Question Time

As we are in pre-Election fever currently it seems OK to watch BBC's Question Time. Admittedly it can be good sport at times but generally it's a bore. Well, the format is hopeless and so what can you expect? Politicians and invited commentators face the public and answer their questions, but it is all quick fire and so degenerates into cheap point scoring. Mind you that is all the House of Commons seems to be for these days so maybe I am hopelessly old fashioned. Tony did keep saying we needed to modernise things, usually political things and I never understood why, so perhaps it is just me being out of touch. I kinda liked a safe country that was justly proud and where things worked. It may not have been terribly modern looking, but it was comfortable, people felt less need to kill each other and quite recklessly used to talk to their neighbours. I digress.

What I wanted to mention about this flawed political show was Victoria Coren. She seems a lovely, intelligent lady and has an easy witty style. My word though, she is definitely of the Observer/Guardian class. Her views on any subject were predictable and way below her obvious capabilities. Her view on immigration? That if she ruled the world people could move freely anywhere they liked. Presumably the sun would shine all the time and everyone would love everyone. Instead we have her support for the Labour model; Britain as a rich country run by exceptionally stupid people, doesn't just let anyone in, it also gives them money and houses. OK, so that isn't a universal gift, but there is plainly too much truth in it. People look for easy money, so it is no surprise we have particular problem with immigration. That is the real world. But the likes of Victoria can never see past their Utopia and as she is plainly intelligent I am lost by her lack of connection. Another little line of hers was to launch the uniform attack on the racist bigots of the BNP and how did she do it? By slandering the people of Barking and (speaking of her own heritage) that she wouldn't make a good Russian, the implication being she speaks up on bad things, adding that she doesn't even drink! Maybe just a teensy weensy bit of bigotted racism there Victoria. And she is wrong. As long as she was a politically powerful Russian, she would fit right in. Thing is though, she is probably right about a large part of Barking and the Russian thing was just a joke and mildly amusing. The problem is that her people, her class are in thrall to political correctness and believe we should not be allowed to say such things. You can't have it both ways Victoria, no matter how nice you are.