Fighting Talk

‘AFTER the dignified behaviour of the Liverpool fans on Tuesday night, it is a shame to open the papers today and find that the ugly side of Anfield is still with us.

”Gho-o-o-ul”

Both the Mail and the Express print pictures of a grown man, old enough to know better, jabbing his finger in fury as his face contorts into a grotesque mask of hatred.

And readers will have no trouble recognising him as celebrity Reds fan Michael Howard, star of the recent fly-on-the-wall documentary in which he was seen performing his trademark celebration – waving his arms in the air and crying: “What a tremendous gho-o-o-ul!”

Today’s papers show the other face of Howard – the snarling bully looking for a fight. And yesterday his victim was the PM.

“COMMONS BRUISING,” crows the Express caption to a picture of the Tories’ top boys: “Michael Howard was cheered by MPs as he delivered a mauling to Tony Blair at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday.”

All this is a long way from the Compassionate Conservatism and inclusive values that we are told about.

The Express runs a large picture of Howard’s victim underneath, with the pointed headline: “Why does he wear so much make-up?” Which, translated, means: The little sissy was asking for it.

We fear that if this sort of thing continues for much longer, it’ll end in tears…

Ed Barrett’

Posted: 7th, April 2005 | In: Tabloids Comment | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink