What a week it’s been, apologies left, right and centre but no one actually taking any responsibility

What a week it’s been, apologies left, right and centre but no one actually taking any responsibility | Reuters

Humphrey CarterPalma17/01/2022 09:34
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Elton John’s hit song “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” was released in 1976 is a mournful ballad about a romantic relationship which is falling apart. Bernie Taupin, who co-wrote the song said: “It’s a pretty simple idea, but one that I think everyone can relate to at one point or another in their life.

That whole idealistic feeling people get when they want to save something from dying when they basically know deep down inside that it’s already dead. It’s that heartbreaking, sickening part of love that you wouldn’t wish on anyone if you didn’t know that it’s inevitable that they’re going to experience it one day.”

And this week, decades on, we’ve seen two leading lights of politics and sport finally say sorry, but to then do very little about it. In fact both Boris and Novak have carried on fighting in the face of mounting opposition and disgust at their behaviour.

The only person not to have publicly apologised this week has been Prince Andrew, although no doubt he’s been keeping his head down for a long time in the company of the rest of his family, not least his mother, the Queen. And who knows, perhaps his time to make a public statement may come, I only hope he does a better job than he did when he gave his big interview to the BBC.

Surely, if one apologises it is an admission of guilt, you are putting your hands up and saying it’s a fair cop, I did it, I’m sorry and therefore there should be consequences. It’s not a case of behaving like Bart Simpson and simply saying sorry, but it was not my fault so I shall carry on as usual.