Monday Moan 17

An apology

The Moan would like to apologise for its non-appearance last week. This was due to my enjoying a holiday – free from the things that make me moan every other week. 

I have been back only a few days, have not yet completely forgotten my break and so am not up to full moaning capability, but enough to warrant this edition L

 

Pots and Kettles

The ‘Hubris Syndrome’ is said to be a medical condition that affects political or other leaders once they have been in power for too long.  It appears to have been invented by Lord David Owen – very handy when you are trying to build a speaking career after your own political ambitions have withered and gone.

In a move probably not entirely unconnected with the launch of a new edition of his book ‘The Hubris Syndrome’, Owen’s latest claim is that Tony Blair is a sufferer from the syndrome.  Hmm.

On the face of it, many of the characteristics Owen ascribes to the ‘condition’ might be said to apply to Blair – taking actions likely to cast oneself in a good light; giving priority to concerns of personal image and presentation; displaying messianic zeal and exaltation; displaying excessive self-confidence; maintaining an unshakeable belief in being right.  

But then aren’t these the characteristics of almost all successful politicians?  And wasn’t one Lord Owen often accused of many of these same things when he decided to leave the Labour Party and form the Social Democratic Party (SDP) back in 1981?  He did this because he didn’t agree with the direction the Labour Party was taking.  Tony Blair, of course, felt much the same some years later, but unlike Lord Owen he decided to stay in the Party and try to secure change from within.  New Labour was, in effect, the party Lord Owen had wanted the SDP to become.  Tony Blair was its charismatic leader, perhaps the sort of leader Lord Owen had imagined himself to be.  Tony Blair held power as Prime Minister and brought huge changes to the country during his time, no doubt as Lord Owen had wanted to do when he formed the SDP.

Hubris may be a common factor amongst people who wield great power, but is it a ‘syndrome’ deserving of description as a medical condition?  Doing so might sell some books and provide a new career direction. It might even be a factor in inventing the syndrome and writing about it.  Perhaps Lord Owen would like to do a little self-analysis?

Life is not Black and White

I am getting very irritated by the number of politicians and commentators who have decided to engage in the rather tiresome game of ‘answer the question – yes, or no’.

Ed Miliband does it at PM’s Questions, various Select Committee members do so when the cameras are on during an Inquiry, tv interviewers adopt it when trying to pin-down politicians on-air.  The latest example I saw was Tom Bradby, Political Editor at ITN, who indulged himself in this way in an interview with Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, at last week’s Liberal Democratic Conference.  Did he find the Tories in Cabinet to be arrogant, yes or no?  Clegg, whatever you might think of him, is too experienced to fall for that approach and so declined to give Bradby the one word answer he sought.  So Bradby asked the question – again and again.  Boring and childish.

The world is not black or white, left or right, up or down, right or wrong, in or out.  There are places in between, contexts, details and explanations.  Maybe people who engage in this kind of simpleton’s approach to questioning have watched too many courtroom dramas on film or tv, where the lawyers extract a damning confession by badgering the witness.  But real life isn’t like that and I wish that they would not insult their targets or their audiences by pretending otherwise.

  

Will Gompertz – Why?

The BBC’s Arts Editor Will Gompertz appears on our screens only to give some free publicity to somebody who is launching a show, has written a book, is appearing somewhere for some reason, or anything along those lines.  In other words, he provides free plugs on-air to millions of potential customers.

Most often I see him at the tail-end of BBC News programmes, when the day’s news has been given and there are a few minutes to fill before we get handed over to our local news programmes.  The introduction that leads to the words “as our Arts Editor Will Gompetz now explains ….” always leave me with a sinking feeling.  Which already famous person is about to get a ‘money-can’t-buy’ free plug now?  Last week it was the turn of J K Rowling, that struggling author, who was given the primetime free plug to talk about her new book. 

Can I withhold a portion of my licence fee payment until the BBC stops this nauseating practice please?

  

British drivers – a cut above

A week abroad on European roads did not reveal that drivers beyond the shores of Britain are courteous beyond belief and always stick to the speed limits.  But it took only a couple of minutes back in this country on Saturday evening to demonstrate, beyond any reasonable doubt, that British drivers are more aggressive, inconsiderate and dangerous than most.  No doubt the crowded nature of our roads doesn’t help.  Quite possibly the speed and potential racing power of modern cars (and vans) of all shapes and sizes simply encourages bad driving.

Whatever the reason, my motoring ‘enjoyment’ ended the moment I touched down at Heathrow and ventured onto the M25.  Shame.