You can read about it all here and here:
DES BROWNE, the Scottish and defence secretary, was under pressure this weekend to sack one of his top aides for describing Scotland as a “narrow, Presbyterian and racist”.
Jamie Hepburn covers the story well:
I am not quite sure why Presbyterianism should bear the brunt of such hostility from Mr McTernan, any more than any other branch of Christianity and I imagine there will be many members of the Church of Scotland pretty insulted by the suggestion that it falls neatly alongside racism and a narrow viewpoint. Indeed, wouldn't it be interesting to know what Prime Minister Gordon Brown - who makes great play of the fact that his moral compass is derived from his Presbyterian upbringing - thinks of John McTernan's outburst?Here's an interesting thought experiment: would Scotland's education system have sunk so low over the past few decades had it been under the control of the Kirk instead of the Labour party?
(For those new to this blog, I advocate competition in education and don't favour any kind of monopoly.)
1 comment:
Comments made on previous template:
David Farrer
Don't remember, James. It was just before he went South to work for Tony Blair. Perhaps he became a changed man...
28 January 2008, 20:01:37 GMT – Like – Reply
jameshigham
Just waht did you say to McTernan, David, to send him ff the deep end?
27 January 2008, 09:33:40 GMT – Like – Reply
David Farrer
CK
Thanks for that link. I have relatives in Eau Claire WI and so might just make it to your establishment sometime.
25 January 2008, 19:14:25 GMT – Like – Reply
David Farrer
Donaldbane
I'm afraid that I've not got into the Second Life thing. Too busy in the first one - in which the banking crisis is scary enough...
25 January 2008, 19:12:24 GMT – Like – Reply
agentmancuso
"would Scotland's education system have sunk so low over the past few decades had it been under the control of the Kirk instead of the Labour party?"
No. But then it wouldn't have sunk so low if Ghengis Khan had been running it either.
25 January 2008, 17:45:55 GMT – Like – Reply
cK
Happy days. Just popped through from America (Minneapolis) to say our pub staff enjoyed your blog, after stumbling upon it via a Scottish political blogs roundup.
We've added Freedom and Whisky to our links page (under Bloggers) and a link to your Flickr page, David, if that's all right. The images of Edinburgh are quite nice.
Thanks.
-cK
23 January 2008, 23:42:57 GMT – Like – Reply
donaldbane
David,
Go and do a post on the subject of banks being closed in second life. Is it possible we will see a run by depositors this week?
This stuff really does your head in when you think too much about it. This link references the story twice, by a rueters journalist avatar that wanders about like any other journalist getting scoops!
http://secondlife.reuters.com/stories/category/second-life/feed/
23 January 2008, 05:05:58 GMT – Like – Reply
Neil Craig
On the one hand you are quite right that his criticisms are rather silly & could be more accurately be directed against the Labour pary.
On the other hand a country so insecure that a small criticism in an email 5 years ago prompts calls for resignation would probably benefit from more self criticism. You don't improve by pretending to be perfect.
22 January 2008, 12:51:07 GMT
Post a Comment