The Spectator's Notes

28 March 2009

Charles Moore's reflections on the week

Many correspondents say that they want to do what I shall do and refuse to renew their television licence (while keeping their televisions) unless Jonathan Ross is sacked. But they naturally worry about exactly what will happen to them. I am encouraged by the example of Niall Warry, of Cheltenham. Mr Warry tells me that he refused to renew his licence because of the BBC’s inveterate bias in favour of the European Union. He argued that the BBC was in breach of its Charter, and therefore he had no obligation to pay the licence fee. He informed TV Licensing of what he was up to, and was eventually charged with failure to pay the fee. In court, he told the magistrates that he was ready to pay if the BBC would keep its side of the bargain. He was given a conditional discharge, and ordered to pay £50 costs. When subsequently threatened again about not having a licence, he pointed out that the matter had already been dealt with by the court. Eventually, the threats ceased.

Last week, the Times ran a cartoon of Pope Benedict wearing a condom with a pin in it in place of the papal crown. Apart from a protest from the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, nothing happened, though offence was undoubtedly caused and, presumably, intended. Three years ago, an obscure Danish newspaper published a cartoon of Mohammed with his turban converted into a bomb, and there were Muslim riots in several countries. The whole of Fleet Street refused to reprint it because, the editors said, they did not wish to cause offence. Offence has nothing to do with it; it is purely a matter of fear.

The reaction to the death of Jade Goody (‘Brown leads tributes to Jade Goody’ was the solemn headline with which Channel 4 proclaimed the news) shows how strongly people dislike the meritocracy in which we live. It is, when you think about it, a very dispiriting and unChristian idea that only people who are talented should succeed. Lord Melbourne praised the Order of the Garter because ‘there’s no damned merit about it’. For the same reason, we must praise Jade.