Labour’s contempt for the white working class

Steve Smith

• The reason this incident will hurt Brown is twofold it shows his contempt for ordinary people and it shows his hypocrisy. Mrs Duffy was an ordinary voter, indeed a lifelong Labour voter,, with entirely reasonable concerns about, among other things pensions, public sector debt and immigration. Brown appeared to listen to her and patted her on the back as they parted. She was convinced, was going to continue voting Labour. Yet as soon as he was in private it was “Who let that awful woman near me?” and of course called her a bigot. She is not a bigot, not a deranged BNP supporter spouting bile, just an ordinary voter. Brown’s utter contempt for the ordinary punter has been well and truly exposed. Brown claims to be mortified but we all know he is only mortified at being caught out not because of what he did. And who would believe his apparently fulsome apology to Mrs Duffy, when we all know as soon as he is in private he will once more be expressing his utter contempt for Mrs Duffy? Apologies from the two faced are worth nothing.

Matthew Blott

A fair summary spoiled by a gratuitous personal dig at the BBC.

Hepworth

Well.
Who do I vote for now? I'm a bit worried about immigration you see and the leader of my preferred party has just branded me a bigot.
This is giving me a headache. help me out someone - which party would not dream of branding me for my terrible state of mind?

Kennybhoy

"...smirking like a thirteen year old who has just masturbated inside his mother’s handbag?"

Do you kiss your mum with that mouth Liddle?

Ken B

"I have never agreed with the lazy elitism that dismisses immigration as an issue, or portrays anyone who has concerns about immigration as a racist."

Woodbine 'Hideously White' Willy

a thirteen year old who has just masturbated inside his mother’s handbag?
That particular temptation passed me by - what's it like, Rod?

John Whyte

Caught off-guard, the political class reveal what they truly think of the electorate. When faced with honest, decent questioning by a loyal supporter, someone whom it seems was simply clutching for some, indeed any reassurance to vote Labour, our Prime Minister smiled insidiously until the cameras are gone before his mask of contempt for his traditional voters slipped. Brown should be ashamed not so much for the remark but for what it reveals about him and the current ruling elite. This woman should surely be a paragon of Labour's core vote? Once again, however the simple mention of a concern about immigration, nothing more, is enough for her to be branded a bigot. I was incredulous at the explanation that Mrs. Duffy was not a bigot, but her views on immigration are! What planet are they on? Does that mean that someone can be a bigot, but their views are not? Can Nick Griffin now use the 'Brown Excuse?'

I have voted Labour at every election since I have been eligible, something which I have come to regret deeply after seeing what they have done to this once-proud country. I am at a loss as to whom should replace them, however I am past caring about Labour. The party stopped representing me a long time ago, and people like Mrs. Duffy even further into the past. As a formerly loyal Scottish Labour voter, I now know that above all else, they have to go, and take Ed Balls with them into oblivion for good measure. For shame Mr. Brown.

jim wiles

Liddle, "masturbated inside his mother's handbag"? This tops the one about the lady schoolteacher and the 15 year old male student.

Does your wife know about you?

Noa

From Gordon's nomenclatura state Jaguar and convoy to the upvc door of terraced Rochdale we have been privileged to watch a great political funeral.

Time now, to bury the gibbering corpse.

Perhaps the glee and hounding, of Brown at least, is so very gleeful to behold bacause of its cathartic element; it may well be vicarious glee and hounding, by the media, but we can still feel the catharsis of it. For so long, the white working class has been marginalised and treated with, as you very accurately say,
contempt by the body - the only body - which that class has traditionally relied on to defend it and speak for, Now they can see its leader for what they must have suspected he is and his party must be.

Watch the BNP gain.

Aberdeen Angus

The word bigot was originally coined to describe the puritans. Who are the puritans of today, the self-righteous sactimonious narrow minded hypocrites. The politically correct of course, people like gordon brown.

DZ

Picturesque turn of phrase, Rod, 'just masturbated inside his mother’s handbag'. I've been around a bit, but never heard that one before. Did you just make it up? Or is it just the little dribble of gratuitous filth that graces modern journalism. Ah well! Needs must! Another day another dollar!

Graham Booth

Perhaps the glee and hounding, of Brown at least, is so very gleeful to behold bacause of its cathartic element; it my well be vicarious glee and hounding, by the media, but we can still feel the catharsis of it. For so long, the white working class has been marginalised and treated with, as you very accurately say,
contempt by the body - the only body - which that class has traditionally relied on to speak for it and defend it. Now they see its leader's contempt for them laid bare, and surmise that this, surely, must be the attitude right through the party's corridors of power.

No wonder they feel abandoned and no wonder they will feel a rather pathetic triumph at Brown's discomfort.

Watch the BNP gain.

Dixon

Duffy, who, what, isn't that a pop singer?

Oh the bliss of the post-television age! I beseech thee my fellows, throw off your digiboxes. You have nothing to lose but...well, nothing!

bill

You have just put me off my supper.

Tim Calvert

In 1997, I was paying painters & decorators £110 a day.
In 2007, I was paying £60. I hear that the rate is now £45.
I wonder how "bigotted" New Labour might be if the same had happened to their incomes.

Zoo keeper (Elephant House)

According to Mandelson :-
He "didn't mean it" ??
He "did not think that at all" ??

(Obvious) Question :
Then why did he say it ??

Would the noble Lord from Bradford & Bingley therefore advocate, that the heads of all politicians should be fitted with an orange strobe light, activated in the unlikely event a politician is actually in the process of meaning what he says ?

Otherwise, it's all a bit confusing.

ddgg

Christmas has really come early. We have known Labour despise our country-our history, our values, traditions. The modern progressive always seeks to 'change' and 'move forward' but never fully understands why this has to be so. Change is a good thing in every circumstance.
What is worse, on The Guardian there are already patronising articles appearing that Labour have failed to communicate 'social change' to the working class or that this may damange mainstream progressivism. What they fail to understand is that a) the working class are capable of recognising social change- it is the liberal elities refusal to recognise the legitimacy of these views since they differ from their own perspectives. And b) self-proclaimed progressivists permeate the 'we know better than you' smarmyness that again delegitimises any criticism. Working class and fears over immigration? Oh what the hell do they know?
Brown has highlighted this. Failure for ordinary people to suck up the doctrine of the party claiming to represent ordinary people results in them being 'biggots'. Quite clearly, Labour are a true liberal party then.

Ps- the mausturbation metaphor was not the most pleasant thing to read!

Dixon

Alright, blast you The Liddler, now you mentioned this Gillian Duffy I had to look her up!!!!!

Apparently, according to www.gillianduffy.com

"Gillian Duffy’s emotionally charged work ranges from the comic to the forlorn. Her work, though mainly sculptural, has an element of the theatrical, which leaves the spectator wondering if they have not been privy to some earlier event or happening that would allow for a more comprehensive reading of the work. "

Quite why this makes her a "bigot" or a representative of the "White working Class" ( the most racially bigoted phrase I have ever heard uttered in English ) I dont know!

Has Gordo got an ojection to contemporary art? Does this mean the Arts Council is for the chop?

I doubt it.

As Vincent Van Gopher would say "waddappenned, waddappenned...?"

Paulg

masterbated inside his mothers handbag!! that is just got to be so sick, you must have been stung by a bee earlier today!!

But your absolutely right.

Labour have shown nothing but contempt for their own supporters for the last thirteen years.

The people who have been hurt the most by their policies have been the working class. To call themselves a party of the working class has been one of the biggest lies ever told in political history.

My blood boils when I think of the way people and their families have been betrayed by peter mandelson touting eu integration and climate change; whilst the best steel works in europe is shut down with subsidies from all of us, only to open up again in India: For the sake of global warming! Cynical and mendacious.

Yolanda Jones

Duffys only crime is not being as Xenophilic as the political elite. Maybe Mandy and Brown didn't realise it but those on the sharp end of their policies are people like Duffy, and there are millions like her.

Gil

I really wonder if this is not some desperate trick by the losing PM. Gillian never said anything bigoted. So why would Brown call her that? Simple. It was double pronged tactic: 1. Appeal to LD voters who are for an asylum amnesty and are in lurve with the idea of untrammeled immigration; 2. Get some voters who lie undecided between Tory and BNP to vote BNP.

And yet, the cock-up theory is probably the correct one. But I can't help thinking that Labour strategists are already planning the spin along the above lines.

tobias

Labour's huge welfare claimant voting block is still intact and can be relied upon for votes. The eastern europeans were imported especially to keep them from working.

Nick

"smirking like a thirteen year old who has just masturbated inside his mother’s handbag".

Rod, I really don't think we need this. Was there no other simile to hand? Oops!

Bickers

Rod, there's another old joke about handjobs and handbags!

Brown has been found out big time and I can't see anyway back for him and NuLiebore.

Mrs Duffy expressed an opinion on immigration that many working class people would agree with; after all when we're they asked whether they'd like their communities swamped with immigrants?

NuLiebore were happy to let immigration go unchecked and keep thousands on benefits as they knew that the sum total of their actions would be an increased client state leaning towards NuLiebore.

I'm Mandlescum and his henchmen are feverishly trying to dig the dirt on Mr Duffy.

We need a root and branch clear out of the scum that purport to serve us and our country.

Wurzel

Labour's contempt for the working class pours out of every single one of their metropoli-tanorifices, and as the Brown one so admirably demonstrated, beshat the decent folk of Rochdale.

Baz

As Mrs Duffy said to Brown, "You can't say anything about the immigrants..."

Oh, how true. No wonder the woman looked upset. She thought she was having a sensible conversation about important issues to her - more importantly with the PM and leader of the party she has been loyal to all her life - and then he's branding her as a bigot behind her back because she uttered the word immigrants. I hope this will have a serious impact on all those towns up north who have supported him and his party over the years. Labour don't like them.

Pete

Do 13 year olds who have just masturbated into their mothers' handbags smirk, Rod?

What intriguing insight you seem to have. Please enlighten us further.

A J Scott

The handbag and the masturbation comment add NOTHING to your otherwise good piece. For Goodness' Sake, Liddle, control yourself.

Barbara

Whatever is said in the press, and whatever Brown said in retrespect will damage his image, which he was trying to change. His attitude is not honest, this woman has not the elequent language he has, or education, so he should know better. She tried to put a point across with the media looking on as best she could. She is correct of course, if one mentions 'immigration' to any Labour person you are instantly shown disrespect, its not on, they call the shots. Well they think they do, but this proves my point, they don't, we do by our votes. If we've any sense we'll give them all the boot and say like Ukip, SOD THE LOT.

Wilhelm

Rod

If a 65 year old granny who looks after handicapped children, a core liebour voter is a '' bloody bigot ''

What does that make Nick Griffin, he must be Satan , the anti Christ according to Broon.

'' There was a misunderstanding '' Broon squeeeled, was the granny speaking Chinese ?

This shows him up to be two faced. He's the architect of his destruction, you gotta laugh, havent you ?

Wilhelm

'' Im sorry IF the woman was offended by my remarks.'' Broon squeeled.

Not an apology.

'' Im sorry for my remarks '' is the correct apology, there is a big difference

Richard

Plenty of that much maligned group are also concerned about immigration levels.

Even the trendies of Hoxton that barbarism is literally just around the corner.

WB

Even Google can't come up with a convincing hit for 'masturbation mother handbag' (and all banking homonyms of same I can offhand (hah) imagine) so I make that a pretty thorough internet first Rod which is really saying something.

But overall I thought the piece wise enough - just don't stretch it too far matey if you know what I mean.

Cheap Steve

If every comment I uttered in haste during a busy, stressful working day was recorded I would also very quickly be exposed as a short-tempered hypocrite and in my experience this is quite normal (I'm not one, by the way). This small event is no stick with which to beat Labour's immigration policy or their concern for certain elements of the electorate.
One of many much better sticks is the completely slack application of already loose laws, or maybe the snobby, superior, we-know-better-than-you-style smearing of the white working class and any 'fringe' groups who claim to represent them. The microphone episode would seem to confirm this approach, but I wouldn't place any emphasis on something muttered in the heat of an assumed to be off-mic moment. It's the policy failures that point it out.

Wilhelm

When the granny asked him '' what are you going to do about immigration ? ''

There was 2 answers to this question, Broon could have said
1. All immigrants should be booted out.( which he wouldnt say ) or
2. I love immigrants because they all vote liebour, Ha Ha Ha. ( the truthful answer )

He didnt answer the question because he knew the subject was radio active and he was on a hiding to nothing.

dubs.

Steve Smith - you impoverish our language. Brown's apology was not apparently fulsome ... it was fulsome.

hadrian

Really, Mr Liddle, we do NOT need your coarsened, so called humour (about maternal handbags) to make a point. Its crudity simply deflects from the issue. The comedy is quite obvious enough.

BNP Voter

"Labour’s contempt for the white working class"

The feeling is mutual.

Dixon

"Matthew Blott
April 28th, 2010 6:31pm
A fair summary spoiled by a gratuitous personal dig at the BBC."

Ahem, what personal dig was that? I must have missed it! If you want to read a REAL personal dig at the BBC read what Mark Steyn has just written:

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/04/22/don%E2%80%99t-joke-in-little-stasi-on-avon/

...or to save you the trouble (I shouldn't, his article on essentially the same topic as this thread is excellent and I recommend you read it ) I quote what he remarks, thus:

".............I took a more relaxed view, having been on the receiving end of the famous British sense of fair play, not least in my dealings with the duplicitous bastards at the BBC................"

Dixon

Oh, now the very word "immigration" is being banned, to be replaced, along with "emigration" by "in-migration" and "out-migration". If that isnt Newspeak what is? But you can't blame Labre, I saw it first on the American Slate web-site report of this incident.

Dixon

In reality, what this story is REALLY about is the fact that the media are now so powerful that they are even able to covertly eavesdrop on private conversations with the Prime Minister and do so without the least retribution.

Cobblers to all the guff about what was said. Someone (or several people) should be clapped in gaol right now under prospect of charges for treason.

What if the PM had let slip a reference to a secret anti-terror operation, a military action overseas, or something similar. Do you suppose the media would have hesitated to publish that also? No, well they published the photo that exposed secret operations by the anti-terror police and MI5 forcing the fore-closure of a major investigation, didnt they? And they were not penalised then either.

We dont need an election. We need a complete upheaval in this country. We need, above all, a complete purge of the media, academia and the senior civil service.

Its not going to happen for a few years. I'm biding my time. Vote? I wouldnt waste the effort!

BTW, I use an unattributable IP when posting comments on the internet and I suggest others start to do the same! All you do is buy a pay-as-you go device and use cash to buy line-rental.

Never again

What else should we expect from a 13 year old boy after 13 years of New Labour education? Contempt for mother, just like contempt for labour voters!

john miller

The most hilarious aspect of all this is Mandy's and Brown's reliance on the oft-used Labour excuse, trotted out by Mandy, Blunkett, Prescott, Hain et al.

Hey, I'm not a nasty person or a crook, I'm just really, really stupid.

A. MacAulay

Yes, yes, yes all very interesting the estrangement of Labour from the now unrepresented "White Working Class" More interesting would be hearing that the Tories are making something of the situation! Someone should call Cameron and tell him, " Dave! The cloth cap is lying in the gutter waiting for someone to pick it up".

Eli

I feel nothing but contempt for the contemptuousness of Brown's attitude to the contemptible white working class. I shall vote for Cameron's Bigot Society, now that I understand it.

Terry Bagpuss

So that's where 'come into money' stems from.
Well, you started it!

Austin Barry

"Jack: In a handbag.

Lady Bracknell: [closes eyes briefly] A handbag?"

And now Rod's take on handbags -yes, the Oscar Wilde of the Welfare State.

procopious

Another clear proof that the UK is closer to a feudal hierachy than democracy. The prince is vexed at meeting a dirty commoner with bad manners. I'm sure GB is not the only one to think like this.

Eddie

The Diversity Police insist that anyone who is white British has no right to complain about immigration or to be proud of their heritage.

Somewhat inconsistently, the Diversity police love anyone with a dark pigment in their skin, especially if they have a religion, to complain about, and mock and disparage, all white people and British culture and history, and to be proud of their non-white African or Asian culture - even if it is way more bigoted than any BNP manifesto!

Why this disgusting racism?

It seems that if one has a dark skin and a religion one can quite happily promote bigotry in the UK. Only white Brits are banned from even addressing the massive issues around immigration and what are actually quite alien and backward cultures and traditions now evident in much of Europe.

Of course, those in power do not suffer the negative effects of immigration; for them, more mass immigration means more cheap au pairs and cleaners, and nove ethnic restaurants, and cheap food in supermarkets, and more profit for their business because they can save money in keeping down wages and not bothering to train British youngsters or invest in their education and training...

Andy

Mrs Duffy isn't bigoted: Brown most certainly is.

And them Gordon the Moron, and fraud Mandelson wonder why the BNP polls so well.

WetherspoonThree

Perhaps one day we will learn what all politicians, but paricularly NuLabour. think privately about those men and women who join the 'other ranks' of the Armed Forces.

hiro

"Didn’t you want to smack that smug Scottish BBC political reporter around the chops as he manhandled Mrs Duffy and shoved words into her mouth, smirking like a thirteen year old who has just masturbated inside his mother’s handbag?"

YEs, yes, and yes.

To be fair to Brown, he has said this in the past: ""I have never agreed with the lazy elitism that dismisses immigration as an issue, or portrays anyone who has concerns about immigration, as a racist."

So maybe he truly didn't mean it.

This will be the end of him. Shame, because I think he is the most substantial, intelligent, and principled of the fcking lot of 'em. He has major flaws, and those flaws are what will put an end him.

Liz

Please could someone explain what being 'working class' has to do with anything? I'm certain that if a white middle class woman had expressed similar views Brown would also have called her a bigot. Surely this incident has more to do with the Labour party being out of step with the majority of the country. Anhoos, does living in Rochdale necessarily mean one is working class? PS: has anyone considered what Brown might have said about Mrs Duffy under his breath? Given the circumstances, I would imagine that everyone is secretly quite relieved that he only said she was bigoted.

150 Wat Tyler

I've been going out with a girl,
her name is Gilly
But last night she said to me,
when we were watching telly (This is what she said)

She said listen Gord, I love you
But there's this bloke, I fancy
I don't want to two time you,
so it's the end for you and me

Who's this bloke I asked her
Griffin, she replied
Not THAT puff, I said dismayed
Yes but he's no puff she cried

(He's more of a man than you'll ever be)

Here we go, two three four

I was so upset that I cried,
all the way to the chip shop

When I came out there was Griffin,
standing at the bus stop

(And guess who was with him? Yeah, Gilly, and they were both laughing at me)

Oh, she is cruel and heartless
to pack me for Griffin
Just cos he's better looking than me
Just cos he's cool and BNP

But they know I'm a moron
They know I'm a moron
They know I'm a moron
They know I'm a moron

Yeah yeah, it's not fair
Yeah yeah, it's not fair

(from the Requiem in D Minor
Mozart/McMoron)

hiro

"The Diversity Police insist that anyone who is white British has no right to complain about immigration or to be proud of their heritage."

Wonderful, maniacal right-wing gibberish based on nothing. Do you play the Daily Mail into head phones when you sleep?

I thought you lot had a bit more backbone? Scared of a few "diversity officers" (who barely actually exist). Be strong, man, and love and holler about your country, if that's what floats your boat.

Stuart Seacole Smith

Checked the defn of bigot in the dictionary - "a person who is intolerant, esp. regarding religion, politics, or race". So Brown himself is clearly a bigot - pot, kettle, Brown.

Rod's BBC jibe is fine by me - they deserve whatever they get flung their way (jizz in a bag, or whatever else...) for their chronic sneaky left-liberal partisanship.

Actually, Radio 4 this morning had some old college mate of Brown's on to try to tell us that he's not such a bad old stick really. Wonder who's idea it was to get him on?

Anyway, his old mate revealed what I sort of knew about Brown's mindset already - that he "had been very active in the anti-racist movement", and he "reacted badly when he came across what he perceived as racism".

Hmm. A less sympathetic way of putting it might be that he was one of those holier than thou natural born bully-campaigners, who enjoyed aggressively stamping down anyone who didn't agree with his supposedly progressive BS.

And his apology doesn't cut it. I'm afraid it's one of the tricks of the left that such indiscretions (by their opponents) must be taken at face value. By the letter of what is said. Any humanity must be stripped away. No context. No excuses. Those are Brown's own rules.

And what Mrs Duffy said was all reasonably put. Still she was dismissed as a bigot. Old habits die hard.

Now, I wonder what Brown would have been muttering if she'd said she was concerned about non-EU immigration, and British kow-towing to islam for fear that the religion of peace might wreak bloody havoc in the streets? Or perhaps mentioned the alien and alienating ghettoisation of some city centres?

I think I can guess what he would have said. And what's more he would have had the full support of the BBC multi-culti propaganda machine, and the entire (thriving) anti-racism industry.

So on reflection, hats off to Mrs Duffy. She pitched her concerns just right to unite left and right in condemnation of Brown the bigot. Genius!

rod liddle

My reference to the business with a thirteen year old boy was intended to convey my disgust at the adolescent nastiness of the press pack, and especially that reporter. Apologies if it was a little too, er, salty, for some.

MikeF

The word 'bigot' ought to be one of the most powerful in the English language. It should denote a self-righteous intolerance - a belief that you are so morally and intellectually superior in your beliefs to anyone who thinks differently that you are entitled to regard them with contempt and even suppress their right to free expression of their beliefs.

That is how the the word should be used - with discretion according to a strict definition. But instead it has become a favoured epithet of the 'left-liberal' political world view spattered about reflexively and indiscriminiately but with the quite specific aim of intimidating anyone against whom it is directed.

Like any term of abuse, though, it says nothing at all about the individuals against whom it is directed but a huge amount about those who use the word so freely. What it reveals, of course, is something utterly repugnant - a stew of conceit, prejuduce and hatred that cannot acknowledge itself for what it is. That is because, in the end, the world view from which it emanates is little more than a cult of self-regard whose real purpose is the coninuous vindication of its own estimation of itself.

In retrospect something like this was always going to happen sooner or later and there is a genuine poetic justice in the fact that the the use of this particular word in this instance may actually rebound on so many of the people who use it so glibly. I feel a little sorry for Gordon Brown because he is probably not the worst offender in this regard. But he leads a government that is steeped in a nasty, intolerant and, to use the word in its proper sense, bigoted ethos. But then the government he leads derives from a wider political movement that is similarly malign. The real cause of this incident is not Gordon Brown getting out amongst 'ordinary' people, but of him spending too much time in the company of his Cabinet and party colleagues - or at least some of them. Some of their nastiness has rubbed off on him. As the phrase has it he should get out more.

Ultimately the best thing that could come out of this would be some generalised restraint in the use of the word 'bigot'. Bigotry does exist but it is not simply the expression of opinions that outrage left-liberal sensibilities. It is defined by a willingness or otherwise to engage in reasoned debate and by the respect shown for other people's right to think differently. A bigot, you might say, is anyone who uses an ugly violent word like 'bigot' to smear people who think differently from them because they do not have the arguments to defend their own beliefs.

Carl

Well thats the "Nail a cretin" prize in the bag then.

Chet Carter

Unfortunately, Mr Brown's remark encapsulates the attitude of the neo liberal middle class across all three parties towards the white working class in this country. And I include the Spectator in this category. The vast amount amount of immigration over recent years has provided a cheap supply of non-unionised nannies, gardeners, waiters, builders, plumbers,care staff, etc that has made life so enjoyable for the affluent middle class in England. Nothing will change under the Conservatives.

Wilhelm

If the Granny was really sharp. She could have got SKY to secretly film inside her own house the 40 minute groveling ' phoney ' apology from Gordon Broon and then stuck it up on YouTube.

She could have done him up good and proper.

Kevinc

Surely Brown's use of the word Bigot had nothing to to do with the substance of what the woman said, but the "fact" that she disagreed with him. In closed thought and belief systems such as politicians inhabit, disagreement with the party line is the gravest sin.

Dr Michael Salt

The stinking BBC deserves all the gratuitous digs it gets. And more.

Lady Barkwell

Ron Liddle, 10.05

Mr. Liddle. I must confess that I feel somewhat bewildered by what you have just told me. To spoon, or at any rate relieve yourself into a handbag, whether it have handles or not, seems to me to display a contempt for the ordinary decencies of family life which reminds one of the worst excesses of the French revolution, and I presume you know what that unfortunate movement led to? And as for being salty I think you stay with those potato crisps that you so adore.

S Arse

MikeF

I only read the first paragraph of your post, it described me so well that I didn't bother with the rest...

Jez

Er, Wilhelm....

it's the very reason why she wouldn't dream of doing such a thing, that makes what was said about her such a permanently unrelenting scandal.

That whole Neather thing was 'just exactly that' in a 2.5 minute video clip yesterday for us all to see, first hand.

Jez

I'm just waiting for the Downfall Hitler parody on Youtube!!

:)))

Martin D Denning

A HANDBAG! How could you Rod?. See how you've upset Lady Barkwell?

EyeSee

It certainly does show the real thinking inside Labour. As bad as saying his true feelings towards taxpayers, Brown also displayed his arrogant disregard for those working around him. The man is an oaf and doesn't deserve any sympathy at all.

Wilhelm

Gordon Broon also boasted 1 million people have left Britain.

HUH ? What a ringing endoresment on liebour rule. They are soo pissed off, they've left the country.

paulg

Rod Too salty for some! It looks like you have had some dubious tastes, swilling around your mouth, in the past!

We will take your word for it, i think.

Eddie

I SAID: "The Diversity Police insist that anyone who is white British has no right to complain about immigration or to be proud of their heritage."

HIRO REPLIED: 'Wonderful, maniacal right-wing gibberish based on nothing. Do you play the Daily Mail into head phones when you sleep?'

What is 'right-wing' about observing that white, British people are banned from being proud of their culture and heritage - whereas black or brown, non-British people are encouraged to be proud of their heritage, culture and indeed their very skin colour! In fact, if one is black or asian and is a rabid bigot and chauvinist and jingoistics nationalist, then one will be praised as being part of the 'celebrating diversity' priesthood and probably given a council grant - despite one's beliefs being slightly to the right of Ghengis khan.

When the Diversity Police - this tribe of fascists - have the right to destroy people's careers and lives, and silence freedom of speech, then I do not think that is right. I know fascism when I see it.

What has the Daily Mail got to do with anything? Weak argument to bleat Daily Mail at anyone who shows how blind and hypocritical you are, eh...

My argument is consistent, so it must seem strage to you.

Marietta Sojourner Truth Higgs

What none of you lot seem to realise is that Gordon Brown is completely in the right by definition: ever since the Macpherson Report (1999, I think) an "incident" is waythitht if the "victim" OR ANY OTHER PERSON believes it to be so. Brown believes Mrs Duffy is a bigot, therefore she is.

Old Slaughter

One Question.

Why oh why did the Sky van not race after them? Imagine if they got the whole journey's worth. They want to increase the range on those things or make them cellular.

My favourite thought so far is his face when he left the Radio 2 office to find worldwide news already warming up.

It's still the first issue on the CCN website. Worldwide humiliation. For at least two years I have been asking 'can we sink any lower'? The answer yet again is 'of course we can'. Day in day out. How I wish we could return to the days when some cash for a parliamentry question evoked uproar and shame.

Alexandrovich

I'm with Carl, send her the champers Rod.

Eddie: be grateful for small mercies - we're still allowed to Morris Dance!

Peter Crawford

There will not be a Hitler "bunker scene" mash up because You Tube have banned them. Don't know why.

EyeSee

Rod, regarding the youth and the handbag; did you realise the microphone was still on? I guess you wouldn't want to cause offence, wouldn't ever think such a thing. What you were trying to say and with all the deadlines around and such, you were just trying to be helpful and you didn't have time to get your point across.

Eddie

So it was rat-brained Sky reporters who made public a private conversation? Perhaps they and anyone who releases details of private conversations could be sacked? Arrested even? Hanged, drawn and quartered? Are we still allowed to do that? If not, why not? And can we do it while Morris dancing?

The point is of course that the woman brought up immigration from the EU which we cannot stop because anyone from the EU can come here! And they want to let Turkey join! The politicans all try and cover this fact up: we have not control over immigration from the EU at all!

Dixon

Oh the things Ive written before I realised the keyboard was still on!

You should see what I wrote when I knew it was off!

And thats all she wrote :-

Dixon

Bigot, spigot Pigot...you need a Stilsons wrench or a jockey strap, I cannot say which.

Ben

But her view are bigoted, aren't they, Rod, in your view? Be honest.

So isn't the hypocrisy really this strange inverted "PC-gone-mad" situation, where all the politicians and pundits have to say how wonderful the views of WWC bigots really are?

I mean, just because there's a lot of them about, does that make them right, Rod?

Matthew Porter

The stupid thing about this incident is that the initial exchange between Brown & Mrs Duffy was not bad for Brown - it was even good for him. He engaged and she responded positively. Had Brown left it there, it would have been a "good thing" for Brown.
Instead he showed himself to be incredibly two-faced. From "Nice to meet you" to "Bigot" in 30 seconds!

rod liddle

Ben; you, and the 4,098 people like you, live in a different world. Get real, mofo.

Noa

Rod

The Mrs Duffy stuff (Gillian to her close friends) is a transient leaf in the wind.
Your real and lasting gift, your real undoubted gift, in full flour, to the nation is to have created a new noun. In the future, long after Mrs Duffy, I'm sorry Gillian has passed from the headlines, we will know and treasure the word handbagger.

In fact, real handbaggers came from a Duffy.

Stuart Seacole Smith

You would think that the kind of thought-process impairment suffered by Ben and his fellow shroomers was some kind of rare aberrant affliction. But lo! I checked the guarniad´s CiF, and it turns out there´s more of the daft sods out there than you might´ve thought. The monster raving browny party faithful will stick with the great leader come what may.

Oliver

The casual dismissal of a voter as bigot by Brown, following a question which fell far short of warranting such a comment, was not a great surprise to me. I found Mrs Duffy’s reaction actually quite touching, she appeared shocked, she actually believed that Brown would listen and respect the opinions put to him. The thing I find unsettling is the coverage of Mrs Duffy. Prompted by Brown’s face-to-face “apology” delivered direct to the unfortunate woman’s house, we have now broadcast to the nation exactly where Mrs Duffy lives. I don’t get the impression that Mrs Duffy courts this fame, I don’t believe she is hoping for in invite to Celebrity Dancer on Ice (or whatever it’s called), or seeks even the barest flicker of recognition. The way Brown’s PR team have sought to limit the impact of the damage caused to him is the most deplorable aspect of this whole sorry episode.

myopia

The sad thing is that that woman in Rochdale will still vote Labour as will all the other dyed in the wool working class Labourites in spite of Brown and his cossetted Westminster tribe genuinely believing they are thick, ignorant bigots.

michael

Poor Gordon, it is only his 1st campaign, after all.

Perhaps we should chalk this up to inexperience.

Roy

We all know the many many topics that is deemed irreproachable in the UK today. You have this election yet you are not aloud to talk about or to discuss in public the main principals that are alarming people. The country has been transformed without a mandate, now they require you to further tick them in so they may continue down the road to put England through the mincer. It is a toss-up literally (from the choice available) who can do a decent job to transform the country for the better. It is unfortunate that on one stroke the population is diluted with (it is thought) a labour voting contingent, whilst the remaining population have been ill-educated to know right from wrong, never minding left from right.

Richard

Myopia,

'The sad thing is that that woman in Rochdale will still vote Labour as will all the other dyed in the wool working class Labourites in spite of Brown and his cossetted Westminster tribe genuinely believing they are thick, ignorant bigots.'

I don't think they will in this election. We are about to undergo a sea-change. The bottom is about to fall out of the Labour Party...splatt.

John Shields

The 'smug Scottish political reporter' was I think from Sky News, no? He was so awful because of the barefaced bias in his eyes, and how much he was enjoying it showed a little too clearly (that and the manhandling an old woman)! Still, I was enjoying it as much as he was, so I don't suppose I should criticise him too harshly for it. But they should at least SEEM impartial at NI!

Mikey

Well all I can say is: Boy, Duffy's really let herself go...

Gaz

He merely stated she was 'big titted'.

Marcher Baron

@hiro "To be fair to Brown, he has said this in the past: ""I have never agreed with the lazy elitism that dismisses immigration as an issue, or portrays anyone who has concerns about immigration, as a racist."
So maybe he truly didn't mean it."

He said Mrs Duffy was a fine woman publically, but once he thought no one was listening he slated her as a bigot, so I'm sure he did mean it. It's what he said for public consumption he didn't really mean. Brown's remark encapsulated everything the political elite thinks about the voter.

wiggins

Masterbates. Wasn't he in Captain Pugwash?

WetherspoonThree

I think we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mrs Duffy. Perhaps for the first time since Enoch Powell's infamous 'rivers of blood' speech, all those years ago, it is possible for people to have a grown-up conversation about all aspects of immigration without the fear of left-wing retribution or terrible middle class angst. Thank you Mrs Duffy...perhaps some good will come out of this rather sad election campaign or should I call it a 'beauty contest'?

Joe Strummer

I've a feeling that there are millions of those who Gordon Brown calls "bigots" who will be showing their gratitude to this Labour Government at the voting -booths.

C Cole

The handbag simile is a perfect description of what New Labour has done to this country. Is the 13 years just coincidence?

Sam Armstrong

I don't know why people are rushing to thank Mrs. Duffy for making it acceptable to talk about immigration again. She was in the right place at the right time. Hers is not a new complaint. I suppose we should be grateful to SKY, since SKY and SKY alone made the decision to broadcast this.

Mrs. Duffy, concerned as she was by immigration and crime, still retained a postal vote which she was still prepared to submit for Labour, until she heard that Brown had insulted her personally. So if SKY had not taped and then released his remarks, Duffy would still have voted for him and nothing would have changed.

It is, bizarrely, the MSM we need to thank for this one. For once SKY behaved like its sister FOX, I would like to see more of that.

Last night on Dateline London on BBC News Channel the awful Yasmin Alibi Brown said how grateful she was for SKY's balanced reporting of the election. She said she was pleased that SKY had not morphed into FOX News.

SKY has a lot of power it seems and if used effectively could help to bully the BBC into a more sedate position and reverse some of more noxious attitudes that are now common currency.

MikeF

In fact Yasmin was going on in today's Independent - I always look at the headlines at least - about how Mrs Duffy was genuinley 'bigoted'. In other words she was employing the final resource of left-liberals when their mendacity is exposed - a sheer refusal to acknowledge that they might be wrong. In this case, though, it is not about whether or not Mrs Duffy is bigoted - she self-evidently is not - but about the attachment of the left to a word that they are obsessed with using because it gratifies them in their own conceit and arrogance. As for Yasmin praising Sky - well maybe she is looking for a job with them.

Simon Icke

NEW LABOUR are paying the price for completely neglecting the working class people in the UK, who are struggling to make ends meet with high taxes; both direct and indirect. It will pay the price this thursday.

New Labour have sucked up to the 'Islington trendy academic socialists' who wouldn't know a working class person if they fell over them. (If they did meet one they would probably feel superior and smug). They certainly wouldn't know the reality of the struggle these poor families have had to endure for so many years: Ordinary people whom now cannot even afford to fill their car with petrol or pay their extortionate gas and electric bills. Meanwhile the New Labour cronies continued to feed their fat stomachs in the trough of self-indulgence and arrogance and allowed so many others to do the same... listening to the 'middle class academic champagne socialists' and militant minorities; who had a disproportionate influence on policy making, for the last thirteen years. Meanwhile treating the silent majority of decent ordinary British citizens with contempt; often ignoring the many voices of concern; from so many respected and traditionally wise sources.

The bottom line is that New Labour completely lost touch with its roots and allowed the rich to get very rich and the poor to get even poorer; so it deserves what it gets on thursday; they have no one to blame but themselves.

WetherspoonThree

Sam Armstrong...no thanks to Mrs Duffy?

I think you are misunderstanding the power of press. This episode will probably be remembered for many years to come but will always be linked to Mrs Duffy not some unknown Sky excutive. It will almost certainly be viewed as the defining moment of this election. In the future, academics will consider, articles will be written and students will discuss. Some folk may even change their voting intentions.

We should be grateful that Mrs Duffy took the decision to toddle down to the shops raise a number of issues with Gordon Brown including the vexed question of immigration, when the opportunity presented itself.

Although Sky took the significant decision to break the ground rules and the trust of all politicians by broadcasting a private conversation it does stick in the throat when the press and others try and justify their actions retrospectively. A similar dubious argument was made by Charles Moore in the Telegraph this weekend.

The broad sheets have largely ignored immigration for many years so. In theses circumstances, I would prefer to thank Mrs Duffy. At least her motives were entirely honourable.

michael

Sick of the white working class?
With 10 million of their grasping thankless mouths to feed. You can't hide it for ever.

Dirty Euro

She was a racist. Now we are not even allowed to call racist bigots, racist bigots! What next Hitler was just someone who cared about his people. Yawn Yawn racists allways claim they just care about the working class when in reality they want to kill the oiks too

Aberdeen Angus

Gordan Brown is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices. He has elements of obstinacy, irrationality, and animosity toward those of differing opinion.

In other words a bigot

Edward McLaughlin

Dirty Euro

'She was a racist..' Are you referring to Mrs Duffy? If so, has she expired?

What a confused person you seem to be at this time. Feel free to say what you like about anyone. We know your condition and will make the necessary allowances.

Ask your carer to make you a camomile tea. Doesn't do a damn thing but it sounds good so should suit you.