Layer 452 . . . World Book Week, Starkers, Soaking The Poor, Uniting Britain and Deficit Deniers

.
This week has been World Book Week.

http://www.worldbookday.com/about_world_book_day.asp

...............................................

"In the world of Agatha Christie everybody in vain, bitter, jealous and potentially murderous."

- Sue Perkins, 2011

Sounds about right. Sue Perkins, for those who don't know her, is brilliant.

........................

Talking of vain, bitter and potentially murderous - David Starkey (CBE) is a media whore. Most people have never heard of him, but all of a sudden he's all over the media like a rash. Following his catastrophic appearance in Jamie Oliver's new series - Dream School - Starkers has suddenly popped up on Question Time (BBC1) and Loose Ends (BBC Radio 4). Probably several other programmes as well, for all I know. Does the Beeb just love the man, or does it have an obligation to 'balance' its programmes with a token raving right-winger?

He's "an English constitutional historian, a radio and television presenter, and a specialist in the Tudor dynasty and Tudor period." Borrring! He's a posturing, prattish, over-opinionated, snobbish, twat - and desperate for recognition and acclaim.

 A lifelong Capricorn, Starkey was "educated at Kendal Grammar School . . .  despite suffering from two club feet, Starkey . . .  won a scholarship to Fitzwilliam College at the University of Cambridge, of which he is an Honorary Fellow. As a student at Cambridge, he came under the influence of Professor G.R. Elton." - Wikipedia

Geoffrey Elton was a staunch admirer of Thatcher and Churchill. He was also a fierce critic of Marxist historians . . .

Oh dear, David . . .

..............................................

How the rich soaked the rest of us

The astonishing story of the last few decades is a massive redistribution of wealth, as the rich have shifted the tax burden

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/mar/01/us-taxation-public-finance

...................................................

David Cameron is uniting Britain. Against him

As the coalition's scatter-gun assault on the commonweal continues, so too does the broadening of the protest movement

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/28/david-cameron-protest-movement

Despite failing to win a majority when up against a desperately unpopular prime minister, in only 10 months, the coalition government has achieved what seemed impossible, amid the isolated melancholia of a late capitalist downturn, and brought Britain close to a point of genuine national unity. Against them.

As their arbitrary, scatter-gun assault on the commonweal continues, they will push more and more groups into solidarity against them – for it is the transgressive word "solidarity" that has been 2011's rallying cry, from Wisconsin to Tahrir Square to Westminster Bridge. Already, David Cameron's government has managed to make us believe that it hates trees, children playing, children reading, poor children, vulnerable children, poor students, the poor in general, women, higher education, culture, young people, old people, poor people having somewhere to live, rich people having to pay fair taxes, the free assembly of peaceful protesters, the north, the environment, charities, disabled people, people having jobs, civic engagement, public safety, libraries, the National Health Service, public transport and all public services.

.................................................

"Who are you calling a deficit denier?"

Posted by Mehdi Hasan - 23 February 2011 12:21

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/mehdi-hasan/2011/02/ken-livingstone-progressive
.