Best Insult Competition
Competition time. On the internet there are currently many criticisms of the Labour Party. Many of these are justified, or at least internally consistent.
But there are others which are hyperbolic, stupid or just simply baffling. There will be a small prize for whoever can find the most over the top and/or incomprehensible insult aimed either at the Labour Party in general or any member of the Labour Party specifically. Here's a few possible categories, to get you started:
The comparison: anonymous commentators all over the internet follow the BNP in comparing Zimbabwe to Britain. Many write that we are governed by ZaNu-Labour, while other, more sober minded analysts like one of politicalbetting's guest editors think that while Britain is not yet like Zimbabwe, there is no dispute about the direction of travel. And did you know that having been a Labour supporter in the past is like being a victim of domestic violence?
The niche policy criticism: apparently Labour managed to make "absolutely everyone under thirty who likes a drink or two feel just a little bit like a stain on society" (maybe because of the smoking ban?!)
The historical analogy: Historian David Starkey says that Gordon Brown is the worst prime minister for 1,100 years (as anyone who remembers John Major will know, he is wrong by at least 1,088 years) and that, erm, our education system should learn from the Tudors because back then children learned facts rather than just looking things up on the internet.
The personal insult: Any insults will have to be very, very good indeed to beat the explanation by the anonymous libertarian about why he calls "Harriet Harperson" a 'lying whore'.
posted by donpaskini @ 9:59 pm
6 Comments
6 Comments:
Brother can you pop down I've got an offer, whats that brother clean my house and I'll give you £6000 nice little earner mate.
Let's face it, the whole expenses row is a media generated waste of time. Changing things won't make the country better and leaving them the same won't make it worse, but because it's embarrassed the government in the papers it has to change. Well I say let's not bother!
I keep reading stuff that claims Alix Mortimer as one of the finest writers in the land. And then I read rubbish like that post of hers that you linked to and I despair, even though I agree that ID cards are a monumental waste of time and money.
This sort of exaggerated comment is nothing new. It was around at the time of Thatcher, when many on the left denounced her as a fascist, which is as ridiculous as comparing Gordon Brown to Mugabe.
As soneone strongly to the left of the Labour party, I always disagreed with those who called her a fascist. For one thing, there was quite enough stuff to complain about legitimately, so why discredit yourself by making hyperbolic insults? And secondly, if you call Thatcher a fascist, what the hell do you call the genuine article, the NF and BNP?
As a civil libertarian I despise this government's record on civil liberties. But every fool who refers to ZaNuLabour is taking attention away from the genuine complaints that can be made against it. Not that it helps the government much. It is now so reduced in credibility that mocking its over-enthusiastic critics has no traction whatsoever.
Let's face it, the whole expenses row is a media generated waste of timeI don't agree. The sums of money may be relatively small but the attitude betrayed by some of these expense claims is worthy of nothing but contempt. Those working in public sector jobs are not give such latitude or largesse with their expenses. Why should MPs be treated any better? Surely they should be setting an example?
Like MPs, my employer has required me to live in two places for some period of time. The employer provided a serviced apartment for me. I really do not see why a similar arrangement can not be made for MPs.
It is entirely right that they should receive reasonable compensation of their out of pocket expenses incurred by living in more than one place. But they should not expect to use their expense accounts as an ancilliary source of income. It is insulting to the electorate and it is rightly a cause celebre.
This doesn't really fit into any of the categories, but it gave me great mirth on the day after the Budget when the Express carried the characteristically understated headline: '[OMG] THEY'VE RUINED BRITAIN![!!***@$#!]'
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