I am, I suspect, one of many who are completely baffled by the increasing tendency for prime minister David Cameron to talk through a hole in the top of his head in a stream of polspeak platitudes. It is difficult enough trying to fathom out what he means by ‘Big Society’. We can forgive ourselves for being unable to work out what he means – most of his conservative MPs and policy advisers don’t seem to understand it either.
Cameron: My war on multiculturalism
Independent: No funding for Muslim groups that fail to back women’s rights
Today’s foray into multi-culturalism, prompted no doubt by Angela Merkal’s decision that multi-cultural Germany is a disaster, was equally bemusing; not so much for the content of the speech (one understands the basic idea but it does appear to be one of his more simplistic expositions) but in the implications. Has he really thought things through or is this just another instant bit of kneejerkitis to pacify the ravening horde of backbench MPs and the more extreme wing of the The Sun and Daily Mail readership? Before we know it, someone will rise from the Tory backbenches and say that the Mexicans are all flatulent and lazy…and then where will we be?
I’m orf for a large glass of wine to refresh my interest in living in Britain under this lot… or, indeed, any lot of professional politicians who seem to have lost touch with who we British really are…as it happens, a remarkable mix of people and ideas…probably incapable of sensible definition…as it should be in an intelligent and interesting and largely ungovernable society.
Anyway… who cares what I think (or what anyone on twitter thinks) on a windy Saturday morning…? We’d all be better off tilting at windmills…preferably after a good dose of binge drinking. What do I know…? I am not a professional politician…. thankfully.
Of course you aren’t a professional politician, Charon.
We all understand that. A professional binge drinker, on the other hand…
Mike – YES! Go to the top of the glass and hand out the pencils….. you are right!
Cameron emotes at everything, I’ve noticed this for some time. Perhaps he thinks it shows he’s “emotionally literate” or maybe it’s simply a smokescreen for his helplessness and/or refusal to act. We could institute a big cost saving by replacing him with one of those wretched pop-up ads offering a range of round-faced and highly irritating emoticons.
Sackerson – I know I did not manage to get back to you with a post on the drugs legalisation issue – (Events….events…as a former Tory PM once said) – for which I do apologise.
I am sure that Cameron is a nice chap… but he does seem to talk a lot to little effect….
The strange thing is… he is far from stupid…and what he says should be far more precise and influential than it is…..
I know he has to deal with a great many complex issues…. but he does (or should have) advisers……. who can ‘advise’. I don’t expect his fellow politicians to be able to advise, of course…(that would be an irresponsible and wholly misconceived idea) but there are many talented people out there who could?. Obviously…Mr Coulson has had to leave the enclave for personal reasons… but there are others?
After the 2010 General Election I was initially pleased that this coalition came about. I was willing to give them a “fair wind.” By about August/September 2010 I was already saying that they were not turning out to be any good. They have a “sink, burn, destroy” mentality about almost everything and it is clearly already leading to huge problems. Furthermore, they have singularly failed to address the problems of tax avoidance and banker’s bonuses. “We are all in this together” – the biggest load of “tosh” ever. I now wish that a political Cyclone Yasi would come along and blow them all away. Time for a glass of something strong ….!
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Not a lot of intellectual thought or analysis in this article I’m afraid. I would have expected some disection of the points made, instead what I see is a knee-jerk reaction.
A bit disappointed.
Steve – I can’t do dissection on Saturdays…. I leave that to the week days 🙂
Steve… assuming you are referring to the Independent article! I would agree… I get Cameron’s idea… but I thought he was in PR… for a PR man… he isn’t that good at getting his points across….
I was a bit burdened with the results of an enjoyably exuberant private wine tasting last night when I knocked the blog post and piccie up in Photoshop….at dawn this morning. Perhaps I should have breakfast first, in future….
I am indeed referring to the Cameron speech. It’s an important issue. Probably the most important social issue of our time. I think that it is extremely unhealthy to have what amount to ghettos in British cities, and personally don’t think that any state money should be given to institutions that foster discriminatory values. That, of course, includes faith schools – or at least those that practice religious discrimination.
As far as values go, then I would hope that the ones in your cartoon are not reflective of what any mainstream party is promoting in this day and age.
Steve – I was genuinely baffled by Cameron’s speech. Read it early this morning. I understand the need to deal with a very small minority of extremists – but that is a function of investigation and due process, not, I would have thought, some vague social engineering experiment.
I will look at it again when I am in a more work oriented mode.
Cameron is articulate – but he seems, to me, to waste both his intellect and articulacy on vacuous sound bytes, instant reactions and speeches which make him appear to be rather stupid….. which is unfortunate. Perhaps he thinks that only TV and News editors are the only audience? I don’t know – but, of course, the end user is the reader and user of media output.
Back to my lazy Saturday night….. more thought tomorrow or Monday
This is not, from my perspective, an argument about a small group of extremists. I think that’s a side issue. In that I’m informed by anything, it’s to do with post-enlightment rationalism. I think that’s been the trend ever since then end of the religious wars in the UK. I rather hoped we were throwing off a lot of the attitudes bequeathed to us through many hundreds of years of repressive religous, feudal, and authoritarian governance.
I do not see resurgent religions based the regressive social doctrines of ancient middle-eastern self-appointed seers as welcome or very compatible with my idea of what liberal values are. (I would add quite a lot of political creeds to that list too).
I’ll see what comes out as policy, but cultural and value relativism can only go so far before it becomes not much more than craven appeasement.
‘Has he really thought things through’
ahahahahahahahahaaaaaaah!
he’s a twat.
a moon-faced public schoolboy who believes in all the old shite that his class have for ever. the only difference is that he has been told he’s not actually allowed to say nasty objectionable things; so he says fluffy crap that means nothing.
still screwing the country though.
oh sorry – that’s the labour party’s fault. i forgot.
or the snow’s fault.
or (this bit unavailable due to cuts – please make up your own incredible excuse here)