Eck And Alastair

[poliphilo]

Alastair: So what money are you going to use?

Eck:       It's nae problem.

Alastair: But what money are you going to use?

Eck:       Is that all you've got to say?

And so on and on for 90 minutes. Much of the time they talked over one another. My attention wandered and I'm afraid I bailed out before the end. If either of them said anything inspirational I missed it.

Conclusion: Nationalism is a busted flush. If either of them had started warbling about flags and Burns and bonnie braes they'd have been laughed off stage. And what is left of nationalism if you take away the romance? Nothing but a squabble about where to site the parliament building and where the money's going to come from. If I were a Scot I might conclude there was some virtue in being ruled by shits in Edinburgh rather than shits in London- but I don't think I'd care very much either way.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

If the BBC can move to Manchester then so can the British government.

Of course it doesn't have to be Manchester. Peter Hitchens would like to see the British government operating out of Glasgow- thus knocking Scottish nationalism on the head.

It won't happen, though, will it?

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Where/when did Peter Hitchens say that? I'm curious, for obvious reasons.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Damn it. I'm sorry. I've misremembered. It was you all along. I'll change the comment accordingly.

I read so much on line and in the papers that I sometimes lose track of where an idea comes from.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure whether to be flattered or aghast at being mistaken for Peter Hitchens! On reflection, I'll go with the former.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I disagree with P.H. about many things but value him as one of the awkward squad. He's a man who thinks for himself- without reference to any party line.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

P.S. LJ tells me I can't edit this post because it's already been commented on- so let me state here that the idea of moving the government to Glasgow originated not with Peter Hitchens but in an article my friend steepholm wrote for the Guardian,

Mea maxima culpa.

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

I've said all along it should move to my home town of Stoke on Trent. Good transport links and very cheap second homes for MPs.

Alternatively, the Northumbrian town of Haltwhistle believes itself to be the centre of Britain. But putting parliament there might spoil the place.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Poor old Stoke.

But, yes, it's a city in dire need of a raison d'etre.

[jfs.livejournal.com]

They'd be very cheap until all the MPs and ancillary staff started moving in ... :-)