The times they are a changin’

Posted on February 28, 2008 by bobpiper

This blog is changing tack. No more punch and judy politics.
OK, it isn’t an original line, but I’m going to try to stick to it, and I would be most grateful to my readers if they pick me up on it if I start drifting back into personalised abuse.
The fact is, I think gradually Labour politicians are emerging from an age initiated by leading members of the New Labour Project in which attacks on Conservatives and Liberal Democrats were based not so much on policies (difficult sometimes when you can’t slip a fag paper between them) as denigration of individuals and personal abuse. I think it has infected the whole body politic, and the media have joined in with gusto. I have taken part in at least two by-election campaigns in recent years that were so nasty and abusive I feel like washing my hands whenever I think about them.
The blogging world has fell into line in the same way. Paul Staines (the News of the Screws of blogging) gets a wide readership for his scandal sheet, Iain Dale (The Sun equivalent with a populist reactionary appeal) and Dizzy Thinks (the Daily Express, same right wing reactionary message but minus the readers) all rely on putting out a stream of personalised abuse against their victims.
I’m not adopting some sort of moral high ground here. My blog – (the equivalent of a local provincial free sheet which quickly finds its way into the cat’s litter tray) and several other Labour blog sites, have also adopted the same technique, probably because they see that’s what gets the traffic, although being constantly negative and critical is so much more difficult when it is your own Party ‘cocking-up’ in Government.
However, since Gordon Brown has been in office I have noticed a sea change in the way the Labour Party front bench seem to be responding. I listened to James Purnell on the radio this morning and it seemed quite clear that the interviewer was attempting to get him to make a personal attack on the Tories, but he refused to do so. He defended the Government policy and said how it clearly differentiated the Government from the opposition. Similarly, I heard Hilary Benn do the same last week. It didn’t stop him criticising the conservatives, but on policy, not personality. His father often says, “don’t wrestle with a chimney sweep” to emphasise the message that if you fight dirty, you get dirty yourself. When David Cameron came into office he actually used the ‘punch and judy’ line too… until the poll ratings dropped and the nasty, vitriolic attacks were dragged out of the cupboard.
So, time for a change here too, I think. No more calling Thatcher batty, or Cameron or Boris a toff. No more personalised abuse about David Davis (or David Davies) nor John Hemming… nor, even, bless his cotton socks, Mike Whitby.
I know it will probably mean within a week or so half my readership has gone elsewhere for their daily dose of abusive Tory bashing… and good luck to them. Over the last year or so I have been more impressed with blogs like Skipper, Three Score Years and Ten, and Cassilis who are equally strong in their views about political issues, but manage to do so in a style which doesn’t rely on the knockabout theatre of political shadow boxing.
I’m sure I’ll still give vent to my frustrations (about Labour as well as the opposition parties) and a nazi will always be a nazi in my book, but hopefully without resorting to personal abuse about the people behind the policies. I’m sure I’ll still be up for a bit of give and take with the commenters, but if they get too abusive, they’ll get the chop too.
OK… end of sermon. Let’s see if I can last longer than the Conservative leader managed.

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18 Responses to The times they are a changin’

  1. bob the black country brummie says:
    February 28, 2008 at 8:17 pm

    OK OK it might be alright on your blog but I

    Reply
  2. Gary Elsby stoke-on-trent says:
    February 28, 2008 at 9:22 pm

    So I’ve got to call her….Margaret, from now on and Sandwell is not a **** **** anymore?
    OK, what’s the gag?

    Reply
  3. Mike Ion says:
    February 28, 2008 at 10:07 pm

    Agree with you Bob. The tabloid blogosphere has enough nutters who simply wish to engage in the politics of abuse and division.
    Do any of your readers have a question they would like me to ask David Miliband when I interview him on Saturday?

    Reply
  4. What about Praguetory? says:
    February 28, 2008 at 11:30 pm

    What about Praguetory? hehe

    Reply
  5. jailhouselawyer says:
    February 29, 2008 at 12:47 am

    Bob: I’ll have to think about this some more.
    Mike Ion: Yes, ask him why he misled Parliament and the public with his statement on extraordinary-rendition.

    Reply
  6. Chris Paul says:
    February 29, 2008 at 9:18 am

    When did Mili mislead anyone on rendition? Wasn’t it Straw? And if you look at what he said wasn’t it in terms of what he was assured by the USA? And isn’t that the best we could expect?
    (Cam is still a Toff, narrr narrr; and the MSM have missed this Harry Time Travel Story)

    Reply
  7. John Lilburne says:
    February 29, 2008 at 9:34 am

    Blimey, Bob…are you sure about this?

    Reply
  8. Tony Sharp says:
    February 29, 2008 at 9:53 am

    All you need to do now Bob is qualify your regular pejorative use of the word ‘reactionary’. There is nothing wrong with being reactionary when one is opposing changes being proposed or made that will have a negative impact.
    That would represent real progress towards your ambition of a ‘new politics’. Although it must be said the approach of the Labour front bench team has more to do with not throwing stones while inside a glass house than any new found sense of decency.
    (Please promise that you will still be singing the Red Flag though! :)

    Reply
  9. Bob Piper says:
    February 29, 2008 at 10:31 am

    Fear not, Tony, you reactionary git! It vies with The Internationale as my ring tone.
    Chris, I would be more than happy if they slapped a D notice on every story about the Windsors… for ever! Nothing personal, mind… just business.

    Reply
  10. gary elsby stoke-on-trent says:
    February 29, 2008 at 10:42 am

    In the big bad world of politics, it will always come down to humour and facts.
    If you have no humour as a back up, then you are doomed.
    The stuffed shirts who have all the facts, have one less fact than the political humourist.
    The humourists will topple them, eventually.
    People will laugh and the victim will collapse.
    Blair was a master at this type of game. Give him some credit for it.
    Gordon is trying, but is a bookworm drooling over the accounts. His accounting practices are suspect.
    Humour is is achilles heel.
    Dave, isn’t quite the master of political humour, but stays up all night rehearsing his lines.
    Blair slept well and reeled them off.
    So, to those who have no humour, no jokes and only rely on fact based argument, or ‘you are a nutter’, then pray to your God that we don’t know any jokes or think of ways to deliver them at your expense.
    I happen to think that Bob Piper is quite good at the humour and the delivery.
    “Gary asks: Do they think we can’t read and write and do they think we are all thick up here in Stoke?
    The answer is yes, yes, yes, yes and yes”.
    I spent hours thinking of ways of revenge.
    10/10
    Gary

    Reply
  12. Mick Davies says:
    February 29, 2008 at 11:31 am

    I hope the new stance only relates to the written word Bob,a pint will never be the same.There is nothing at all wrong with personalised abuse as you well know, In the words of a famous welsh bard ‘all you Sandwell Councillors are ****ing ****ers’. Cameron is a toff is not abuse but stating a well known fact, there is a fine line to be drawn between statements which are based on some element of truth and those which are just personal vitriol based on some outdated theories of class(the last bits a joke). In the words of many a Private Eye reader unless you continue with these personal attacks I have no alternative but to cancel my subscription.

    Reply
  13. Stephen Newton says:
    February 29, 2008 at 2:57 pm

    I was nodding away to this, right up unil you said we can’t call Thatcher batty.

    Reply
  14. Chris Paul says:
    March 1, 2008 at 12:29 am

    Bob: Are you claiming that Price Harry is a Windsor? I thought he was a Windsor Not.

    Reply
  15. Gary Elsby what's left of Stoke! says:
    March 1, 2008 at 1:25 pm

    Bob, what’s going on up here in stoke? The electorate are stabbing themselves in anticipation of voting the Mayor out and now the Labour Group are using machettes on each other.
    I have known for a long time that this was coming, but this is beyond a joke!
    I did not give anybody, anywhere a machette!
    I want to know who beat me to it?!
    This is National news. It is crazy.
    So you want an Academy in Stoke-upon-China, do you, Ian? You want four or even FIVE! This isn’t Coventry, or West Bromwhich. This is OUR Country!!!!
    Well take a look at what is happening.
    Send many body bags.
    We’ll post the Mayor back to you in TD house.
    1st class, 2nd class and 3rd class. Piece by piece.
    There are many die-hards up here who are running around hoping IT’S NOT over by Christmas!
    The battle for the Labour Party is over.
    It is TOTAL WAR!

    Reply
  16. Gary Elsby stoke says:
    March 3, 2008 at 10:29 am

    Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness have failed to get a ‘Good Friday agreement’ going for the war In Stoke-on-Trent.
    If anybody out there knows of the whereabouts of Koffi Annan, could you please despatch him right away to stoke.
    I gather the Region are coming up to read the riot act. Bring body bags, is a good bit of advice.
    Bob, how many public services does sandwell operate, swimming pools, libraries etc..?
    Let me inform you that everyone of them is shutting!
    Keep your eye on Stoke. It’s being tried here as a total privatisation excersise, and it’s not just for the fun of it.
    YOU ARE NEXT IF WE FALL!
    Gary

    Reply
  17. Bob Piper says:
    March 3, 2008 at 11:07 am

    Gary, I’m tempted to ask why they have libraries in Stoke anyway… but reading your contributions they clearly have a big job to do.
    Given your heartless attitude to the people of Gaza, I find it difficult to sympathise with whatever local squabbles the people of Stoke are having. You people voted to have a Mayor, just stop squealing and live with it man!

    Reply
  18. Gary Elsby stoke says:
    March 3, 2008 at 11:37 am

    You don’t have libraries In sandwell? We do have the odd Library but now have the far more superior mobile libraries.That’s going too.
    ‘Council should not provide services that compete with the private sector’ (Not going to promote the speaker, but Thatcher was OK about it!)
    The history of Mayorship belong to the ‘opposition’ of whatever the party, Bob. Five thousand signatures and you have a ballot.
    Sandwell Labour will be duty bound to field a candidate they probably don’t actually want. That’s how it is and it is (not) quite out of our control.
    Our referendum on the position (Labour forced) will make National news soon enough.
    Who says I have no sympathy for the people of Gaza? Of Course I have. I also extend my sympathies to those of the other side, in Israel, who ask others (military) to defend them (The first duty of Government).
    I had a email recently hammering your stance and congratulating me on mine because of your blogging on Israel.
    Let’s hope Tory Boy Tony ends it all.

    Reply