Sunday, October 17, 2010

Angela Merkel declares death of German multiculturalism

"Angela Merkel declares death of German multiculturalism - Angela Merkel said it had been an illusion to think Germans and foreign workers could live happily side by side" was announced on the BBC News Channel right before one of their Radio 4 promotional break items extolling the delights of British multiculturalism.

Interesting times ahead. Will austerity reduce the scope for luxuries like self delusion?

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Not inspired

The Party conferences came and went. The BBC's institutionalised left leaning staffing continues to shine through despite a growing awareness from above that this has become even more painfully obvious since the election. The left's focus on Nick Robinson as the token closet Tory is as tedious as it is pointless, he's outnumbered about 100:1 and he's not exactly rabid in the same terms that his colleagues cannot help stop themselves fawning over all people and things "leftie". The personal histories of 90% of front line BBC management and front people places them firmly in the conservatory with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, with the lead piping, dagger, gun and anything else you could think of, at the time of the economic catastrophe. It's a serious problem that will have to be dealt with.

At least David Cameron took the opportunity during his main speech at the conference to remind everyone that the mess is the result of Gordon Brown 's mismanagement over 13 years, ending with Liam Byrne's classic "prawn sandwich" moment for the new boys, with his letter pointing out that there was no money. Alan Johnson's remark about needing to read "Teach yourself Economics" to help him tackle his new role as Shadow Chancellor, apparently for absolutely  no better reasons than his background is the antithesis of his Eton educated opposite. What with all the fellow travelling siblings and spouses, the Labour Party seems more dynastic than Brenda and the Windsor Firm.

So it's politics as usual, and the best interests of the UK, as usual, will continue to suffer as a result - just as the country suffered hugely during Blair's reign from the total absence of a plausible opposition, so the Coalition faces a collection of amateurs and incompetents without any idea of policy; albeit that doesn't actually stop the enthusiasm of the BBC to provide airtime to the has-beens. There aren't even any flighty Libdems to flit about and make outrageous promises that they would never need to back up.

Maybe David Milliband will be persuaded to resurrect SDP2010 by the Blairites and the malcontents of the LibDems. Would Cameron feel obliged to "go to the country" and seek a further mandate, or would the next step be a crisis "government of national unity" where all the parties had to become involved, simply because the shambles and mess is so completely gargantuan that there is no option?

We're getting fed up with living in "interesting times". Bring on the boredom, please.