Poor Gordon Brown; he doesn’t have the luxury of being able to tell a member of the public how wrong and misinformed they are; he is the Prime Minister and he is seeking re election so he has to humor folk and gently nudge them into seeing a different point of view with very limited time; which is what he was doing with Mrs. Duffy yesterday when he gently reminded her that lots of British people leave here to work and live abroad just like those who come here to work and live, there is no difference. Unfortunately Mrs. Duffy does not arrive at her conclusion that immigration is to blame for society’s ills from reasoned discussion and diligent study and research, the Sun and Sky TV do that for her and many others. Mrs. Duffy is not a bad person quite the contrary and I would wager that a lengthy discussion with her where reasonable explanations about immigration and other matters which the Sun and Sky TV lie about were put forward she would emerge as a nice reasonable non bigoted person; I’m quite sure her remarks on immigration drew those comments from Gordon Brown because of the frustration he feels at not having the time to spend with her and the anger at what the media do to manipulate public opinion hence the “bigoted woman” quote. He might have added ‘if only we could explain and get her to understand’ but of course the media had got what they were after by then.
I have personally been in a couple of situations where I exercised that luxury of telling people in no uncertain terms where to go and to take their vote with them; these were occasions when people had accosted me at public meetings demanding that I join them in their fight to prevent someone; less fortunate than themselves; people with learning difficulties it was from moving into their neighborhood. On both occasions I tried at some length to reason with them and eventually decided that I really didn’t want the votes of such people; and yes it was a great feeling; a liberating experience to tell them what I thought of them and boy did I relish it; the PM can’t do that which is a shame and I'm absolutely positive that he would never include Mrs. Duffy in such company; I spent lots of time arguing with them the PM had a few minutes. I can’t imagine that there are many elected representatives who have not gone through what he went through yesterday most of course without microphones attached to them.
Mrs. Duffy appears to have done the right thing by calling a truce and accepted the PM’s apology. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone then; we have all been there. I think it’s important to keep the matter in proportion and get on with the serious business of running the country; the PM’s lapse was unfortunate and he will be regretting it more than anyone; but it does not carry the same weight as the real big issues facing the country no matter how much the right wing media try to get it to grow.
Considering the events of the past couple of years of his premiership it is remarkable that he is still standing; most people would have crumbled by now; he is in fact a remarkably resilient man, a man whom I conclude has survived because of his unshakeable belief in what he believes in; his commitment to do what he believes to be right is what sustains him. The onslaught which has surrounded him has been nonstop and personally vindictive his courage and dignity are quite inspiring. I don’t believe that Clegg or Cameron would have lasted 6 months under such pressure but then again they wouldn’t have had to would they? Who springs to mind when you think about campaigns by the media to destroy someone involved in politics? Try this list and add your own if you want.
Tony Benn – Arthur Scargill – Ken Livingstone – George Galloway – Neil Kinnock – Michael Foot and many more all the way back to Harold Wilson who was accused by the media of being a Russian spy; do you spot the pattern? Gordon Brown has a temper and can swear as well as chuck things about the place when he is frustrated; if you swap the name Brown for Churchill you have a very similar man notwithstanding Winston being a serial drunk of course, why is Churchill allowed these character defects and Brown isn’t? think about that when you think about voting. Brown is a great statesman and would have been in any era; his two opponents are political pygmies compared to him, he is the man temper and all.
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53 comments:
Councillor, I seem to have missed where Mrs Duffy accepted the Kirkaldy Clown's apology.
Where did you see it?
Do you believe the PM was justified in call ing Mrs D a bigot?
He might have added ‘if only we could explain and get her to understand’
THE PROBLEM IS HE DIDNT !
This whole "scandal" has made me so angry that had the election been held today I would have gone out and voted Labour in protest at the shameful conduct of the press. As an SNP voter that's not a threat I make lightly!
This constant barrage of stupid criticism of Brown from the media has got beyond a joke. If it was criticism based soley on policy and his record in government I wouldn't mind but it's this relentless snidey nit picking over pretty average human failings and implications of mental illness that grates.
This latest phoney scandal brings to mind the 'handwriting-gate' incident when a grief stricken mother was exploited in a shameful manner to get at Brown. The clip of poor Mrs Duffy when she is first informed of Browns remarks is utterly appalling. Here we have a perfectly nice if slightly ill informed woman needlessly upset for the purposes of stirring up a media scandal.
There is no one alive who works with the public who hasn't let off steam in private by making a disparging remark about a customer or a client at sometime. As one of my work colleagues said today 'it'd be p45s all round if what was said in this office ever got out'. It doesn't stop us doing our best for clients or doing our jobs well.
The same is true for Brown, who for all the many things I do not agree with him about, is to my, mind a well intentioned, capable and exceptionally intelligent politician.
(Anonymous) 29/04/10
I think the treatment of Brown by the media is an embarrassing disgrace to the whole country; the media in this country is bought and sold by tycoons like Murdoch and is infested by far too many cowardly journalists who are afraid to raise their heads above the parapet, it is quite sickening.
Either you are incapable of understanding the post or you are a liar.
(Anonymous) 29/04/10
The PM is like anyone else entitled to call a person a bigot if that is what he believes; if however he realizes that he has misunderstood that person and made a mistake; then he should apologise which of course he has done. Do you have a difficulty with that?
Do you live in a cave?
Councillor, you said Mrs Duffy 'called a truce and accepted the PM's apology.'
Will you source this statement please?
'Mrs Duffy does not arrive at her conclusions (on immigration)through reasoned discussion and diligent study!'
The poor, wee woman...if only she could sit at the feet of the Renfrew One and be saved!
Kelly, you patronising, arrogant aparatchik, you do not know the lady, so zip it!
Dear Councilor Kelly,
I have followed your blog for some time and never commented but I must say you are the embodiment of all that is new Labour and I look forward to much future discussion of your outlook on life.
It's going to be a fun week, isn't it?
The Mad Fifer calls a pensioner questioning Labour's immigration policy a 'bigot,' then claims he thought she said 'f******,' rather than 'flocking,' Blears employs an illegal on her campaign team, Labour pull all immigration officers out of Dover, Balls calls a constituent, who claims not to have seen him for two years,a liar and a Labour Whip under Police investigation for revealing Postal votes!
Altogether now...'We are Fred Karno's army...!
The papers, the TV, the radio.
So how well do you know her then you arrogant clown.
(Leg-iron) 30/04/10
“you are the embodiment of all that is new Labour”
A collector’s item, I will show this around its hilarious.
Politics is never fun win or lose it’s too serious perhaps you find it fun, it takes all kinds.
(Byeck) 15:44
The whole lot of this doesn’t amount to a hill of beans but; it does raise an interesting point.
Are the other parties squeaky clean and do they never make mistakes or is it only Labour who get reported: there was a car crash near where Labour were unveiling a new poster the other day and they got criticism for that as well; is it possible you are being duped?
They can print any old crap because of gullible idiots like you who lap it up.
Sir,
I will allow you that courtesy; clearly you are a product of the Labour education system i.e only semi literate and equally only semi educated and therefore to be pitied more than anything. However, your inability to read the true significance of the Duffy debacle is seriously diturbing. Councillor God help us.
So it is no surprise that you cannot rationalise the destruction wrecked on this country by the most incompetent Prime Minister ever visited on the people of this country.
You are nothing short of an imbecile.
paulo
(paulo) 16:28
“your inability to read the true significance of the Duffy debacle is seriously diturbing. Councillor God help us”
What is really diturbing is that such an obviously well educated person as you can be so easily duped by the Tory press.
Brown - “the most incompetent Prime Minister ever visited on the people of this country”
Anyone who has never heard of Margaret Thatcher should not comment on such matters.
Let me get this straight: the Prime Minister of the Labour Government compliments a 66 year old widow who has been a lifelong Labour supporter from whom he parts on good terms, and thirty seconds later, when he thinks he is speaking privately, he expresses his opinion that it was "ridiculous" that he should have met "that woman" who was "just some bigoted woman" - and you are excusing him?
He's guilty of insincerity, hypocrisy, utter disdain for his core voter and complete lack of judgment (women of Mrs Duffy's background and generation do not use the term f*cking).
Why on earth is the media to blame? For reporting the facts - that's what they used to be for, not to pander to Laou's spin.
I hope that if Labour gets in by default, Brown will do the decent thing and accept that his Government has no mandate but I suspect that someone would have to unglue his fingers from the door of No 10.
Jay
Face it you socialist dinosaur, in the popular vote your party is going to lose and lose big time. How I wish another Thatcher was going to take over to wreak revenge on you socialist scrounging wrecking scumbags who think its ok to live off the money we've earned for ourselves and our families through our own hard work. But we've only got Cameron and he's too soft to do that, oh well.
Kelly @ 4.16
Do be specific, Terry. Which of the points in my 3.44pm comment come under the heading of 'any old crap' i.e. is untrue?
And did you see the PM having a heckler forcibly ejected by Labour heavies today? Shades of Brighton and Mr Wolfgang...do your lot never learn?
(Andy) 19:00
“scrounging wrecking scumbags who think its ok to live off the money we've earned for ourselves and our families through our own hard work”
That’s no way to talk about the Royal Family – years ago you would have been thrown in the Tower for such an outburst.
(Anonymous) 18:11
I’m not excusing him I’m just trying to put the record straight; if he thought she was a bigot then he is entitled to say so and if he finds that he has made a mistake he should apologise which is what happened, he has simply done what any other politician would have done.
“(women of Mrs Duffy's background and generation do not use the term f*cking)”
This drivel can only be said by someone who is an idiot or a blatant “F*****g liar”
“Why on earth is the media to blame?”
So you think that the media have been fair to Brown and Labour then? as I said either an idiot or a blatant f*****g liar.
(Byeck) 19:05
It’s quite simple even for you, it’s you who needs to be specific, I do not trust you and if you want to make accusations against a labour MP then you have to give me details which I can check; is that too difficult for you?
The PM had no-one thrown out you are really desperate; this guy was absolutely determined to get chucked out; if you actually knew anything about politics you would not talk such c**p; when you have been to as many meetings as I have you spot these people; would you just abandon the meeting because of one person who refuses to obey the rules? “Sorry folks we have the PM here as well as other MP’s and speakers etc. as well as yourselves some of whom have come a long way to get here but this nice chap who is bawling and shouting is not going to allow us to continue.
You would Moseley him wouldn’t you.
Kelly @ 7.28
'Specific' Councillor...I left the link (Iain Dale) regarding Davidson and immigration on the original post...or, you could simply ask him!!
A nice try at spinning the Kirkaldy Clown having a heckler ejected - doesn't like meeting real people does he - but we remember 83yr old Walter Wolfgang and realise Labour has history.
I am neither an idiot or liar - I recognise a decent person when I see one (and from your rude and insulting responses on this thread, you ain't one of them). Mrs Duffy isn't some chav granny who brought her children up on heroin and benefits, she is one of the respectable working class to whom the Prime Minister would be a figure of respect and she would be on her best behaviour. Moreover, I doubt that Mrs Duffy even uses such language in private.
Typically of a New Labour functionary, instead of arguing why the media were unfair, you again resort to insult.
Jay
"...when you have been to as many meetings as I have you spot these people..."
And what do politicians of your calibre do when they 'spot these people', Cllr?
Do you have a special alarm call to alert the rest of your troupe?
Or is it more like the closing moments of that remake of 'Invasion of the Bodysnatchers'?
Terry, see Mrs Duffy saying her piece in the Mail today, written after she has had time to consider what happened.
Are you still claiming she accepted the Mad Fifer's apology?
I suppose she could have been misquoted, or sold her soul for the Mail's gold, but somehow, I doubt it!
(Byeck) 11:14
Mrs. Duffy took the money and is now abroad; she also made the remark about those immigrants flocking here; she also forgave the PM, tell me what the point to all this is; I’m busy; there is an election on.
(Byeck) 01/05/10
I suppose if the Sun, Telegraph and Mail say it; it must be true. According to today’s news the Sun did a poll in Rochdale and then refused to publish it because over 50% of those polled said the incident with Mrs. Duffy was a storm in a tea cup. Nice friends you have.
I take it you are not contacting Davidson then? thought not.
(Anonymous) 02/05/10
You know nothing about Mrs. Duffy; she made the kind of casual racist remark which she didn’t even realize was racist; this happens as a result of constant right wing propaganda on the subject and for Mrs. Duffy and many more it becomes acceptable.
“instead of arguing why the media were unfair”
So you think the media have been fair to Brown and Labour then; what is the point of discussing anything with someone who can come to such an outrageous dishonest conclusion. Only an idiot or a liar could say such a thing; that’s you.
(JuliaM) 07:03
I’ve never seen ‘bodysnatchers’ but it sounds like a classy piece of entertainment. I posed a question which you have predictably ignored so let me try again.
Do you abandon a meeting because someone is being disruptive and stopping the meeting from continuing? Or better still why don’t you take the trouble of asking people who are involved in such meetings; from any party; you choose. You never know perhaps all the Parties except Labour might say “Oh we just abandon the meeting if the chap keeps disrupting it” as I say you never know; you might even meet with answers which show just how utterly stupid your comments are.
Mrs Duffy forgave the PM? ....from the interview I saw on Sky today, it would appear not!
By the by, exactly what 'casual racist remark' did she make?
And can you back-up your claim that this nice, decent, woman 'took the money?
(Byeck) 18:07
Mrs. Duffy forgave the PM, how many more times? this is the last one.
The remark about foreigners ‘flocking’ here is a casual racist remark which I stated she would not have been aware of and would most certainly deny being racist.
Maybe I’m being too cynical; maybe she submitted the article to the Mail for free or maybe you are just trying to set new standards of stupidity.
"You know nothing about Mrs. Duffy; she made the kind of casual racist remark which she didn’t even realize was racist..."
Do you not see a bit of a problem with what you've written? You, who know Mrs Duffy only from the same sources as I, judge her whilst saying that I can't be in a position to do so.
Is New Labour beset by doublethink as well as double-dealing?
Jay
Councillor Kelly,
Everyone is so stupid eh? Aaargh the Tory press! Margaret Thatcher is so eeeevil and everyone is so racist!
You really remind me of an angst ridden teenager.
You are equal parts hilarious and pathetic. Please dont stop spouting off your barely coherant ramblings. My o-workers and I get a kick out of you comrade.
(Anonymous) 03/05/10
You are not making sense here perhaps you are confused and desperate to land a blow.
I didn’t claim to know her; I said and still do that she made the kind of racist remark she did without even realizing it had racist connotations; that does not make her in any way guilty or racist it’s the Sun and the right wing press who create this kind of language.
You are entitled to excuse it if you choose to but I don’t think it’s acceptable; just put it down to having standards.
(Joe Shmo) 09:11
Thank you for taking the trouble to write Mr. Shmo; you unwittingly say a lot about yourself; say hi for me to your ‘o workers’
(Anonymous) 17:23
I suspect that in a court of law a racist remark is a racist remark; perhaps you might lend the same weight to the remark in question whether it is said by Mrs. Duffy or Nick Griffin but as I have tried to explain we clearly have different standards.
I get the impression that you are struggling to say something hurtful the remark about Labour would indicate that but; you seem to have picked a rather unfertile area.
Perhaps you should change tack; what about Gordon Brown’s glass eye that’s usually a good subject for your kind, try that.
Terry, you claim Mrs Duffy took money from the Mail for the article.
Are you also saying that Sky paid her for their interview?
(Byeck) 18:36
I don’t know but I would assume they would; the Sun dropped their offer to her because she would not agree to say she was voting Tory; is all of this a shock to you? Does your cave not have a TV or radio?
Kelly @ 7.19
Oh dear Terry... hope you can back these claims up with evidence. Otherwise, without a shred of proof, you assert the lady took money from the Mail and Sky and, between times, apologised to the PM, for causing him to call her a bigot!
M'learned friends will be scenting blood in the water
Glass eyes? I eat them for breakfast.
Jay
I gussed you wouldn't last long.
Perhaps when the number of accused are counted they will hold the trial at Hampden Park.
No, Councillor, I have work to do - you know, that thing that we in the private sector do to provide your Government with funds which they then squander on pet projects and a bloated army of functionaries who are exhausted after a hard day of pushing some papers around a desk.
Jay
Yes of course everyone in the private sector is an example to all of us; like bankers; spivs and money lenders.
No, like the millions of hard-working, honest employees and owners of SMEs who are trying to contribute to generate wealth but are drowning in bureaucracy and costs with little profit margin.
Jay
Get over it we all have a temper even if we don't express it. Knowing when to express your temper and WHEN NOT TO is a virtue.
Now let's get to the point: You don't like the media because they are informing people more and more. It doesn't suit the likes of Labour for people to know too much because then, people will discover how much of a bunch of USERS the labour party is.
USERS. And not even grateful for it. Thank you
You go on about "the Tory press" but for a long long time until the past year the press was almost all Labour-biased. Yes it has suddenly changed as some have gone Conservative.
You don't like that do you?
I never heard one complaint from any Labourite when the press (newspapers) was all anti-Tory and how it still is anti-SNP, and as for the lib dems...doesn't pay a great deal of attention to it seems.
(Anonymous) 05/05/10
So you are hard working; Honest; an SME and; best of all you are all these because you are trying to contribute to the general wealth right? you are doing it for me right? I’m touched by your generosity of spirit honest I really am. What do you run; is it a joke shop?
(rossmc) 06/05/10
I don’t like the media and never have because they are; and always have been overwhelmingly Tory and right wing. If you genuinely don’t accept that then you should do some studying before making such stupid statements.
(rossmc) 06/05/10
I have to conclude that no one is this misinformed and downright thick; are you having a laugh?
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