Events | 2009.07.21
Hugh Muir's diary
Time to draw the line – preferably a thick one. In any event, it won\'t be cheap
Now that the row over MPs\' expenses has abated, time to count the cost. The damage to the political process. Reputations lost. And to that we now add the costs that were incurred in the process of obliterating the publicly released expenses with marker pen, the better to mislead the public. The redaction exercise itself cost £451,000, according to figures released to Dai Davies MP . That was the total in March, so it is, in fact, £451,000 and rising. But then, cover-ups don\'t come cheap.
Nine months now since François Barrault , once the free-spending boss of BT Global, left with a payoff of £2.8m despite his division being forced to write off more than £2bn. Nine long months, and yet the bills keep coming in. Last year, Barrault led what amounted to a temporary annexation of the fabulously opulent, reassuringly expensive MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas, with its pools and waterfalls and live displays of glass-encased lions. Sources say about 3,500 rooms were booked. Neil Armstrong, the astronaut, was the star turn, for BT would "go to the moon" for its customers. Geddit? Well, it seemed such a good plan and such a good time was had by all, that Barrault again block-booked the Grand for this year. But he has left now, as have 15,000 BT employees, victims of the downturn, and BT finds itself stuck with quite a few deposits for rooms it won\'t be requiring in one of the flashiest hotels in the world. Ahh, François. He is gone but not forgotten. Not forgotten at all.
So the BNP took their places in the European parliament but the excitement was obviously a bit too much for those who run the PR operation. "Recent hysterical media reports that BNP MEPs Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons had been barred from the Fabian O\'Farrell\'s public house outside the European parliament, have been denied by the bar\'s co-owner Jeremy Payne," said the party\'s website yesterday. And indeed the bar owner did appear to have struck a blow for truth. "As far as I am concerned, they can drink here as long as they abide by the same rules as everyone else," his quote said. So just who was spreading these lies? Could it have been Brons himself, "the victim of a bizarre incident on Tuesday evening that could have far reaching repercussions within the European parliament", according to his webpage. "While Nic,k Griffin attended a debate to see who would be the next president of the parliament, Andrew and a colleague popped into Fabian O\'Farrell\'s … for a bite to eat. To the amazement of everyone there, they were refused service," said his news bulletin. So many "lies". Now they are lying about themselves.
The socialists in the European parliament were also ready for a new beginning. They did badly in the European elections. Fresh start. New name. The Alliance of Socialists and Democrats for Europe seemed a bit unwieldy and thus they have re-emerged as the Socialists and Democrats. SAD or S&D, as it appears to spare the blushes. At least it isn\'t S&M.
Now then, will anyone speak up for Bob Ainsworth, the beleaguered defence secretary, who, after less than five minutes in the job, is roundly denounced for being a bit of a lightweight? He was the "least worst" option, said the Times yesterday. Ranked 21 out of 23 in the cabinet, it is said. Supporters insist that much of the criticism is misguided – and some of it attributable to snobbery – but we wonder how much of his problem stems from the fact that he is the only member of the cabinet with a moustache and that the commentators just don\'t like it. A "comedy moustache", said Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail. In some countries, moustaches are seen to indicate virility and machismo; indeed, policemen in Bangalore can claim 50 rupees a year to maintain them. Perhaps our disdain for General Bob\'s lip furniture says more about us than it does about him.
For more information, please visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/[...]th-barrault-griffin-dai-davies
