FRONT PAGE SPORT

The title of this short piece is a phrase used by a lecturer in politics many years ago. He was a bit of a cynic. He was active in the local Labour Party and eventually became Leader of the local authority Council. On the other hand he had no illusions about the game he was playing. ‘Front page sport’ reflects on the way in which the mainstream media report on politics. It is also a criticism of the way in which so many political activists behave.

Once in a while though journalists and their editors can’t help allowing the gravity of a particular situation to show through. In Britain today we are facing severe economic difficulties as well as other problems. The news media can’t help blaming the present government – it’s just how they work. Unfortunately for the writers however, the opposition party has more or less admitted that it would have no choice but to follow the fiscal policies of the present government.

This is also what happened in 1997, the year in which Blair’s ‘New Labour’ triumphed over a tired Conservative government. This time however Labour have nothing to offer but a tedious relic of the Blair era. Their leader appears to be a decent sort of chap. On the other hand he’s not what the news hounds like to celebrate as the answer to all our problems. Oddly enough for an experienced politician he just doesn’t seem to get it. Just like our present Prime Minister he doesn’t behave like a top sports personality. All the journalists can do is to portray both of them as equally worthy, equally dull.