Now that the froth and furore has subsided apart from rumblings, predictably in The Sun, over what I called Mitchellgate may I present an overview of this overblown and over-the-top story seized on by the media in general, and the BBC im particular, who wasted no time in launching their heavyweight big guns, notably Robinson, Donoghue, and Langdalein a veritable tirade against Mr Mitchell over his use of a single word, to which I shall refer to below.
The BBC devoted its entire news network that nay, at night on the prestigious Newsnight programme consisted almost entirely of interviews with an array 0f political pundits, the usual suspects including the inevitable Labour spokesperson who, without a scrap of proven evidence, called for the resignation or dismissal.
So, for a few days it rumbled on with both sides entrenched, with the Prime Minister, David Cameron staunchly defending his Chief Whip.
And what lay at the heart of all the froth and passion? A single half-word -PLEB.
Now I don't know about you, but I have lived for 90 years never seeing the word and certainly not hearing it uttered in public.
I am aware that it is shortened version of plebeian, a Roman word meaning a commoner.
The House of Commons itself is peopled with Commoners, but there is not a hint of objection, so how can pleb become an epithet?
Truly a toxic storm in a teacup. I can do no better than to paraphrase great speech thus:
Never in the field of human rhetoric has such tripe been uttered by so many to so little purpose.
Yours Sincerely,
Phil Green
El Toro
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