Wednesday 16 September 2015

Corbyn is Changing Politics Before our very eyes

No more will we hear  ‘your all the same’: ‘dress alike’ : ‘behave alike’

Prime Minister's Question (PMQ) time was certainly very different as Jeremy Corbyn said it would be. His opening statement was brilliant he laid down the ground rules of he proposed to proceed to ensure that rational debate and discussions should be held at question time rather than yaboo politics. Cameron was clearly taken aback and had to agree with Corbyn even saying it had been his desire for a long time for those type of PMQ.

I was in the Commons in the 1970s and from then till now PMQs has been a free for all in essence a stand up fight between two gladiators with the crowd behind on either side baying for blood! People thought with the televising of Parliament things would be better in fact it got worse decade after decade.

So here was probably the most rational, reasonable and orderly PMQ time in recorded history. The Speaker did not have to intervene once in fact it was like being in church or chapel. Watching on television I could see the expressions on the faces of Conservative MPs' they just could not work out what was going on.

Cameron kept his cool fair play for some ten minutes but the question from the leader of the SNP finally cracked him and the old Cameron was back in action. But the response to him was classic just asking what had happened to his earlier desire for orderly debate. Cameron was quickly brought to heel. Corbyn has established some ground rules mind it’s another question whether they will survive the baying hordes once they realise that he is limiting their entertainment.

The only advice I would give Jeremy Corbyn is that if he is allowed six questions then he just uses three questions from members of the public and follow up Cameron’s answers to each one with his own rebuttal or response. The general public, backbench MPs' and his supporters in the country will want to hear more from him.

I was watching the BBC2 Daily Politics show before question time and out came all the negatives. After the event the opinions mellowed a bit because Corbyn had taken them aback by his composure. However no doubt other sections of the media will see what took place quite differently and will say some unkind things I have no doubt about that. Corbyn is changing the ground rules in relation to them as well. They always like the gladiators’ show, the rows and controversy – it’s the stuff of publicity. Makes television more interesting from their point of view.

I have a view that the BBC and other television outlets have not been balanced in their reporting of Corbyn. There always seem to be negative remarks, innuendos and trying to catch him at awkward moments. Even being referred to as the ' left wing Leader of the Opposition'.  Alright the description is correct but balance it with the 'right wing Prime Minister'   

The media will be relentless I'm afraid. That is why they have gone on about his dress code – well he surprised them there too today he looked the part. But no dark suites or pin stripe ones. He is not going to dress the same as so many leaders of the past. 

In the media’s desperation to pin something on him which will be a daily sport for quite a while I fear this morning was about not singing ‘God Save the Queen’. Well I am not sure it needed the front pages that it got. I don’t think I have ever sung it. I have my own National Anthem which is ‘Hen Wlad fy Nhadau’/’Land of my Fathers’. There are four nations in the UK and I bet quite a few millions have never sung ‘God Save the Queen’.

In any case my view is that England should start thinking of an anthem that glorifies their nation and people not a person. It is a song of adulation of the Queen and whilst some may see it as somehow representative of the sacrifice made by servicemen it doesn't follow that everyone sees it as such. Because where in the anthem does it mention anything about those that fought and lost their lives in the battle of Britain?. The Tories must take care not to politicise the anthem either.


But be that as it may my advice to Jeremy Corbyn is just sing it in future if that will keep the media happy. Small point at the end of the day – how pathetic is it all becoming.