Poison

Charles Clarke accuses the media of being poisonous.

But I believe that a pernicious and even dangerous poison is now slipping into at least some parts of this media view of the world.

While I am critical of our media, in this instance, the poison emanates not from Fleet Street, but Downing Street. Indeed, when reading the transcript of this most obnoxious of politicians’ speech, full of non sequiturs; this priceless piece of balderdash, for example:

However, as democracy has advanced so powerfully across the world, other rights become important too. The right to go to work safely on the tube. The right no to be killed by someone who has served his sentence for violent crime but remains dangerous. The right to live at home without being disturbed by anti-social behaviour outside the front door.

And outright lies; this piece of barefaced fraud, for instance:

The National Identity Scheme is being introduced to safeguard people’s identities, not track their lifestyle or activities.

I think only of round objects. Unfortunately this brings to mind the old “Yes Minister” joke.

Who is Round? And to what does he object?