Dear Dominic Lawson,
Well done for correctly spotting the wider implications of Andy Burnham’s unacceptable and potentially libellous remarks about Shami Chakrabarti. Anyone who considers this to be an isolated incident that has no wider ramifications is clearly not looking at this situation very hard.
For Andy Burnham to say “I find something very curious in the man who was, and still is I believe, an exponent of capital punishment, having late-night, hand-wringing, heart-melting phone calls with Shami Chakrabarti” in a magazine interview is beyond idiotic. It is demeaning, patronising and complete rubbish as well. I have no problem with you putting Andy’s side of the story across, although this amounts to little more than him apparently being “aghast” at the way his remarks were interpreted (not sure how he can claim that those remarks were misinterpreted, though) and it is no surprise to see him confidently backing Labour’s assault on civil liberties by saying that “the public supports us”. Yer, right. But, even though Burnham’s defence has been pathetic, the pivotal issue is much wider than this. Labour have failed to put up a candidate against David Davis in the by-election, yet they continue to launch unprovoked attacks on him and his supporters. Even though the top hats / toffs campaign in Crewe backfired spectacularly for Labour, at least they launched it during a by-election where each party was defending itself from criticism with a candidate in place.
All in all, it seem that Labour have abandoned the idea of standing up for their beliefs and making themselves accountable to the public. For all their talk about ‘public support’ for destroying civil liberties, EU integration and goodness knows what else, not once have they actually let the public tell them what they believe by letting the voters give their verdict on Labour’s actions. Oh wait, they did do it once - in Crewe - and look what happened.
Yours sincerely,
A.Tory
12 responses so far ↓
JuliaM // June 20, 2008 at 8:44 am
Except, of course, no-one really thought anything of the sort when they heard the quote - I know I didn’t!
“It is demeaning, patronising and complete rubbish as well.”
Yes. And part of politics today. Until Shami got her knickers in a twist, no-one else outside the Parliamentary bubble even noticed the intended ’slur’. Now, every man and his dog is finding new ways to link whispers they may have heard to it, especially in Westminster.
The ‘man in the street’ is probably totally baffled!
Letters From A Tory // June 20, 2008 at 9:31 am
No, it’s not “part of politics” - it’s an incredibly inappropriate comment, especially from a Secretary of State in the British government.
If he wants to fight her arguments then let him get on with it, but this was an unacceptably personal attack which had no purpose other than to tarnish her name.
JuliaM // June 20, 2008 at 11:47 am
It’s only an inappropriate comment if Davis really is doin’ Shami and everyone knows it…
As it is, the only ones who seem to have picked up on this are the Westminster insiders and Shami. By going to Defcon 4 on it, she’s now broadcast the rumours herself, as everyone is at pains to point out the supposed ’slur’.
I always thought she was smarter than that (for all I don’t much care for her politics). Guess I was wrong…
“If he wants to fight her arguments then let him get on with it…”
But he can’t. So he does the next best thing - insinuates something that would go over the head of pretty much everyone in the real world (who might see it as a patronising comment but that’s all), and she stumbles right in.
Now, the story isn’t 42 days, is it…?
Patently // June 20, 2008 at 5:57 pm
No Julia, A. Tory is right. No-one in NuLab debates an issue any more. All we are given is ad hominem attacks or a stream of meaningless drivel dressed up as a reply.
This is a classic example. Davis has highlighted an issue of great importance; one that potentially affects us all. It goes to the heart of the type of country that we are. And what is the response of a Minister of the Crown to this? “Oooh … look, they’re in luurrrvvvee eeuughh!”
I’ve whinged about this before - see http://thepatentlyblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/five-minutes-or-full-half-hour.html
asquith // June 20, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I don’t think it’s a secret that I scorn & despise Lawson.
But he has scored here. I liked the bit where he said that Labour are simply unable to concieve of S. Chakrabati being independent. In their world, there’s something wrong who disagrees with them. This government isn’t deviating from its principles in following the Daily Mail, it’s doing what comes naturally to it, using the state for social engineering like the socialists they have never truly stopped being.
They have developed a schoolgirl crush on big business, without becoming economically liberal in a proper sense, or dveloping awareness of the world of small enterprises. You know that they are not liberal in any respect.
I believe that much of what Peter Hitchens wrote in “The Abolition Of Liberty” is correct, & I have no hesitation in saying that as a liberal I’ve always respected him & agreed with many of his opinions (more than Lawson’s).
If you held a gun to my head & made me choose, I really would take Cameron over Brown.
As Lawson has identified, this is classic NuLab behaviour. It epitomises why they need & deserve to lose.
JuliaM // June 20, 2008 at 8:11 pm
“Davis has highlighted an issue of great importance; one that potentially affects us all. It goes to the heart of the type of country that we are. And what is the response of a Minister of the Crown to this? “Oooh … look, they’re in luurrrvvvee eeuughh!””
But it worked. And all because of the weakness of their opponent…
Decry it as ‘not cricket’, but these days, that matters naught.
Steve Roberts // June 21, 2008 at 8:48 am
Quote from Julia: “But it worked. And all because of the weakness of their opponent…”
Yeh, right, due to the smear, Labour will win the bye-election - hang on, no they can’t, they don’t have a candidate. Maybe they’ve given the case for their police-state-by-stealth wider coverage and won popular support ? Actually, no, the wider coverage was for a cabinet minister making repellent remarks about a leading member of the new establishment.
It strikes me the effect of this teacupstorm is to highlight labour’s failure to stand up and justify its legislation - I’d call that an ‘own goal’.
gene hunt // June 21, 2008 at 9:34 am
Julia M, perhaps you could regale us all with your views on civil liberties?
Letters From A Tory // June 21, 2008 at 10:24 am
An own goal it most certainly was.
Julia, I simply don’t understand how you can say that “it worked”. What worked? If Burnham had kept his trap shut, Davis would be struggling to get the media attention he needs. Now that Burnham has slurred his opponents, it merely highlights how hesitant Labour are to defend their actions and how they must now resort to personal attacks instead of attacking the civil liberties arguments.
JuliaM // June 21, 2008 at 6:08 pm
“Julia, I simply don’t understand how you can say that “it worked”. What worked? “
It’s first and foremost a distraction technique - who’s talking about the issues like 42 days now? The salacious media are on the trail of the ‘Shami hot & heavy with Dave’ story. So they aren’t talking about Davis’s points at all.
It also got the rumours out into the mass media - no-one outside the media circle was talking about this, now they all are..’
“Julia M, perhaps you could regale us all with your views on civil liberties?”
What does it have to do with this topic? I’m pointing out how Labour have gor round the idea that there needs to be a discussion of civil liberties, and all because Shami blew a gasket.
JuliaM // June 21, 2008 at 6:09 pm
“…the wider coverage was for a cabinet minister making repellent remarks about a leading member of the new establishment…”
Except, it wasn’t. The story was ‘Phworh! Tory & Liberty Girl round the back of the bike sheds!”
Patently // June 21, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Except, it wasn’t. The story was ‘Phworh! Tory & Liberty Girl round the back of the bike sheds!”
Not really. Most reporting has been along the lines of “Labour Minister revealed as an utter prat, has to apologise”.
It all adds up. People are beginning to see through the spin. Just watch people when they are told of an official announcement about just how great things really are. Watch the eyebrows… no-one believes a word from NuLab any more.
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