Simon Jenkins sheds no tears for Blair following the latter’s pitiful cries of “foul” by the “feral” media.
Don’t knock the British press. You are about to need it more than ever. Each day the rascals feed you lies, shove their hands in your pockets and stifle every other monitor of their incompetence. British government needs the constant attention of an alert, confident and preferably abusive press.
Ordinarily, I would find this comment sticking in my craw. The British press feed on misinformation, downright lies and reputation destruction. But… But… For once, I agree with the point Jenkins makes. If the press does not watch government and hold them to account for their lies, spin, misinformation and reputation destruction, who will? A thief to catch a thief, perhaps?
At first I honestly thought Tony Blair’s “poor diddums” speech last week was farewell satire. He could not really think himself the most persecuted politician since Carlyle declared the supremacy of the “fourth estate” back in the 1840s. Besides, how could the master of spin admit that he had botched his entire modus operandi? He called journalists “feral beasts” who hunted in packs and spread cynicism wherever they went.
Quite. Blair brought this on himself. He elected to take on high office. He then abused his position and courted the media. If you play tag with a rabid dog, should you be too surprised if you get bitten in the process? Cynicism, though is what epitomises the Blair regime, a blatant disregard for the truth, and a willingness to erode civil society all for a quick headline – indeed, this man and his cronies have made policy by headline (anyone recall the stupid idea of taking drunks to the cash-point to get their on the spot fines?) so complaining about the press now holds no water.
What a perfect description of Blair’s office for the past 15 years.
Indeed.
Yet the man seemed close to tears.
Tough. No sympathy from this quarter.
So plaintive was his cry that a stage army of sycophantic columnists leapt forward to hug him and say how right he was.
Fools.
The reporter’s primary duty is not to “legislate for the nation” but as rat-catcher, setting the traps, laying the poison and catching the little bastards. It is to make life hell for those who purport to wield immense power in the public’s interest and so frequently fail.
Yes, indeedy. Long may it continue. Politicians are venal bastards and need to be kept in check. I don’t much like the press, but they at least hold up Westminster’s dirty washing for inspection. Keep up the good work.
I love how spin is Blair’s fault.
You somewhat miss the point, as Blair points out. After 18 years of opposition and hostile media – it didn’t seem like Labour had much choice – and whose fault is that? It certanly isn’t Blairs. Maybe we should look to ourselves for electing politicians that spin – maybe we should look to our electoral system which only gives us a choice of 2.5 parties and 2 possible governments – maybe we should look to the fact that our media is not free at all but controlled by 3 rich blokes who live abroad.
Of course Blair has had his chance to do something about this over the last 10 years but I imagine he thought he had more pressing priorities – like doing something about the state of public services and inequality. Which despite the failures – he has managed to do something very significant about – things did get better but keep believing what you read in the press if you want.
No, I don’t miss the point at all. Blair had a choice and he made it. He could have been a new, ethical broom. He chose, however, to play the press. What he reaps now is nothing other than what he has sown, I’m afraid.
I don’t necessarily. I hold the press in marginally less contempt than that reserved for politicians.
I agree with you on the electoral system.
Those who are apologists for Blair have remarkably selective memories. The whole thrust of Blair’s campaign ten years ago was to oust the ‘wicked Tories’. In the event it has become patent that Blair’s entire regime has been based on duplicity and mistruth. He has single-handedly managed to destroy any public belief in the integrity of all politicians, not just those in his immediate coterie.
If it was bad before Blair, it’s a whole lot worse now. We have been betrayed.
As to Blair’s ‘more pressing priorities’ – well what were they. Repeatedly sending troops into wars? The unprincipled support for a dicredited American regime? Repeated appointments of immoral and incompetent Ministers? Cash for peerages to fund the Labour Party? The list is endless.
And there is much, much, more to come out into the open. I view him and his colleagues with utter contempt. They are truly disgusting ‘servants of the people’, without honour, dignity or a single shred of integrity. In short they, and their ghastly supporters, are loathsome scum.
I’d say that was a fair assessment.
“Politicians are venal bastards and need to be kept in check.”
Couldn’t have put that better myself. Blair has taken long enough to fuck off and now he should and very quickly at that. Dogturd!