The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

Michael Gove: "I don't want to be prime minister. I couldn't do it."

Says he'll sign a parchment in his own blood to prove it.

By Caroline Crampton Published 23 August 2012 17:07

Michael Gove. Photograph: Getty Images

We had a "quote of the day" already this morning, but I think in light of comments Michael Gove has just made to Kay Burley on Sky, we might have to retract it. The education secretary said ""I don't want to prime minister - I know that I couldn't do it" and then followed it up with this gem:

Gove says he'll sign a piece of parchment in his blood to prove he doesn't want to be PM.

— politicshomeuk (@politicshomeuk) August 23, 2012

Strange, certainly, but Boris might just hold him to it...

Special Offer: Get 12 issues of New Statesman magazine for just £12

More from Caroline Crampton

View the discussion thread.

8 comments

Tue, 2012-08-28 11:31 — Posh Tosh (not verified)

I wonder when the time will come when people that are in politics are there because of life and work experience and are not, as now tea boys and girls incapable of working, whom then went on to make tea for bigger people.

Of course Georgio Ozziebourne majored in economics didn't he? He has complete control of money that was reclaimed from Iceland banking not going back to the taxpayer. He has a double whammy in incompetence, and working as an historian on street life after dark.

Sun, 2012-08-26 20:58 — Keir

Don't worry, Michael. Your boss can't do it, either.

Mind you, he only comes in part time.

Fri, 2012-08-24 16:50 — A Realist (not verified)

Did Gove really say that? Only it's made my day.

The right wing factions of the conservatives cooking up bizarre mixtures of policy that cost loads, save nothing, confuse and give no results, won't be voted in next time anyway.

They can't even get greedy banking and capitalism right. The conservatives are now the party that is paid by the state, and pays private companies from state funds to help cost the state more money for zero return. Maybe they are actually chinese communists!

What happened to nations of shop keepers? Self employed on low taxes?What happened to the private sector creating it's own wealth? This is a weird strain of conservatism that is being incubated in conservative think tanks. Check the aircon!

They are destroying the nhs. The irony? Private health care standards will go down too. Many doctors are trained in the nhs and nhs facilities used for private ops. Can't wait till a wealthy conservative is outpriced of their op in their local privatised nhs by a wealthy arab or french tax avoider. Not long now.

Free schools. I think Gove actually believes schools are free! Cost free I mean. I'm not looking forward to the one kidney free school opening near me. Sponsored by the privatised nhs. You get a free place if...

Don't worry Gove. There is always pantomime.

Fri, 2012-08-24 13:07 — chris fassnidge (not verified)

He can't do his current job, but that doesn't stop him.

Fri, 2012-08-24 09:35 — harryhart (not verified)

I hope that Michael Gove finds something he can do before he's much older,

Thu, 2012-08-23 23:25 — mamamia (not verified)

Well give the guy a break. He probably sees himself as very "Qualified" for the job.
So he is not unqualified enough.

Thu, 2012-08-23 21:32 — Davidaslindsay (not verified)

People laughed when Arthur Scargill said that Margaret Thatcher had a hit list of a hundred pits. But he was right.

Today, a few voices dare to say that Michael Gove has a hit list of hundreds of schools, whose GCSEs have been marked down in order to justify closing them.

And people are laughing.

Again.

Thu, 2012-08-23 18:35 — hugh markey (not verified)

Glad to know Mikey acknowledges his own grave limitations. For one thing he finished LAST in his journalism course. But much more importantly Mike didn't go to public school. No use claiming this was his parent's fault. Life just isn't fair, mate.. No blubbing for Goodness Sake. Had he attended Eton or some such educational ghetto, Mikey would have learned to keep a stiff upper-lip and refrain from acting like a ninny. And yes he might just have been PM!
No point in bringing Prince Harry into this. Yes. of course Harry was educated at Eton after attending a series of 'prop' schools. But the Prince was entitled to 'school dinners'.
And no, Mikey wasn't bullied at school but now he's getting his own back.

State School Upstart