The holiday season is upon us, the politicians are away and the country can settle back calm in the knowledge that no one is in charge.
That being the case let’s turn the spotlight on our political masters – particularly on some of the things they say.
Let’s start with the political put down. The master was Winston Churchill who described Clement Atlee as “a sheep in sheep’s clothing,” and “a modest man with so much to be modest about.”
He said of Stafford Cripps the humourless Labour Chancellor, “there but for the grace of God goes God.”
He also had his brushes with women. Lady Astor said to him "Winston, if you were my husband I would flavour your coffee with poison." To which he replied, "Madam, if I were your husband, I should drink it."
But of course what we really love is the gaffe, the moment when the foot becomes firmly lodged in the mouth.
Sadly John Prescott is no longer deputy PM, but he had his moments.
“The green belt is a Labour achievement and we mean to build on it.”
And his boss, Tony Blair, famously said, “I never make predictions. I never have and I never will.”
Let us not forget John Major, Mr Blair’s predecessor, who knew how to confront his detractors. “When your back’s against the wall, all you can do is turn around and fight.”
As Anne Robinson discovered, being rude to the Welsh is a risky business, but sometimes you have to live dangerously, “They’re all the same. They’re short. They’re fat and they are fundamentally corrupt.” Rod Richards, Welsh Office Minister, on Welsh Labour councillors.
But no list such as this would be complete without a couple of Bushisms. Where does one begin? Perhaps, “If we don’t succeed we run the risk of failure.”
Or, "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
But let’s leave the last word to Richard Nixon to sum up what must ultimately be most politicians view of the electorate,
“The voters have spoken – the bastards.”
If you’ve got a favourite political quote – drop the Lizard a line.
1 comment:
Cant argue too much about the welsh statement, although it is not to disimilar for Labour on a Macro scale. However I must add that John Redwoods political suicide of thinking he knew the Welsh National Anthem before actually seeing the words must make your list of political gaffes.
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