Harriet – bang ‘er up

Has Harman not fallen foul of her own legislation, the Equality Act 2010 which this government cravenly enacted almost in full? She has disparaged a colleague on account of his appearance and parentage. This certainly contravenes the section of her fabulously fatuous legislation which outlaws discrimination against colleagues through “association or perception”. Danny Alexander is a colleague even if he is also an opponent. Charge her. Sue her.

In The Guardian today Jackie Ashley wonders why it is not ok for Hattie to make a joke about ginger people but perfectly fine for everybody else. She gropes towards the position that it might be because Harman is perceived as being “pious”, but adds that she can be “salty” in real life.

Oh, lordy, to taste that salt. But I digress. Jackie – with respect, you’re a dumb mutt if you really don’t get it. The point is not that her joke wasn’t even faintly funny, it is that she has imposed upon this country legislation which makes such comments actually illegal. Do you not remotely understand that, lovey?

Other people – AA Gill, Jeremy Clarkson – may indeed have said horrid things about the mentally whacko or the thick or the Scottish or (yikes!) the Welsh; but they haven’t, simultaneously, tried to make their own behaviour illegal. Do you get it now? What is it that’s difficult to understand?