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The retreat of liberalism goes on
As communism seemingly disappeared from view at the end of the 1980s, in a sudden and unexpected blow-out, there was plenty of triumphal...
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As communism seemingly disappeared from view at the end of the 1980s, in a sudden and unexpected blow-out, there was plenty of triumphal... -
Hubris, it seems, comes to everyone in time, even apparently invulnerable and all conquering media magnates. Or so it must seem to anyone o...
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#200218907-001 / gettyimages.com George Osborne doesn’t strike me as a particularly emotive or soft-headed politician, but ev...
2 comments:
Drivel designed to caress the oh-so-often uncaressed sensitive areas of the Telegraph readership. The kind of readers who are never happier than when imagining that the British political sphere used to be inhabited by noble, loyal patriots but has now been overrun by callous, weak, scheming careerists, leaving us with a one-way ticket to hell in a rather uncomfortable handcart yadda yadda yadda.
There is little doubt in my mind that both Miliband brothers would like nothing more than to for David to stay in frontline politics, allowing them to forge a fraternal alliance that would sweep all before them.
The reason they cannot was identified in David's own announcement of his future, which Oborne either didn't listen to or has conveniently ignored. The right-wing press have become so obsessed with politics as melodrama that, had David stayed on in the shadow cabinet, every single statement he made would be analysed for some evidence of dissent. Dissent to be imagined up into the narrative they would create of fraternal divide - not unity - which would dog Ed's efforts to make genuine electoral headway.
Oborne is as guilty of this as anyone, and is so pathetic as to pursue this narrative even as David made a decision that was - at the requirement of the right wing media - the only one really open to him.
It was a decision that was magnanimous to his brother, in giving him the opportunity to lead unhindered. It was a decision that was loyal to his party, in giving them the opportunity to try to communicate with the electorate unfettered by an imaginary narrative. And, most importantly, it was a decision that was in the best interests of his country, in securing for us the best hope of throwing out this utterly wretched coalition.
Oborne's account lacks both intellectual vigour and political awareness. He should be ashamed.
A pity, really, that there isn't a Telegraph of the left, where you would clearly thrive as an alternate Oborne luminary!
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