The Political Week on Twitter: May 20th – 24th
This week politics has got personal, with politicians from all three of the main parties finding some nasty jibes heading in their direction. For the Conservatives, the idea that David Cameron likes to "chillax" is not good news. The prime minister has dismissed the book in which that claim comes as a "novel" – which only goes to show how damaging the word is.
David Cameron is perfectly entitled to spend time with his family. What he is not allowed to do is EVER use the word "chillax"
— Sir Robin Bogg (@robinbogg) May 21, 2012
'David appears to have a different metabolism to me. He gets up at the crack of dawn' Ken Clarke on PM #chillax
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— roland watson (@rolandwatson66) May 20, 2012
Looking at the polls going south for Cameron I'd say Chillax – Don't Do It! #cammygoestohollywood
— John Prescott (@johnprescott) May 19, 2012
I've no idea where Cameron found his publicist, but using the word 'chillax' in a serious context? It's just embarrassing and a bit sad.
— Sam Strong (@MrSamStrong) May 19, 2012
It was Labour's Ed Balls, taunting Cameron about 'chillax' during PMQs, who was on the receiving end of another lashing-out from the PM…
Uproar in Commons as PM brands Ed Balls "that muttering idiot sitting opposite me." @pmqs
— David Wooding (@DavidWooding) May 23, 2012
For the record, I was simpy asking the Prime Minister, as he boasted the economy was on track: 'Tell us about the recession'…
— Ed Balls (@edballsmp) May 23, 2012
Frankly if Ed Balls is going to use the word "Chillax", the Cameron is well within his rights to call him a "muttering idiot" on our behalf
— Daddacool (@daddacool) May 24, 2012
Ed Balls will love the fact PM called him a "muttering idiot". He'll see it as Cameron's Kevin Keegan moment. #pmqs
— Michael Savage (@michaelsavage) May 23, 2012
Lab MP @GiselaStuart tells me Cameron's "muttering idiot" outburst shows his true character – or lack of it. Great ammunition for Lab.
— Alex Forrest (@alexforrestitv) May 23, 2012
Ed Balls' muttering is like the great Aussie side sledging. David Cameron should remember objective was opponent's "mental disintegration"
— joeyjones (@joeyjonessky) May 23, 2012
That just leaves the Lib Dems – and it was Vince Cable who was dubbed that nastiest of all words for a businessman – 'socialist'. Adrian Beecroft, the man whose great idea is to make it easier for employers to fire staff, was obviously not happy that his proposal had been branded "bonkers" by the business secretary.
Vince Cable is a "Socialist" who should never have been put in charge of business policy, No 10 adviser Beecroft in @telegraph interview
— Sunder Katwala (@sundersays) May 22, 2012
Tory class warrior Adrian Beecroft calls Vince Cable a 'socialist'. An outrageous smear on the good name of socialism
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) May 23, 2012
vince cable on sky from berlin refuses to 'exchange personal abuse' with adrian beecroft, who said he was an anti business socialist
— Robin Brant (@robindbrant) May 24, 2012
No.10 spksman on Beecroft's 'socialist' jibe: "I thought Vince Cable was a Liberal Democrat. That's the assumption I was working on"
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) May 23, 2012
Adrian Beecroft couldn't put business in a worse light if he were a pig in a top hat and monocle, quaffing fermented orphans' tears.
— Dorian Lynskey (@Dorianlynskey) May 23, 2012
Lots of Lib Dem MPs nodding as Ed Miliband describes the Beecroft plan as "bonkers" #pmqs
— Tim Montgomerie (@TimMontgomerie) May 23, 2012
Away from the outbreak of name-calling we've seen this week, Cameron arrived in Brussels on Wednesday night to attend an informal dinner of EU leaders. The results, a commitment to focus on growth, were not especially impressive.
Phew! Thank goodness they decided to hold a Euro summit in Brussels. Europe's problems will now all be solved…..
— Douglas Carswell MP (@DouglasCarswell) May 23, 2012
Van Rompuy says Wednesday's EU summit is still informal, no final decisions to be made. There's no rushing Brussels. #eurocrisis
— Olly Barratt (@ollybarratt) May 21, 2012
My top tip for Hollande: Confuse Merkel by rebranding Eurobonds to their much cooler Spanish name: eurobonos
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) May 24, 2012
Was anything concrete forthcoming from Brussels Summit? Seems nothing, except "growth" now added to the "austerity" rhetoric. @BBCPolitics
— MikeB (@SanityChecker) May 24, 2012
Embattled culture secretary Jeremy Hunt also faced trial by proxy at the Leveson inquiry at the end of the week, as his former special adviser Adam Smith and News International's point man Fred Michel gave evidence.
This is the heart of Jay's evident thesis: that there was a 'long game' on BSkyB, clearly understood by Coalition and News Corp #Leveson
— Matthew d'Ancona (@MatthewdAncona) May 24, 2012
Michel to Hunt: "You were great at commons today". Hunt to Smith: "Merci, large drink tonight"#Leveson
— alan rusbridger (@arusbridger) May 24, 2012
Apparent discrepancy between Hunt-Michel texts and Hunt telling Commons he only had official meetings with Michel.? No: texts were pre bid
— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) May 24, 2012
So far there is absolutely nothing in Fred Michel's testimony to #Leveson which doesn't back up everything Jeremy Hunt has said.
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 24, 2012
Labour says Fred Michel's evidence provides prima facie evidence that Jeremy Hunt misled parliament re BSkyB – bit.ly/KdiBSk
— AndrewSparrow (@AndrewSparrow) May 24, 2012
