Just when I think I've heard it all the Daily Mail comes up with a labour party press release, supposedly written by Gordon Brown, entitled 'It Is great to be British." It's a toe-curling effort to appeal to middle England and therefore the underlying theme is we must all be British, stick together, show our tolerance and the duty which underpins the most important British value of all: liberty. "Back then, there were comfortable certainties and no conflicts and few would have questioned that Britain was our home, our inheritance and our ideal." Mr Brown, if someone had told me when I was a child that Britain was my home I would have asked them where it was, perhaps thinking it was somewhere in Edinburgh or Glasgow. My home is Scotland.
Anyway, another quote just to make your Bank Holiday Monday begin with a bang.
"When I was growing up in Kirkcaldy, the idea of needing to have a debate about Britishness would have struck me as peculiar. I didn't think any more about my Britishness than I did about being Scottish, or supporting Raith Rovers, or coming from a long line of Fife farmers."
So he's given up being a son of the manse now and he's acknowledging farming as being part of his heritage. In that case Mr Brown you'll understand what I mean when I say you're talking bullsh!t.
Update: Alex Massie has written his analysis of the same Mail article in today's Spectator.
Posts
25 comments:
The one eyed Jock could cure cancer whilst climbing Mt Everest blindfold and I would not vote for him.
Great minds SR! The breath-taking brass neck of this man knows no bounds.
What a nauseating creep that man is, pass the sick bag.
When his moral compass got lost up his backside, he may very well have decided that being a son of the manse was not the right background for him to have.
I suspect that a farming background might been an attempt to appeal to the rural communities of the shires in England. You know, the county set. "Goodness Camilla, I had no idea he was one of us. How splendid!"
He is, of course, completely bonkers. I suspect that he may, by next week, be from a sea faring background...Aye Aye, Capn. Brown. Ahoy there me hearty.
I too have never felt British, I am Scottish and I'm European. I can't imagine being described as British. What a strange place these farms in Kircaldy must be. I wonder if they still exist.
Thank you very much Gordon Brown for reminding us of that Great British achievement the Magna Carta. I often get down on my knees and thank good King John of Great Britain for that 1215 Great British legal document that went down so well in Edinburgh and other places in north Great Britain at the time.
I couldn't vote for him LV, he's been the biggest disappointment in politics to me. To think I used to believe he was a capable person with integrity etc., was a fool I was. He should never have been made chancellor either, now we know some of the figures it shows how incompetent he was in that post too.
Oh tris don't inflict seafarers with the man, please. His incompetence assures me the quality of those around them must be poorer. Gawd help us all.
Munguin you obviously read between the lines too. He must have been told he shouldn't bang on about Scottish independence as English people are getting sick of hearing it, but he still couldn't resist his hatred of the SNP coming through.
So pleased to hear that GV. Hopefully at long last the labour vote in England will fall away. It won't in the west of Scotland I don't think, not for another generation or so anyway.
Brown's efforts to ingratiate himself with middle England are nauseating. I didn't think he could sink any lower than when he nominated Gazza's goal against us in the Euro play-offs as his favourite moment in sport... see how little I know...
I had wondered though how a son of the manse could apparently be so unfamiliar with those biblical parables... foundations off rock rather than sand, 7 fat cows & 7 skinny cows...
Clearly he was mucking out the byre when he should have been studying his bible.
If you think that's nauseating he's going to save our education system tomorrow. Blinky Balls will be there salivating as our Great Leader and World Champion nasal muncher tells us how, in one sentence, all will be well in our schools. He will trumpet the grandoise buildings paid for on tick, the magic of young gangster rappers incarcerated until the age of eighteen, to keep the dole queue looking better and so on. Roll on the June elections. Hopefully a practice skirmish before Labours' downfall.
Oh OR I'd forgotten about that. Now to reduce England's education system is tomorrow? Ours isn't that great here even though millions has been thrown at them, but there is a slight improvement coming through now.
Like you I can't wait to get rid of these people.
Jim, I think middle England are feeling nauseous too and have certainly had enough.
I can't quite see Brown mucking out a byre Jim no matter how hard I try.
subrosa,
I'm not so sure - he's certainly shovelling enough manure in our direction. Actually, this is sickening on a par with Thatcher's "Where there is discord ..." speech.
Naw Kille, he'l go to the States or somewhere. He won't be welcome here. Maybe he'll keep his fortress in North Queensferry but I don't think she likes it here as both prefer mixing with the great and the good. Nobody qualifies in Scotland :)
Oh brownlie, isn't that one of her worst moments. I can hear it as I type.
Fermer Broom - Pig Fermer.
wv = terra
Shut moaning about Gordon have a vote for somebody else
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/poll/2009/may/04/labour-leadership-harman-johnson
Who would you prefer to see as the next leader of the Labour party?
27.4% Harriet Harman
72.6% Alan Johnson
Poll closes in 2 days
Double posting Niko, don't worry I understood the first time (grin).
I wouldn't vote for any of them. There's not one labour person I think has the ability to be in government in this country. Maybe that's a little unfair as some less well-known people may have the ability but they'll never get a chance with this bunch running the show.
Great article Subrosa.
Captain Britain has played that old British card once to often. Its so false and plastic and if anything it just rubs people up the wrong way. All he is doing is trying to cover up the fact that 80% of Scots say they are Scottish rather than British.
Bah the guy makes me sick..!!
Niko,
Bob Marshall-Andrews
Voted against Iraq Invasion
Voted for investigation into Iraq invasion
Voted against ID cards
Voted against Anti-terrorist laws
Voted against student top-up fees
Voted against foundation hospitals
Disliked Blair
Dislikes Brown
Bought me several drinks.
Sounds like an ideal candidate for Prime Minister
I never knew you moved in such circles Brownlie. Haven't seen much of this chap but his record seems 'old' labour. That's perhaps why he's not permitted to put his head above the parapet.
subrosa,
They'd have a job keeping his head under the parapet. He's been a thorn in Blair and Brown's flesh for years and I was privileged to have met him in a former life. He once accused the leadership of "contempt of parliament, contempt of the party and contempt for democracy" and Blair used to look apprehensive every time he spoke.
Unfortunately he will retire before the next general election and will no doubt be replaced by some Brownite if Brown is still around.
Brownlie I've known a couple in other parties who were similar characters but never made the heights of their abilities because they wouldn't 'toe the line.' Such a waste of talent isn't it but it happens in any situation where seniors or superiors feel insecure.
How to break the mould? I haven't a clue.
Post a Comment