Man on wire
Peter Hoskin 11:42am
It's a fairly quiet day in Westminster, so Chris Grayling's comparison between Britain and the gangland ghettos portrayed in The Wire is probably getting more attention than it would normally - after all, it's not like the Tories haven't majored on the "Broken Britain" theme before now. But, even so, I think he may have erred in mentioning the acclaimed US TV series. While superb, it is, don't forget, the show that the chattering classes love to chatter about. So, now, much of the coverage is about the TV programme rather than the problems Grayling is highlighting. As Paul Waugh points out over at his indispensable blog, Grayling's appearance on the Beeb this morning reduced to questions about how many episodes the shadow Home Secretary has actually seen:
"Interviewer: Have you really seen any more than that first episode?Grayling: Yes I’ve seen a number of ... I’ve seen most of the first series. I have seen a number of the other episodes yes. I have."
But even when the coverage isn't specifically about the shows, it dwells on statistics which highlight just how bad things are in Baltimore - where The Wire is set - rather than in Britain. As the Guardian puts it:
"In real-life Baltimore, Maryland state – described sometimes as 'Bodymore, Murderland' – there were 234 murders in 2008, the fewest in 20 years.The murder rate in the city is still far higher than, say, Greater Manchester, where there were 49 murders in the 12 months leading up to March 2008."
Again detracting from Grayling's central point, and leaving him open - rightly or wrongly - to charges of sensationalism.
Worst of all, though, is the contrast between this and Grayling's last major public appearance. Now, Britain is The Wire. Then, the Big Idea for dealing with "young troublemakers" was to confiscate their mobile phone sim cards. Sure, the Tories have other crime policies. But I imagine quite a few members of the public will be left thinking: huh?
Previous
JY
August 25th, 2009 12:07pm Report this commentThe best chance of minimising the harm of the drugs industry in The Wire came when Hamsterdam was opened in series 3 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamsterdam.
Could Mr Grayling be suggesting that might work here?
luke
August 25th, 2009 12:37pm Report this commentWasnt the erstwhile Mr Grayling also responsible for claiming that labour had created a "Jeremy Kyle generation"?
Does anyone else think the man might be watching too much TV?
luke
August 25th, 2009 12:39pm Report this commentThis line from the Waugh column is a bit of a classic, no?
Writer David Simon has warned against any politician seeking to use his creation to demand tougher 'crime crackdown' or 'war on drugs' policies.
"It is possible that a few thinking viewers, after experiencing a season or two of The Wire, might be inclined, the next time they hear some politician declaring that with more prison cells, more cops, more lawyers, and more mandatory sentences that the war on drugs is winnable, to say, aloud: "You are hopelessly full of shit.""
THX1138
August 25th, 2009 1:00pm Report this commentGrayling should remember that the drug dealers in The Wire don't use mobiles.
luke great point I remember the great Onion headline
"Drugs win drug war"
Perhaps the most truthful headline ever written.
Richard
August 25th, 2009 1:01pm Report this commentI have never watched the wire,but as somone who is one of the so called Thatcher's children generation i am glad grayling has the balls to speak up.
We used to say thank god we don't have the crime & violence they have in the USA,wake up peeps after the last 12 years we do.
Will Rees
August 25th, 2009 1:29pm Report this comment"Interviewer: Have you really seen any more than that first episode?
Grayling: Yes I’ve seen a number of ... I’ve seen most of the first series. I have seen a number of the other episodes yes. I have."
As David Simon said "F**K the casual viewer". As glad as I am that The Wire is getting name checked by the political mainstream - for a start there is some damning critique of target culture in there for a start.
Those of us who wolfed up the box set have been waiting for the whole thing to be aired on terrestrial before discussing it for the good grace of not giving away spoilers...
If the politicans aren't watching it properly, probably get eaten alive by the end of next week, (though the last series is the weakest"
Paul B
August 25th, 2009 1:43pm Report this commentDrugs won the war many years ago. Law and Order are just irritating flea bites to those involved in the ongoing battle for market control.
Shaun
August 25th, 2009 1:43pm Report this comment"Does anyone else think the man might be watching too much TV?"
He sounds a bit trendy vicar really.
Shaun
Richard
August 25th, 2009 3:15pm Report this commentIn the 1980's we had horrific football violence.
But the streets were safe for the average person.
In the 80's we had acid house,raves,pill poppers,glue sniffers.LSD users
But the streets compared to today were safe.
Just another failure in the miriad of labour failures.
Ian Walker
August 25th, 2009 3:17pm Report this commentNow we know why he needs his nice flat that we pay for. If he had to trudge home with the rest of the commuters from Surrey, he might miss his favourite TV programmes.
Michael Sweeney
August 25th, 2009 4:09pm Report this commentAs othes have noted, David Simon's thesis with The Wire is that drugs have won in the drugs war and that some form of legalisation would be preferable. I understand that great free marketeer Milton Friedman sympathised with this view. Bad as our education system can be, we still have some way to go to match Edward J. Tilghman Middle School (series 4). I wonder if he'll be brave or radical enough to speak in favour of controlling drug use?
seb2
August 25th, 2009 5:04pm Report this commentCourtesy of the Daily Mash:
"Calling for Britain to be more like Bargain Hunt or Ready Steady Cook, he added: "Instead of swearing all the time why can't we just rummage about in our lofts looking for an old plate so that lovely orange man with all the hair can sell it for us at a car boot sale? Or am I thinking of Cash in the Attic?
"And instead of shooting someone in the face or being a corrupt local official, why can't we all challenge a well-known chef to make us a three course meal using only a parsnip, a bicycle helmet and a bag of marbles?"
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/britain-not-as-good-as-'the-guardian'-said-it-was%2c-claims-top-tory-200908252007/
DYDONS
August 25th, 2009 5:37pm Report this commentPeter
As you say, the 'Broken Britain' stuff is more like a broken record. The only reason he's getting ANY coverage is because of his mention of the Wire, n'est pas?
TrevorsDen
August 25th, 2009 5:42pm Report this commentTo Luke and others ....
Funny that Simon himself is happy to use his notoriety to say “We’re headed [towards] separate Americas.”
"America is going to be a “more brutish, cynical and divided place.” "
"“I am wholly pessimistic about American society. I believe ‘The Wire’ is a show about the end of the American Empire."
http://baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/14568/index.php
Bottom line ... Simon is happy to use his creation as a metaphor for a broken society - but he moans when others do it. (49 murders in Manchester is the tip of an armed and lawless iceberg)
But do I expect the numpties of the media (and their dopy correspondents) to pick up on this and defend Greyling from a biased and partial attack?
Is shit brown?
Alexandrovich
August 25th, 2009 7:06pm Report this commentTrevorsDen: I believe brown should have a capital B.
John B Sheffield
August 27th, 2009 7:59am Report this commentNo wonder BBC North West TV and Granada TV made Grayling look a Joke! like many MP's who open their mouths first before thinking, it is reported he had never watched the American TV Series "The Wire" - no wonder the people of Moss Side and Manchester are angry, same as the so called MEP Hannan who parades once again in the States, Americans thinking he is an official Conservative Party spokesmen, even many voters here do, and what is he an MEP, I wonder how many even know which region of the UK he represents. Why do these people love self publicity?
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