tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post531568755542258585..comments2024-03-04T17:54:32.559+00:00Comments on Iain Dale's Diary: A Tribute to Michael FootIain Dalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270146219458384372noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-87921108051238224822010-03-04T09:34:01.293+00:002010-03-04T09:34:01.293+00:00as someone who 1) didn't know the man, 2) obse...as someone who 1) didn't know the man, 2) observed his politics dispassionately as a voter and citizen and 3) does not believe in political canonisation just because someone has died, i disagree.<br /><br />at best was an eccentric anachronism and latterly a scruffy old bastard. the worst? a faux-naive communist fifth columnist who – no better than guy burgess and his childish mates – would have sold us down the river for an ideology if he had a) been in a position of power and b) if the cold war had perhaps taken a different turn.<br /><br />not my cup of tea of at all. foot off.Jules Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07316327361072587324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-59705690715686041862010-03-04T08:09:31.631+00:002010-03-04T08:09:31.631+00:00I listen to Radio4 when driving around.
Yesterday...I listen to Radio4 when driving around.<br /><br />Yesterday, just before 6pm, BBC played an extract of a Foot speech. Really amusing. This morning just before 7.30, they played another amusing extract.<br /><br />The overall effect was to make me feel some affection towards this man, who I had never heard speak before.<br /><br />But I did wonder whether they will be as generous to Lady Thatcher?Seanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03234085314662011091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-50424231283578154292010-03-04T07:17:41.923+00:002010-03-04T07:17:41.923+00:00@tory boy
Thank you for your modest proposal but ...@tory boy<br /><br />Thank you for your modest proposal but I'd rather re-read Swift.<br /><br />And by the way: I'm not taking any lessons in "taste" from a poster who jumps up at his master's bidding to promulgate the Labour lies of the day.<br /><br />Although of course you might be referring to Foot's taste. In which case, for what it's worth, I think the "donkey jacket" business was overblown.Moriartyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02636946960473769348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-72054843852666085952010-03-04T00:55:24.530+00:002010-03-04T00:55:24.530+00:00good tribute Iain. Principled politicians build up...good tribute Iain. Principled politicians build up our Parliament and we need lots of them from all sides!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-24107694286012766782010-03-03T23:26:51.985+00:002010-03-03T23:26:51.985+00:00Very sad to hear of Michael Foot's death.
My f...Very sad to hear of Michael Foot's death.<br />My first General election campaign as a Young Conservative was in 1983.<br />I may not have agreed with Foot on anything, but now at 44 I recognise his capacity to think, orate to & rally a party that did not want to be led.<br />He will be sorely missed by many.<br />A man of principle unlike the current shower called "New" Labour.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14593069094548118540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-10622906871916340002010-03-03T23:24:54.949+00:002010-03-03T23:24:54.949+00:00Moriarty
I think that your last comment really j...Moriarty <br /><br />I think that your last comment really just demonstrates your lack of knowledge about Michael Foot - I'm sure that Iain may have a few back copies of the book of essays that he published so that you can start addressing your ignorance. <br /><br />As for the lack of taste that may be more difficult.tory boys never grow uphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11172736984147732661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-55614124156890686242010-03-03T22:43:16.794+00:002010-03-03T22:43:16.794+00:00His intellectual range was vast. From Swift to Haz...His intellectual range was vast. From Swift to Hazlitt back to Swift to Wells and back to Swift.<br /><br />A truly awesome cultural range of reference.<br /><br />He liked Swift you know...Moriartyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02636946960473769348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-24975982414074492202010-03-03T22:09:14.178+00:002010-03-03T22:09:14.178+00:00A great thinker? Hardly. He managed only a second ...A great thinker? Hardly. He managed only a second in PPE. He was no Powell, or Asquith.<br /><br />A nice enough old duffer, but no intellectual giant. Let's get some perspective.Moriartyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02636946960473769348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-44804293970503948282010-03-03T21:20:43.571+00:002010-03-03T21:20:43.571+00:00Michael Foot has been dead for less than a day, an...Michael Foot has been dead for less than a day, and already people are coming out and calling him all the names under the sun. When Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and the worthless John Prescott die, will people come out and call them? Without a doubt. Like Nick Griffin, Foot may have been a bit daft, but did he ever steal frm the public, suck up to America, or start wars that have nothing to do with us?armodillotronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05143931696465721303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-80538552494119926122010-03-03T19:55:34.702+00:002010-03-03T19:55:34.702+00:00@david Lindsay
I do not want to talk ill of Late ...@david Lindsay<br /> I do not want to talk ill of Late Foot. But he was mischievous leftie and enjoyed like Benn the fruits of private enterprise. He visited India when Mrs Gandhi ran riot with her emergency powers, forcibly sterilsing young males and females, and praised her for standing up to the High Court which threw her election out because of rampamnt malpractices. Swaraj Paul became notorious at that time supporting her and milking favours. But he is Labour now cannot do wrong! About Foot,I would the following: CND member and activist, Aldermaston demo leader when Russia had Nukes, along with Bruce Kent who later enjoyed married life after his task as a Catholic priest of hoodwinking people about Russia's innocence was finished, praising Blunket for making free bus travels in Sheffield and arguing about free bus travels in London (nonsensical), protested fast food chains in Hampstead along with fellow champaigne socialists when the cost of simple meal in his favourite Hampstead restaurant is beyond the reach of his constituents in Wales, etc.. etc.. A deluded leftie.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-17342284157870738122010-03-03T19:53:02.868+00:002010-03-03T19:53:02.868+00:00Don't you just love people who loved to think,...Don't you just love people who loved to think, read, write, debate and deliver a decent speech? Michael Foot....beyond compare.Returning Scothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10277005461019535134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-35512603912580200182010-03-03T19:18:29.974+00:002010-03-03T19:18:29.974+00:00Iain, a great & fitting tribute.
Ninian Reid,...Iain, a great & fitting tribute.<br /><br />Ninian Reid, spot on. They don't. That's why I don't vote for them.<br /><br />Andy: It's a mistake many people make, jeez many of my countrymen still believe New Labour = The Labour Party and stand's up for them.Allanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13574173214924437278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-39000419867833939192010-03-03T18:48:59.064+00:002010-03-03T18:48:59.064+00:00He was a commie along with Jack Jones and I for on...He was a commie along with Jack Jones and I for one will be enjoying a drink at the death of a traitor tonight.The Purplelinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13824474829595685623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-70089226674386767962010-03-03T18:43:12.398+00:002010-03-03T18:43:12.398+00:00Nice one, Iain.
A good man who was out of his dep...Nice one, Iain.<br /><br />A good man who was out of his depth when the Labour Leadership came to him.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15555848060898512194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-41372672753136636102010-03-03T18:33:35.469+00:002010-03-03T18:33:35.469+00:00Very succinctly put by David T Breaker @ Guido'...Very succinctly put by David T Breaker @ Guido's<br />"Michael Foot is sadly not remembered that widely. If he was there would be far fewer Labour voters."Jabba the Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08378736389976858775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-29476861065235969932010-03-03T18:28:36.364+00:002010-03-03T18:28:36.364+00:00This sums up Foot, the old windbag, well
http://ww...This sums up Foot, the old windbag, well<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km2D1tTSARQ&feature=player_embeddedJabba the Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08378736389976858775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-84242370958557777992010-03-03T18:21:57.725+00:002010-03-03T18:21:57.725+00:00Yeah Stalin and Mao were really good people too.
...Yeah Stalin and Mao were really good people too.<br /><br />Wake up.Geniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06446657759863177549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-17248623071270037322010-03-03T18:12:40.069+00:002010-03-03T18:12:40.069+00:00Words fail me.
This was a man who would have sold...Words fail me.<br /><br />This was a man who would have sold this country down the drain and here we have people praising his attributes.<br /><br />I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire.Catosayshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02885445175868379750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-65262431382098388122010-03-03T18:07:24.914+00:002010-03-03T18:07:24.914+00:00He was a man of principle, integrity, passion, int...He was a man of principle, integrity, passion, intellect and humour.<br /><br />As a by-and-large lifelong Tory I've never agreed with his political stance but that hassn't stopped me from holding him in great respect.<br /><br />The world of politics is poorer for his passing.Pogohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10812765444160924585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-56900046897079375892010-03-03T17:50:08.196+00:002010-03-03T17:50:08.196+00:00At March 03, 2010 4:33 PM , Blogger Cold Steel Ra...<i>At March 03, 2010 4:33 PM , Blogger Cold Steel Rain said...<br /><br /> "politics needs more like him"<br /><br /> A socialist lefty fruitcake who's ideas would destroy Great Britain..?<br /><br /> We've got one. He lives in Downing Street.</i><br /><br />Indeed - he was a veritable intellectual dwarf compared to the mighty Cold Steel Rain.<br /><br />Sadly, CSR was clearly away from school the day they taught the difference between "who's" and "whose". As indeed when they taught the definition of "socialist" (clue: New Labour has never been socialist (for better or for worse)).<br /><br />Iain, an excellent tribute. Personally (and I'm a lefty), I'm not sure he was a political giant. However, he was a great man.Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00287942194092114567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-27648707819775320742010-03-03T17:44:27.896+00:002010-03-03T17:44:27.896+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jabba the Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08378736389976858775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-47083953305903305522010-03-03T17:36:18.678+00:002010-03-03T17:36:18.678+00:00I always wonder how someone who has integrity and ...I always wonder how someone who has integrity and was a nice chap could also be a Socialist.<br /><br />Socialism means coercion with the force of "law" and the subordination of the individual, the stripping of personal sovereignty. That can never be the desire of a good bloke, or a man of integrity. That is the viewpoint of an utter git.<br /><br />Therefore Michael Foot is likely to have been in denial or deluded, his belief in the myths and romance* of his ideology must have clouded his judgement and placed scales before his eyes. <br /><br /><br />* When I went to Moscow and Leningrad in 1982, there was a powerful impulse to get swept up in the passion and romance of The Revolution.Roger Thornhillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03591327286533118901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-75518969620303055502010-03-03T17:24:47.621+00:002010-03-03T17:24:47.621+00:00By and large, they don't make them like Michae...By and large, they don't make them like Michael Foot any longer. Excellent, fair-minded tribute.Ninian Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01136564347297299474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-780244492536675472010-03-03T17:12:06.433+00:002010-03-03T17:12:06.433+00:00That's one Foot in the grave then.Brilliant or...That's one Foot in the grave then.Brilliant orator? So was Hitler.Both Socialists.Good riddance....niconoclasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11346612911422614130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6214838.post-1028127547580799952010-03-03T16:59:08.603+00:002010-03-03T16:59:08.603+00:00Very nice tribute Iain.
I was pleased Michael Gov...Very nice tribute Iain.<br /><br />I was pleased Michael Gove was on Daily Politics today, he was able to be sincere and knowledgeable about Michael Foot in his intellectual appreciation.<br /><br />I remember Brian Walden always used to say that despite his athiesm Michael Foot would have been the first politician taken into Heaven. <br /><br />He was a thoroughly decent human being and let's face it, how you behave is, in real life, much more important than anything you think.<br /><br />I see people on Daniel Hannan's blog are also already disgracing themselves with nasty comments after an impressive tribute from the MEP. What a shame.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01952550278660027732noreply@blogger.com