Burnham's letter defuses the Chakrabarti row

Nicholas

"Indeed, I think it is in the interests of democracy to preserve the liberty of politicians . . "

Pity it isn't in the interests of democracy for Labour politicians to preserve the liberty of ordinary people . . .

Verity

Had Chakrabarti decided to pursue the matter further, this could have – rightly or wrongly – wreaked real damage on his political career.

Then she should have pursued it. There is no nobler cause than bringing down a socialist.

Ted Tedford

I'm sorry, Peter: I cannot tell if you are being ironic. Mr Burnham's letter was not 'smartly-worded'. It was another example of the weasel-worded "I'm sorry that you misunderstood me" school of apologies. That it has apparently achieved its ends - closing down the row - is indicative of the low expectations of public discourse in Britain. To claim it was merely "expressive language" and to frame the defence in terms of freedom of speech is chutzpah of a breath-taking order. In that sense, at least, he deserves some admiration.

As for Ms Chakraburti's reply that his letter shows "genuine regret", I can only assume that the amount of time she spends hanging around with lawyers and politicians has eroded her ability to detect sincerity. I would have described it as transparently grudging, self-serving, self-righteous piffle, and asked him to try again, but this time like he means it.

Rolf Norfolk

Not "wreaked", wrought; at least, that's what I've always theaked.

Pete Hoskin

Rolf: actually, 'wreaked' is correct according to the OED.

Fergus Pickering

Burnham is a ratbag. Useful to get that learned. He LOOKS like a ratbag, doesn't he?

Cogito Ergosum

So the Victorians invented wreaked iron, then?

Much damage has been lately wrought

Upon the English Language

By people who one might have thought

Knew well the tongue of Oxbridge

Pete Hoskin

Cogito Ergosum: no, it doesn't mean the Victorians invented 'wreaked iron' - that's a different context.

Fact is, 'wreaked havoc' is correct. You can check Oxford English Dictionary if you like!

Oliver Kamm

Rolf Norfolk and Cogito Ergosum are wrong; Peter Hoskin is right. The participle of "wreak" is "wreaked".

Oliver Kamm

I meant past participle, of course, not present participle.

Rolf Norfolk

"What hath God wrought?" - but if enough people get it wrong, the OED will record it as a variant. It's more complex than I first thinked.

Sumo Giterse

You ought not to get overwrought over the wrought mot ,the reek of wreak is not worth getting fraught over , far less fought over.

Verity

Ted Tedford is correct. How Chakrabarti interpreted his "apology" as being sincere baffles me.

As Ted Tedford says, it is one of those fake socialist "apologies" -- as in "I am sorry you misunderstood the humourous and light-heartedly context in which I made the remarks which appear to have offended you."

She should have gone for the throat. That she didn't surprises me. I wonder why not.

Rolf Norfolk

P.S. It seems the first use of the phrase "wreak havoc" is found in Agatha Christie (1923). "Work havoc" would have been correct; "wreak" comes from "wrecan", OE for "drive out, punish, avenge" (ultimately from Indo-European root "wreg-" (to push), hence Lat. "urgere", hence English "urge" . But what was once wrong is now acceptable, in politics as in linguistics, it seems.

Kevyn Bodman

'wreaked havoc' or 'wrought havoc'
I'm eagerly awaiting Joshua's input on this one.

Chuck Unsworth

So Burnham pulls the old trick of denying something that no-one actgually accused him of.

Pathetic, absolutely pathetic. He's got no bleeding panache, that boy.

And Chakrabarti has made her point, let him off the hook, and come out of it looking magnanimous. Smart move.

Matthew

Am I the only one to think that Chakrabarti was behaving like a pompous ass? Her threat would have been laughed out of court, her image is dented because of this 'oh-er I'll tell nanny' posturing, and all politicos, not just NuLabs, are forced further into the corner of using vacuous blather only.
Silly cow.

CXT

Rolf Norfolk:

'Xerxes..wreaked his vengeance upon Babylon.'

Joseph Priestly, Institutes of natural and revealed religion (I. 412), 1772

Fergus Pickering

Yes, Matthew, you're the only one. Everyone else is like me. We all think Burnham is a four-letter word.

Chris

In standard English, 'wrought' is the largely obsolescent past participle of 'work.' 'Wrought iron' is 'worked iron.' 'Wrought' is still a standard usage in Shetland dialect (and maybe other Scottish dialects, but Shetland is where I live): 'I wrocht twa-tree years fae da Cooncil' means 'I worked for the Council for several years.'

Cogito Ergosum

Chris 8:04 am

Thank you for that explanation. I had consulted the OED and was about to apologise in similar terms.

Thank you, Spectator, for upholding high standards.

Rolf Norfolk

Thanks, CXT. Etymologically, "to wreak havoc" would mean the equivalent of "to restore order", but if people have been getting it wrong since the 18th century I've come too late!

Back on topic: aren't New Labour appallingly ad hominem? (Or should I say, ad feminam?)

Ann

Wreaked is quite correct.

And Doe-eyed Sami is a weasely, self-important nonentity who abuses her position to promote only those liberties she regards as PC.

Smarmy Perry

Well, - as one smug b**t**d might simper to another . . . “Sorry . . . “

Verity

Agreed,Ann. Like all self-righteous people, she's a pain in the arse.

Merda taurorum animas conturbit

Burnham says "I think it is in the interests of democracy to preserve the liberty of politicians to speak about current issues and public figures in expressive language that is all part of the cut and thrust of political debate"
Come back, Enoch Powell, all is forgiven!

August Tutor

Exhilarating and cheering to see supposedly illiterate Brits using cod Latin and consulting the OED daily...Wrang my wreakened heartstrings...

Suspect Ms Chakrabati would not be described as a pain in the arse were she not female.

JimBob

Chakrabartti has a bit too much power my liking (mainly thanks to PC friendly-BBC) considering she is totally unelected and seems to have dubious agendas going on.

Chuck Unsworth

@ JimBob

So you're of the view that only 'elected' people can publicly express their opinions? And what's with this 'agendas' word. What are you really saying?

Ann

Nonsense, August. I regard Ballsup as a pain in the arse. And Millipede. And many other males who are smug, thuggish, ignorant t****.