Do you remember a Monty Python sketch in which Graham Chapman says "I think all right-thinking people in this country are sick and tired of being told that ordinary, decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired." It does go on in a similar fashion but it is a parody of politicians who say very little and talk in jargon.
I was reminded of this sketch yesterday when Peter Hain was interviewed by Andrew Marr. Peter is in election mode. He said "what is absolutely vital to the great decent progressive majority in Britain is that we stop the Tories winning power. And I think it is absolutely crucial and most people in Britain agree, that if we can have a situation in which we can stop the Tories winning governments, then whether Labour's had an absolute majority or whether Labour doesn't have a majority we should be the majority party because we are the only party that can form an alternative government to the Tories". This can be summed up as "vote Labour".
Peter went on to call for all non-Tories to vote Labour. Now Andrew had just heard that it was vital and crucial to stop the Tories, so he asked the obvious question about Labour supporters voting for Liberal Democrats. Peter got confused at this point and forgot what he had just said. He reverted to his "vote Labour" spiel. It's a pity that our top politicians forget what they have been saying so easily.
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I wish the general populace would wake up..and realise that it is not a two horse race!
ReplyDeleteLovely! Politicians need to be sent up for the sort of verbal diarrhoea that they all-too-often produce. The Swedish blogger Johan Norberg has an entertaining post with suggested Monty Python sketches for each party: http://www.johannorberg.net/?page=displayblog&month=02&year=2009#3068
ReplyDeleteThanks for both comments.I am usually more thoughtful than Peter Hain, but what the heck - vote Liberal Democrat.
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