Yes - you read it here. The Bounder of the Remove has apologised publicly - one of his chums described his demeanour as "abject", praise indeed, so the coaching must have worked. Personally I am unmoved. I am interested to see how his new friends and comrades in the unfamiliar North react to his adventures, but I find the whole thing extremely tedious.
So much weight has now been attached to the forthcoming independent report (by Sue Gray) that I would not be awfully surprised if the report were already working to a script, viz:
(1) the report will be delayed a long time, so that the media can calm down and the Electorate, being idiots, will forget
(2) whitewash will be applied universally - nothing to see here
I refuse to get drawn again into the sewer of political debate - I made myself rather unwell over the US Election, so no more of that. I will, however, quote my legendary Preston Grannie, who told me, when I was a lad:
If there's someone you can't trust, have nothing to do with them. Doesn't matter if they are friend or family - have nothing to do with them. Shop somewhere else. Life is too short to have to work out what someone really means
I will put money on the tories not daring to go for the next election with this chap in charge - he is the rotting albatross around the parties neck .
ReplyDeleteI think you may be right, but they have an interesting challenge in that some of the more talented potential replacements might not meet with approval in Brexit-land for various reasons. I watch with interest.
DeleteWhen his lies become the stuff of wargaming blogs then they have penetrated into hitherto untouched parts and the writing is on the wall.
ReplyDeleteIn more interesting news your Grannie was from Preston?
Absolutely - lowest common denominator.
DeleteMy grannie's father was a railway man, and he travelled with the railway jobs. Thus she was born in Nuneaton, but raised from the age of about 1 in Preston. When she was in her teens they moved to Liverpool, since her dad and her brother both got jobs in the fitting sheds at Liverpool Tramways. A lot of her upbringing and a whole pile of proverbial wisdom are down to Preston, though!
I am so very, very sorry....
ReplyDeletefor being found out...
Gentleman on the radio this morning reminded of classic quote from CS Lewis - integrity is doing the right thing even when no-one's watching.
DeleteI imagine that the stock response in Brexitland is “they’re all as bad as each other, at least he got Brexit done”.
ReplyDeleteI know they’re not and he hasn’t.
I think that's right. There is a lack of reality about all this - the PM admits he tells lies, but can't understand that there might be a problem with this; the government's in-crowd appear to have committed a faux-pas which was probably illegal but certainly a major-league breach of tact and common decency, but there isn't really a problem there either. The angry public will blow off on social media and daft radio phone-ins, and the momentum will die away quickly. I am becoming more convinced that is actually me that's insane - no other possible explanation, as far as I can see.
DeleteWatching it from NZ, where we only get snippets of course, it seems incredible to think they were stupid enough to think they could get away with flouting their own rules. There is always some busy body taking pics on a cell phone or disgruntled ex employee or a worker from the catering suppliers who will let the cat out of the bag. I am sure lots of big household name companies did similar things but if you are a politician, you really can't expect anything like this to stay under wraps!
ReplyDeleteThe in-crowd are, exactly, the Bounder's gang from the posh school - the rules do not apply to them - they can do what they like. They are almost admired for their dishonesty and self-interest.
DeleteWise words indeed from Preston Grannie.
ReplyDeleteAs you ask, reporting the reaction post-PMQs in a pub in part of the Red Wall that stayed red (just), the consensus among people who had voted for both sides was: "Well, that's what 'they' do, isn't it? No surprises there." I think 'they' was the political classes of all colours. More resignation than outrage, I'd say.
Thank you for undertaking the research for us Chris - interesting. Sadly, I don't think I'd expect anything different from UK voters - it's what they do, isn't it?
DeleteIt was no trouble - you may not believe it, but I didn't actually go to the pub for the political debate. In a way, I was quite heartened that everyone was talking about it. They were paying attention, even if the reaction was a bit muted.
DeleteAt least he got the trains running on time.
ReplyDeleteOr was that Mussolini?
It's funny how Mussolini keeps coming to mind. I have nurtured a personal theory called the Mussolini Principle - there are quite a lot of bad people around, and an amazing proportion of them end up hanging on a lamppost. This would be comforting if I were a better person myself.
DeletePreston Grannie got it right, clearly. Sadly however, the opinions of you North Britons have been discounted, as you are apparently just 'lightweight figures'..
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more - especially Douglas Ross, who is not one of the chaps at all.
DeleteI'm so sorry I have to apologise for somebody else...........
ReplyDeleteNo doubt (as with the Theresa May debacle) if he does go we'll end up with someone worse (look at the options!); but it is almost always very satisfying to see politicians (especially the really, really rotten ones) get the boot. As the US saying has it, "Politicians are like diapers - they should be changed often and for the same reasons". ;-) The only way to make them even remotely decent is to make them feel insecure...
ReplyDeleteCheers,
David.