazy person rant here*
@jamiesont – Bravo David Cameron. The only person we want taking us back to the 50's Nadine Dorries is Doc Brown in a Delorean.
Education secretary Michael Gove's surprisingly blunt speech about an "underclass" inhabiting schools polarised opinion:
@silsdenbull – I'm convinced that Michael Gove is not a real person, and just a parody of the worst kind of sanctimonious posh Tory git.
@FuzzyLogicBaby – I hope Michael Gove, Minister for Education speech wasn't empty political words as he hit nail on the head.
@northbriton45 – Michael Gove on the BBC talking about something he knows nothing about. But it's so easy to demonize the 'underclass'
@NickXHall – A warm, sulphurous wind spreads across the countryside: somewhere, Michael Gove is holding a press conference
The government's NHS reforms continued to elicit attention:
@CatMcKinnellMP – Over 350 constituents have contacted me opposing Govt's NHS Bill, but 0 in favour. I'll be voting against these reckless plans. #savethenhs
@Kevin_Maguire – Love R4 Today surprise wealthier, better educated, pushier middle class patients get better NHS care. Tomorrow's prog: Earth is round
@RichardJMurphy – Who is the shadow health secretary and when did they go awol? As the NHS is torn to shreds where is Labour?
@Natt – Good to see the Lib Dems using their gov power to block religious fundamenatalists tampering with the NHS. Oh no, that's right, they're not.
@debmattinson – Doctor friend tells me his hospital is struggling with cuts eg 25% fewer consultants in unit. Service weaker and riskier. NHS ringfencing?
Deposed Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi continued to evade capture in Libya resulting in a mixture of light-hearted and more serious comments:
@joshuatopolsky – Gaddafi has really bad SEO.
@benstockbiz – Reports coming through that Gaddafi may have slipped into Jordan. Has the woman no shame?
@Yifrenia – BBC News: woman from Tripoli "we can live without water. Gaddafi killed us for 40 years. We have freedom now. We don't need water" #Patience
@theJeremyVine – Gaddafi now willing "to discuss transition of power" … I've never seen the word "loss" spelt like that before
Treasury figures showed a disparity between spending in Scotland and England in favour of the Scots reignited debates over devolution and independence:
@ewansc – There's an obvious answer to this tedious and misinformed debate about Scottish/English spending – it's called independence
@BankBabble – @GdnPolitics Scottish independence may be 'catastrophic' however given govt think I would sooner live north of the border than south!
@TomHarrisMP – The bottom line for the SNP is that they genuinely believe that no other party is "properly" Scottish.
Anti-Israel protesters interrupted the BBC proms:
@pete_sinclair – BBC Proms disrupted at Royal Albert Hall – police say the protests were orchestrated.
@PrimlyStable – Reading online reaction to #Proms protest. Apparently the BBC is both pro- and anti-Israel, which suggests they're getting it about right.
@MatthewLumby – I'm sad to hear about the @bbcproms tonight. Zubin Mehta is a man who has worked to heal divisions, not to make them worse. #proms #Israel
@Izaakson – Great #BDS Proms protest. Worth remembering to even play in the orchestra you have to sign a commitment to promote #Israeli state policies.
@DenisMacShane – Wonderful to hear British people shouting "Out, Out, Out" at Proms anti-Jewish hate merchants. What a shaming moment in our cultural history
Finally, there were problems for Labour MP Michael Dugher who got into a lengthy debate with prominent blogger @MrHarryCole over lobbying, but also forgot his wife's birthday:
@MichaelDugherMP – Think i've blown Husband of the Year. It's Mrs D's birthday tomorrow & I'm in a 24hr Tesco in Barnsley looking for a gift. How bad is that?
