Alistair Campbell: Football Blogger

[liadnan]

The introductory paragraph above the fold seems to amount to little more than Women! Know Your Place.

What an offensive shit the man is. And this on the labour party website, as part of "Labour's 2006 World Cup Blog" (why, anyway?). "Views expressed in this blog and in the comments are the views of the individuals and are not those of the Labour Party. The Labour Party takes no responsibility for comments posted on this site." My arse. I'd like to see them try and escape liability via that disclaimer if he wrote something defamatory.

For the record, incidentally, I know nothing about football and care less, and no the World Cup isn't going to change that.

Comments

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

My arse. I'd like to see them try and..

You do make me smile :o)

For the record, incidentally, I know nothing about football and care less, and no the World Cup isn't going to change that.

Hear hear!

[aliandrik.livejournal.com]

I have to say, I'm pretty chuffed to be spending the world cup period in a country with absolutely no interest in it. I've literally not heard a single thing about it.

We could probably fit another person and luggage in the back of the car for the next 4 weeks....

[hano.livejournal.com]

I'm on the next plane. Where exactly are you guys right now?

[liadnan]

You have no idea how tempting that is. Actually, I was thinking of going away.

[gmh.livejournal.com]

Couldn't resist a quick dig;

"So, obviously, you feel that people shouldn't venture an opinion in the public sphere unless they've got some form of demonstrable qualified interest in the relevant subject?

I'd be interested to know how broad your own knowledge is on the subject of weapons of mass destruction."

Of course, I doubt it'll get through moderation.

[liadnan]

See now Tim Ireland: http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2006/06/speechless_1.asp
Chicken Yoghurt: http://www.chickyog.net/2006/06/09/campbells-end/
The BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5064360.stm
and Marina Hyde on the Guardian: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/worldcup06/2006/06/09/campbells_on_a_different_plane.html

As Chicken Yoghurt points out, it's interesting to notice that Campbell is actually really not a very good writer, and not exactly subtle.

[hano.livejournal.com]

What is this 'football' of which you speak?
And yes, Campbell is an odious little shit, there was something deeply symbolic in that third rate hack porn writer, speaking for the govt.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

I'm just curious, but if you don't like/aren't interested in football, why did you waste your time reading Campbell's piece in the first place?

Still, completely agree - why does the Labour Party need a football blog? (Must be votes somewhere... Like Dunfermline?!)

[liadnan]

Because it was flagged up on the Sharpener contributors email list. And I read lots of things I strongly disagree with anyway, life would be a little boring if not. As for the idea, "ah, it's all a bit of fun, just a football blog" espoused by some of the commentators: no, it isn't, not if he's going to come out with crap like:
"These days the Government doesn't seem to get the credit for a strong economy, new schools and more money for hospitals so there seems little point imagining football success will be seen as anything other than another failure for Blair in the eyes of our increasingly demented media." and a lot of cringeworthy hagiography of Blair in it. Can't have it both ways.