Anorak

Anorak News | A Con Job

A Con Job

by | 6th, February 2004

‘IF President Bush and Tony Blair have only had eyes for Iraq (and each other), then the same could just as easily be said of the papers.

‘The greatest British swordsman never to have won an Olympic gold’ – J. Archer

As the Independent once again devotes its front page to a forensic analysis of “what we were told, what we know now and the unresolved issues”, we at Anorak Towers have had enough.

The simple truth is that the country (and the rest of the world) divides into those who supported the war with Iraq and those who didn’t.

And never the twain shall meet, other than to pour opprobrium onto each other. It is the original dialogue of the deaf.

Even the Guardian seems bored of picking over the bones of the Government’s pre-war dossiers, relegating to third lead the latest row over whether Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon informed the Prime Minister that the 45-minute claim referred only to battlefield weapons or not.

It prefers to illustrate its front page with a picture of Jonathan Aitken, that crusader in the cause of truth, that expert swordsman (in more than one sense of the word), that sturdy champion of British fair play.

The former Tory cabinet minister, who not only lied himself under oath but got his daughter to lie for him, is apparently planning a political comeback.

The paper, which brought about his most spectacular fall from grace, reports that 200 local activists are urging him to stand again for Parliament.

After all, if British public life has one pressing need at the moment it is for more shady crooks (sorry, God-fearing servants of the common good) like Aitken.’



Posted: 6th, February 2004 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink