Friday, February 27, 2009
How to Shock Fred
So the government signs off on Shreddie's pension 'pot', then leaks it and demands the money back in a traditional Mandelsonian attempt to fix the news agenda. Judging by Shreddie's letter, I'd say he was shocked by this. Welcome to politics, Fred. Succeeding in shocking Fred now stands as the most impressive achievement of the Brown administration.
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A blog about, among other things, imaginary ideas - What ifs? and Imagine thats. What if photographs looked nothing like what we see with our eyes? Imagine that the Berlin Wall had never come down. What if we were the punchline of an interminable joke? All contributions welcome.
Did you hear the thug Prescott a few moments ago on Today? "Just stop paying it and let 'im sue"
ReplyDeleteDoesn't that run a coach and horses through traditional property rights? asked Evan Davies, which the great pugilist sidestepped and then blurted out "Greed, greed, greed!That's what it was!"
Well he's well qualified to recognise it when he sees it.
"And by the way, it's not Gordon's fault, nobody saw this coming."
Oh, that's all right then, you're all re-elected.
Not dissimilar to Boris's complaint to Keith Vaz, except that Boris, being used to politics, disregards any niceties.
ReplyDeleteSir Fred is not the first person to believe that associating with politicians made him one of the gang. He is also not the first to find out that the gang will throw him overboard to the sharks the moment the boat starts rocking. Other city gents who think of bankrolling these bastards should take note.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Bryan, it is a Mandelsonian trick. But what I don't get is why the news media are so keen to behave like a bunch of trained seals at herring time. The government is now attempting to 'save' the banks for the third time, having supposedly done that back in October and January, and yet all the journos can talk about is this, relative to the huge numbers involved, irrelevant sum of money.
ReplyDeleteYes Jon Snow, Gavin Esler, Robert Peston, et al, it's you I'm talking about.
Thanks. Recusant - I should have said or Campbelltonian
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ReplyDeleteI think we expect too much of the media, in the end they are just another reflection of society at large, behaving and thinking much like we do.
ReplyDeleteLike falling for a shyster like Mandy selling crap from a battered suitcase at the market, we all gather round to nosy and plenty of idiots at the front buy it.
It might well be a Mandelsonian trick but isn't it likely that the intended victim is not Sir Shreddie with his stark, nutty eyes but Lord Myners who may - I'm just guessing - be standing in the way of Mandy's ambitions. Looks like a case of "File Under Urgent! - then shaft your mates".
ReplyDeleteWeggie Ben, a dotty old broad of a politician as ever was summed up the current labour bunch nicely "these people are courtesans"
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling in my bones, not for much longer.
As for Freddie the boyo, I suspect that at the end of the day the dosh will remain on his side of the fence, we will simply shrug and say pigs grunt don't they.
The problem is however, the sheer number of hogs a grunting at one side of the good ship Britain, which is in danger of capsizing
Quite enjoyed Prescott this morning - Evan the elegant showed his class too.
ReplyDeleteGuido and your contributors are too soft on Freddie. If he was a Union leader sucking on the public tit in this way, there'd be outrage from Guido and his ilk. Royal Mail seems pretty keen to curb it's pension commitments at the moment, so should RBS. Capitalism OK if it rewards success, but not failure on this unprecendented scale.
Sod the property rights issue too -this is yet another tumbril moment. Freddie's insouciance is breathtaking. As Tony Harrison would say 'It's an outrage'.
If I was Shred I would say, "Ill gladly take a cut in view of my performance, I will take the same cut as Gorgon himself against his pension, afterall he really shafted the economy, with his poor regulatory system, oversight, and general economic policy."
ReplyDeleteAh, Concerned Citizen, you should realise that Fred and Co are personally responsible and must be punished, whereas (no-Culpability) Brown and Co are bravely battling global forces . . .
ReplyDeletephil:
ReplyDelete"Doesn't that run a coach and horses through traditional property rights?"
I shall summon the powers to give a fuck.
Do you know what Dr?
ReplyDeleteWe are still to hear from steady Eddie George. NOW that Bryan if you are watching is the interview to go and get.
Apparently he was far from a happy camper when Crash gave BoE operational independence.
I am told that Ken Clarke and him are big pals, I wonder if the Tories are holding him back in some way? Keep gorgon in place so Lab cannot make a clean break. If he is there at the end of the summer than that is a good time to stike if you have the killer interview.
He could be under some sort of gagging order, I cannot see any books he has written since leaving his post, its all very odd.
Because I've been teaching his introductory lectures, I read your title as "How to Shock Freud." I was about to say, "You can't," when I reread it.
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