Ex-Darwen and Rossendale MP Janet Anderson was ‘official gossip’ to the Queen (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Ex-Darwen and Rossendale MP Janet Anderson was ‘official gossip’ to the Queen
11:20am Tuesday 24th April 2012 in Politics news
By Jessica Cree, Education reporter
TELLING TALES Former MP Janet Anderson
A FORMER East Lancashire MP has published letters she wrote to the Queen from her time as the Palace’s ‘official gossip’ at the House of Commons.
Janet Anderson, who held the post of MP for Rossendale and Darwen from 1992 until 2010, has released excerpts from her notes to the head of state from when she was vice-chamberlain of the royal household.
In her position, Mrs Anderson was charged with reporting the day’s news from the House of Commons to Her Majesty each evening, as well as taking her messages from the Commons and acting as the ‘hostage’ during the State Opening of Parliament.
The letters, published in the Mail on Sunday, are peppered with scathing comments about other politicians, describing how former Home Secretary Michael Howard was seen by many as ‘particularly loathsome’ and calling John Bercow, current Speaker of the House, ‘a rather nasty little MP’.
She even corresponded with the Queen about rumours and gossip in Parliament, writing that five labour MPs were reported to have had babies or got pregnant since the general election, when they were aware of just four.
Mrs Anderson wrote: “Who is the fifth? And, more importantly, is she married, or at the very least in a stable relationship?”
She admitted another occasion where, while at a lunch at Buckingham Palace, she filled in the courtiers on ‘MPs’ misdemeanours’.
Tony Blair, who was Prime Minister at the time, is reported to have congratulated Mrs Anderson on her daily reports at the end of her time in the job, saying the Queen had enjoyed them.
Mrs Anderson, who was also the personal assistant of current Blackburn MP Jack Straw until 1987, said to Mr Blair: “Oh, good... I expect that’s because I used to give her all the gossip.”
In 1998, she was promoted to the role of parliamentary undersecretary of state at the department of culture, media and sport, but returned to the back benches in 2001.
Mrs Anderson left parliament in 2010 and is now working as a freelance consultant.
Comments(18)
notchuffed
says...
11:34am Tue 24 Apr 12
Obviously it is someone trying to gain extra limelight and shows the depths politicians of her party will stoop to just like her former bosses B&B simply beyond contempt.
Do they still hold places in the Tower for committing such acts?
If so then she should be taken there forthwith as a permanent hostage and if no remorse is shown then like Ann Boleyn the verdict should be "Off with her Head" then she can walk round there with it "Tucked underneath her arm"
happycyclist
says...
11:35am Tue 24 Apr 12
Keep Darwen Green wrote:Sums her up very well.
I see once the gravy train had stopped she quickly moved out of the area to which she said she had a very close relationship.
Another professional MP trough dipper.
Keep Darwen Green
says...
11:41am Tue 24 Apr 12
notchuffed wrote:That'd be some blade to get through that big fat brass neck.
I consider the placing of private and personal correspondence like this into the Public Domain as disgusting.
Obviously it is someone trying to gain extra limelight and shows the depths politicians of her party will stoop to just like her former bosses B&B simply beyond contempt.
Do they still hold places in the Tower for committing such acts?
If so then she should be taken there forthwith as a permanent hostage and if no remorse is shown then like Ann Boleyn the verdict should be "Off with her Head" then she can walk round there with it "Tucked underneath her arm"
spendmymoneywisely
says...
12:00pm Tue 24 Apr 12
notchuffed
says...
12:01pm Tue 24 Apr 12
Keep Darwen Green wrote:I was going to add if they do the deed make sure the head is not put on the spikes outside the Tower. It will ruin this year's Tourist trade, it would be ok in London Dungeons though as the centre piece
notchuffed wrote: I consider the placing of private and personal correspondence like this into the Public Domain as disgusting. Obviously it is someone trying to gain extra limelight and shows the depths politicians of her party will stoop to just like her former bosses B&B simply beyond contempt. Do they still hold places in the Tower for committing such acts? If so then she should be taken there forthwith as a permanent hostage and if no remorse is shown then like Ann Boleyn the verdict should be "Off with her Head" then she can walk round there with it "Tucked underneath her arm"That'd be some blade to get through that big fat brass neck.
spendmymoneywisely
says...
12:15pm Tue 24 Apr 12
goz
says...
2:46pm Tue 24 Apr 12
disgusted tunbridge wells
says...
4:13pm Tue 24 Apr 12
english rose 1
says...
4:53pm Tue 24 Apr 12
happycyclist wrote:Errrr...she went to live with her partner...who happens to be an MP in London.
Keep Darwen Green wrote:Sums her up very well.
I see once the gravy train had stopped she quickly moved out of the area to which she said she had a very close relationship.
Another professional MP trough dipper.
At least whilst she was an MP Janet Anderson lived in Darwen.....unlike the current MP ! (to be fair, however, he does have a house in the Constituency, just not in Darwen). Maybe you can name any Darwen MP who stayed to live in the town after losing ? Trippier...nope ! Fletcher-Cooke...nop
e...
english rose 1
says...
4:55pm Tue 24 Apr 12
disgusted tunbridge wells wrote:Maybe you can do a bit of research disgusted, tunbridge wells ? Compare the current Darwen MP's expenses with Janet Anderson's. See who is higher. (Clue: - start with accommodation & office costs).
Did she tell the Queen the joke about her expenses ?
happycyclist
says...
10:39pm Tue 24 Apr 12
english rose 1 wrote:Hence the quip, "Another professional MP trough dipper".
happycyclist wrote:Errrr...she went to live with her partner...who happens to be an MP in London.
Keep Darwen Green wrote:Sums her up very well.
I see once the gravy train had stopped she quickly moved out of the area to which she said she had a very close relationship.
Another professional MP trough dipper.
At least whilst she was an MP Janet Anderson lived in Darwen.....unlike the current MP ! (to be fair, however, he does have a house in the Constituency, just not in Darwen). Maybe you can name any Darwen MP who stayed to live in the town after losing ? Trippier...nope ! Fletcher-Cooke...nop
e...
Flogging correspondence she had with the Queen is disgraceful. I'm ashamed to have had her as my MP.
english rose 1
says...
12:21am Wed 25 Apr 12
bb3_brfc
says...
11:31am Wed 25 Apr 12
bb3_brfc
says...
11:31am Wed 25 Apr 12
Progressive Penguin
says...
3:51pm Wed 25 Apr 12
disgusted tunbridge wells
says...
4:54pm Wed 25 Apr 12
amazed
says...
6:30pm Sun 29 Apr 12
Keep Darwen Green says...
11:33am Tue 24 Apr 12
Another professional MP trough dipper.