Dear Max Mosley.
Yikes. Even though you are a powerful man as boss of Formula 1’s governing body, this really was a bit of a shocker. Being caught with a prostitute is one thing, but being caught with five prostitutes engaging in a sado-masochistic ‘Nazi orgy’ was probably a bit of overkill. Should anyone care? Well, the standard calls for your resignation have already been flung but I don’t really think that matters.
It never fails to amaze me how un-British this all is. In the eyes of many foreigners, I thought we were supposed to be a nation of reserved toffs, yet our media are completely obsessed with the private lives of anyone they can get their hands on (or get photos of). Every single time I read this kind of headline, my first instinct is always to express disbelief that it is acceptable to dig into people’s private lives and expose whatever it is they get up to in their spare time. Admittedly what you were found to be doing is abhorent to someone like me, but I still fail to see why it’s any of our business what you get up to. If you had been voted into your position by the general public, then there would be an argument to say that you are accountable to the electorate and should therefore behave appropriately (an argument which I very much agree with, incidentally) but as far as I can make out what you do in your free time, regardless of how powerful or influential you are, is none of anyone’s business but yours.
Anyone who breaks the law deserves to be held to account, although as far as I’m aware the police aren’t investigating this. The rich and famous can certainly be thrown to the media wolves if the police charge them with a crime, but short of that there really is no justification for this kind of media intrusion. The fact that this was a sting operation carried out by a red-top newspaper doesn’t impress me either.
Yours sincerely,
A.Tory
9 responses so far ↓
asquith // March 31, 2008 at 8:36 am
I won’t be engaging in Nazi orgies with prostitutes any time soon. But I agree with you, the really disgusting and repulsive thing is the media’s behaviour. I hate the way they try to insinuate something by pointing out at the beginning that he’s Oswald Mosley’s son. And leaving it until the very end, by which time all their idiots have made their minds up, that he’s actually anti-racist.
But then, I don’t like the Times or any facet of the Murdoch Press. Before I learnt better, I was in Keele library reading the Times, and my lecturer just went up to me and said “That’s a 2:2 paper. It struck me that he was right, and I never went back.
Letters From A Tory // March 31, 2008 at 10:18 am
I agree that people make up their minds very quickly when they read stories like this and don’t really worry about the implications of this kind of media intrusion.
The Times is certainly a curious beast. It is clearly right of centre but doesn’t hammer Labour in the same way as the Torygraph, which I find makes it a useful thing to read. The Comment section is also worth glancing at.
asquith // March 31, 2008 at 10:56 am
I consider that the Times has suffered from Murdoch’s influence, though Daniel Finkelstein is an excellent columnist. I’m sure there are others buried away somewhere, but when I want to hear from rightists I stick with the Spectator and blogs.
My ultimate preference is for The Independent
Letters From A Tory // March 31, 2008 at 11:06 am
Oh please. The Independent is about as independent and impartial as Nick Griffin.
Will Rhodes // March 31, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Who really cares?
What I would like to see is the NOTW doing a story on Murdock’s sexual habits - That would be interesting for about 4 seconds.
Letters From A Tory // March 31, 2008 at 8:17 pm
…and would also make us all feel quite ill.
F-OneFan // April 9, 2008 at 10:25 am
In light of the 100 *million* Euro fine Max Mosley levied against the McLaren Formula One Team last year, I suspect that Max has created a few powerful (and very wealthy) enemies. I can’t help but wonder if one of these people isn’t behind some sort of a “setup” to embarass Mosley, and get him dismissed from his FIA position. But you really have to question Max’s judgement here. I mean a sex-romp with a “Roman Orgie” or “Night in Old Constantinople” theme is somewhat understandable, but does the FIA *really* need a head man who opts for a “Nazi POW Camp” adventure??
Letters From A Tory // April 9, 2008 at 11:29 am
I couldn’t possibly comment on the relative merits of a ‘Roman Orgy’ and a ‘Nazi POW camp adventure’.
F-OneFan // April 9, 2008 at 9:24 pm
“I couldn’t possibly comment on the relative merits of a ‘Roman Orgy’ and a ‘Nazi POW camp adventure’.”
—A. Tory
Perhaps Mr. Mosley would be kind enough to post in, and offer *his* opinion.
—F1F
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