political commentator * author * publisher * bookseller * radio presenter * blogger * Conservative candidate * former lobbyist * Jack Russell owner * West Ham United fanatic * Email iain AT iaindale DOT com
Monday, September 18, 2006
Ming Fails the Coronation Street Test
Lady Elspeth's husband has got himself into a right pickle again over his populist habits. Remember THIS story earlier in the year? Well, he's been at it again, according to the Whip column in The Sun. Ming professed his love for Coronation Street but when asked to name a character he could only come up with Bet Lynch, who hasn't been in the show for several years. When asked to name a current character the only boy was completely non-plussed. Some politicians never learn, do they?
You're missing the fact that Bet Lynch is a gay icon. This is a carefully-calculated and well-thought-out bid by Sir Ming for the pink vote.
ReplyDeleteOh good grief at least Roy Hattersley was openly a fan and never missed an episode (which I can believe) - as I am loathed to do.
ReplyDeleteI SAY I SAY loathed to do!
Bet Ming 'the ordinary bloke' doesn't know the price of a loaf of bread or a pint of milk either!
ReplyDeleteYour link-back to his Come Dancing with Chips moment is very entertaining...
mark the lesson well Iain. When your call to office arrives, don't forget to make time for the soaps!
ReplyDeleteNot to the point but I have to put it somewhere. May I join the chorus and say well done on the political blogs. I'm not sure when the book is to come out exactly. Can it be bought in Europe?
ReplyDeleteMing pouted for years about not challenging Charles K (for the leadership)... Did anyone really seriously think he would be a better prospect? He is so shudderingly useless, I almost feel sorry for the LibDems. And who the hell advised him to wear that 'jolly' shirt on arrival in Brighton.
ReplyDeleteNew depths. Sunk to. Distressing. End of message.
So it's official, Sir Walter Menzies Campbell is a liar.
ReplyDeleteDid anybody see Ming in his "trendy" chinos?
ReplyDeleteHe was sat down being interviewed and revealed his legs.
It looked like somebody had stuck two broomsticks into a pair of matalan pants and attached them to a legless pensioner in a wheel chair.
I'm surprised Ming couldn't recall my fav Corro character Kirk who delivered this classic line last week:
ReplyDelete"I'm bright enough to know I'm stupid."
There’s a great image of Ming on the home page of the Lib Dem conference website which is perfect for a caption competition. How about putting it on your blog and letting your readers do the same?
ReplyDeletewww.libdems.org.uk
I don't read the Sun (or watch Coronation Street for that matter) but it sounds as though the Whip column was lifted from John Pienaar's interview with Sir Ming on Five Live yesterday. I hope they credited it.
ReplyDeleteScrew the populists - in the words of Toby Ziegler
ReplyDelete"You're a good man, you don't have to act like it. You're not just folks, you're not plain-spoken... Do not n do not n do not act like it!"
I always cring when politians try to show off their 'man in the streetness'. It always either
ReplyDeletea) Might be true but comes off sounding contrived, like Gordon Brown liking the Artic Monkeys, come on. I'm 26 and too old for them!
b) They get shown up to be not entirely honest, as per Ming with his inability to name his favourite character. At least say Ken Barlow and you'd be ok. (and this is from someone who's never even seen a episode of Corrie in his life). I loved his comment about weak men and strong women, which if you remove the strong women part sums up the Lib Dems perfectly.
Don't have the "benefit" of being there, but just heard Ming on radio telling his faithful he is who he is and this gem:
ReplyDelete"I wouldn't switch from Radio Four to listen to The Arctic Monkeys".
Praps he's been reading your advice Iain!
Wonder if he knows The Arctic Monkeys is not presented by David Attenborough...
What till they ask the poor old chap to explain whatever tax policy he gets landed with by the beared ones ( and I mean the women too !) in his pre-election Paxman interview.
ReplyDeleteBy the way Iain whats the mysterious pixel at the top of your and Guido's blogs for ?
Impeccable good taste, I say.
ReplyDeleteEspecially as The Street is due to welcome some appalling arrivistes early next summer.
One of the lads is a lush who spends far too much time at the Rovers, wife is going to human rights salon, husband is taking over at Roy's Rolls.
The Blairs, I think they're called.
The way I see it, we can have it one of two ways:
ReplyDelete(a) We can have politicians like Ming who talk to the public and the media, and who desperately try to come across in the best possible light - and fail
OR
(b) We can have politicians like Cameron who surround themselves with PR 'gurus' and image consultants and end up never saying anything at all.
A truly depressing choice.
Now I really should be watching ITV round about now but I just wanted to drop by to say thank you for this post.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the time the PM called on the Home Secretary to intervene in the case of Deirdre Rachid:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/71934.stm
And thank you to your esteemed readers for their marvellous comments, I haven't laughed so much since Hilda told Stanley her kisses tasted of "woman, Stanely, woman."
All together now: It's not real you know!
Now I really should be watching ITV round about now but I just wanted to drop by to say thank you for this post.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the time the PM called on the Home Secretary to intervene in the case of Deirdre Rachid:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/71934.stm
And thank you to your esteemed readers for their marvellous comments, I haven't laughed so much since Hilda told Stanley her kisses tasted of "woman, Stanely, woman."
All together now: It's not real you know!
anyone who says artic monkeys have sold more records than the beatles is out of touch. This makes him look what he appears an old man out of touch.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was Sir Ming's other half who was dead keen he should become leader of the Lib Dems, and pushed him into it.
ReplyDeleteHe failed the Bromley test too...
ReplyDelete