Every so often someone asks me if I satirise (if that's what it is) the
current government in this blog because of my own political leanings.
On reflection, I'm pretty sure the answer is no. I am confident that
when some other lot assumes power, I will find just as much to prod,
poke and pick at.
Back in 1997 I had similar thoughts Rory Bremner and his team; they
were so vituperative (and usually with good reason) about the last
Conservative government that I wondered whether they could possibly
take exception to anything among the new (sorry, New) Labour policies.
I need not have worried. If anything, in the wake (in both senses) of
the relieved euphoria which seemed to accompany Labour's ascension in
1997, Bremner and Co.'s satire has developed a savagery (and usually
with good reason) which reeks not only of keen political insight but a
visceral and almost bitter disillusionment too.
Posted by racingsnake
@ 06:31 PM GMT+00:00
Leopards, spots... you do the headline...
A new policy initiative from Andy Burnham, Minister of State (Delivery and Quality) at the Department of Health, will set up a
telephone hotline
so that members of the public can report other members of the public
who they see breaking the imminent ban on smoking in public places.
Personally, I am all for reducing the extent to which I have other
people's cigarette smoke inflicted on me, but this new policy makes me
uneasy for a number of reasons.
If someone is smoking in public and it isn't affecting you (or you
don't care), why not let them get on with it? If it does bother you,
why not have a polite word with them... isn't it healthier for society
as a whole if people feel that the first recourse is a little personal
interaction, as opposed to darting round the corner and shopping the
miscreant to someone else to deal with?
Presumably the government doesn't want a nation of vigilantes - so it's
good that enforcement of the law is left to the law enforcers. On the
other hand, one might have hoped that the government doesn't want a
nation of informers, either. We've seen that before, and where it
leads. If the name of Mr Burnham rings a bell, it could be because he
was Home Office minister in charge of the Identity Cards programme. Old
habits are clearly hard to kick. You'd think that, as long as he
appreciates that fact, he might go a little easier on the nicotine
addicts.
Speaking of kicking the habit, I see his former boss
Charles Clarke
is as conciliatory as ever when given a public platform. He described
as "absolutely stupid, a stupid, stupid thing to do" the fact that
Gordon Brown let himself be seen grinning in the aftermath of a
doubtless turbulent meeting with Mr Blair. Mr Clarke then turned to a
frank analysis of Mr Brown's character which I won't repeat here.
I'm frankly undecided about whether I prefer my elected government to
be squabbling publicly, or getting on with the job of meddling in the
nation's affairs... but at least the public spats are fractionally more
interesting than daytime television. Allegedly.
Posted by racingsnake
@ 06:21 PM GMT+00:00
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