英伦广角 2013-09-28 英国工党将推“外国工人带学徒计划”

 A day of distraction¹ for Ed Miliband. He obviously wanted the labor² conference to focus on his new policy announcements on the minimum wage, on apprenticeship³ and immigration. But instead, Day 1 of the conference began with an angry backlash against his plans to loosen the links between Labor and the Trade Unions.

 

-We are proud of who we are and what we have achieved on our way of social justice. We are certainly not going to accept any advice on democracy and transparency from the people who brought us the cash for honours scandals.

 

A sign of trouble ahead for Mr. Miliband.

 

Inside the hall, it's the future of Labor's links with the Trade Unions that's stirring up controversy⁴. But outside the hall it's the shocking revelations by Damian McBride about feuds⁵, plots and smears⁶ that is alarming the delegates here.

 

Mr. Mcbride,Golden Brown's former spin doctor has admitted in his memoirs⁷ destroying the labor leadership ambition of  Blair Weighs, John Reid and Charles Clock, and smearing⁸ another minister Yvonne Louise.

 

-Everyone is fed up. It just turned firms(?) up. No one wants politics what it is about, what it is meant to be about, the big issue. I think the else should be concentrating.

 

-People like to sell books, don't they? But I don't think it's helpful to conduct yourself in that way at all.

 

-I think it's a real shame that our politics has come to this. And our politics doesn't seem to be about actually debating issues any more and seems to be about listening to(?) a clash of personalities⁹.

 

The Labour leader who is also formerly¹⁰ in the brown in a circle found himself being interrogated¹¹ about Mr. McBride.

 

-I was concerned about the activities of Damian McBride and indeed I complained to Gordon Brown .

 

-What did you know that he was doing when you complained?

 

-I was worried that there were indications in his brief against colleagues.You know how it is in politics people, people tell you the things that are going on and you have enough suspicion as they are.so that was something I made clear to Gordon. I haven't thought it was damaging to the Labour Party.

 

-Did you go to Golden Brown and say,get rid of this guy?

 

-I did, yes.

 

Others close to Golden Brown will also challenge about what they knew about Mr. McBride.

 

-We know he did know and work with your husband Exchequer¹² Chancellor¹³ and did Mr McBride ever come around your house?

 

-No.

 

-Not once, not ever? 

 

Labour now hopes to kick on from the distraction of day 1 of its conference onto the economy. And Ed Balls will be hoping he doesn't fall flat on his face again.

1 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 apprenticeship   

n.学徒身份；学徒期

参考例句：

• She was in the second year of her apprenticeship as a carpenter. 她当木工学徒已是第二年了。
• He served his apprenticeship with Bob. 他跟鲍勃当学徒。

4 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

5 feuds   

n.长期不和，世仇( feud的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Quarrels and feuds between tribes became incessant. 部落间的争吵、反目成仇的事件接连不断。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• There were feuds in the palace, no one can deny. 宫里也有斗争，这是无可否认的。 来自辞典例句

6 smears   

污迹( smear的名词复数 )； 污斑； （显微镜的）涂片； 诽谤

参考例句：

• His evidence was a blend of smears, half truths and downright lies. 他的证词里掺杂着诽谤、部份的事实和彻头彻尾的谎言。
• Anything written with a soft pencil smears easily. 用软铅笔写成的东西容易污成一片。

7 memoirs   

n.回忆录；回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数)

参考例句：

• Her memoirs were ghostwritten. 她的回忆录是由别人代写的。
• I watched a trailer for the screenplay of his memoirs. 我看过以他的回忆录改编成电影的预告片。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 smearing   

污点，拖尾效应

参考例句：

• The small boy spoilt the picture by smearing it with ink. 那孩子往画上抹墨水把画给毁了。
• Remove the screen carefully so as to avoid smearing the paste print. 小心的移开丝网，以避免它弄脏膏印。

9 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。

10 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

11 interrogated   

v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询

参考例句：

• He was interrogated by the police for over 12 hours. 他被警察审问了12个多小时。
• Two suspects are now being interrogated in connection with the killing. 与杀人案有关的两名嫌疑犯正在接受审讯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 exchequer   

n.财政部；国库

参考例句：

• In Britain the Chancellor of the Exchequer deals with taxes and government spending.英国的财政大臣负责税务和政府的开支。
• This resulted in a considerable loss to the exchequer.这使国库遭受了重大损失。

13 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。