luck o’ the irish
Who out there can remember the comedy gold of the then recently-appointed, Welsh Secretary of State, John Redwood, and his miming of their national anthem? It truly represents how low the bar can be set in political appointments. Here are some thirty seconds of the watch-through-the-fingers-cringing-coverage and I urge you to view it as it’ll brighten your day no end – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzBq0n8dxFQ
So, just when you think it’s safe to go back into the provincial water, up pops Karen Bradley, newly-appointed Northern Ireland Secretary of State and the first thing she wisely undertakes, in our media-riven, exposure hungry political world, is grant an interview to parliament’s The House magazine. What followed has been matched only by the complete bafflement, befuddlement and bemusement of all those from Belfast to beyond. Here’s some of her pronouncements, verbatim:
“I freely admit that when I started this job (last month), I didn’t understand some of the deep-seated and deep-rooted issues that there are in Northern Ireland. I didn’t understand things like when elections are fought.”
“I didn’t get that people who are nationalists don’t vote for unionist parties and vice versa.”
Our girl next door then went onto to explain that ‘the troubles’ had shaped her view of Northern Ireland and she had no idea how wonderful the region was, saying “I was slightly scared of Northern Ireland because of my impression and images from twenty years ago.”
WTF. OK, you know I don’t like Theresa May, I know I don’t like Theresa May, but is she so devoid of any ministerial talent that a naïve, ignorant imbecile should be handed operational responsibility for arguably the most highly sensitive and contentious region in the UK? Before you throw your car keys to a stranger it’s sensible to make sure they can drive. What riddles, contrivances and plots produce a secretary of state for Northern Ireland who freely admits she knows nothing about Northern Ireland are beyond my comprehension. Oh, perhaps the same that placed Badmouth Boris in situ at the Foreign Office and David Davis in charge of delivering Brexit.
Or maybe these are the wise, far-sighted, Machiavellian tactics of a government determined to succeed in the face of apparent stupidity? I can only hazard a guess at what Karen’s measured response to the single-border/customs issue would be: “Whatever!”
