There’s something unusually unsavoury about the pursuit of Gordon Brown over his letter to Guardsman Jamie Janes’ Mum, Jacqui. A man of great moral strengths and some human weaknesses he’s the first to accept, he spends what must be an enormous amount of time over service casualties. He feels the personal responsibility as deeply as any leader and no-one who’s spoken to him about it can reasonably doubt that. He writes personally, heartfelt, in what he knows is his own poor handwriting borne, as everyone knows, of poor eyesight, to every family affected. That’s a good thing, right?
Jacqui Janes has literally every right to say whatever she likes, expressing whatever emotions most of us can only imagine she feels, and her views deserve respect. She’s special, and so are all like her.
But the rest of us aren’t. The hounding of a man of manifestly good intent, the raising of handwriting over decent human concern, seems to me primarly about the wicked manipulation of decent people by thouroughly un-decent ones. This is what it boils down to – “let’s exploit GB’s poor handwriting to insinuate that he doesn’t care; it’s isn’t true, but it serves our interests”.
I don’t blame the Sun or any other news agency, to tell you the truth. It’s just the way it is – it’s ‘news’. They’re professionals and they know what gets headlines, sales and advertisers. But behind the papers, there are others. And we know who they are, of course.
I think most decent folk will see this all for what it is.
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I’ve said similar. This isn’t the sort of thing anyone should try to make into a political story.
Gordon Brown knows what it’s like to lose a child and has personal experience of how personal letters sustained him and Sarah at that time and I expect that he’s completely gutted to have caused offence. The word mortified emanating from No 10 probably won’t do his feelings justice.
Maybe I’m being too soft, but I have huge sympathy for everyone involved in this. Obviously for Mrs Janes, but also for the person who made the error in the first place. We are only human, after all.
I can’t help but agree. This is just professional sneering and not decent politics.
The same is true of the ‘not bowing at the cenotaph’ outrage. Brown was happy to cock a snook at the Mansion House when he wore his brown suit as Chancellor. This wouldn’t even be in a different league; it would be a wholly different (and dangerous) game. And who would be cheering him..?
There are proper and hefty points to be made about Labour’s wars and the support of the military. But handwriting? Heaven help us all in that case… Q
Gordon Brown knows what it’s like to lose a child weeks old Caron. He has no concept of the pain of losing a child you brought up into adulthood, as yet. Big difference I’m sure you’ll agree.
The very least he can do is write the family a letter, the very least. Military families are seldom publicly vocal and when they are they seldom criticise the government.
That’s been a boon to this government. The one who sent our troops off to a war started on lies and now have thousands in another land and they have produced such pathetic reasons for it. The real reason is Gordon Brown wants to be everyone’s pal, especially America’s.
Eric, Gordon Brown may have ‘great moral strengths’ in your opinion, but he’s certainly not got more than the mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers of anyone in the military. Thousands live in the fear of the knock on the door every day – and night.
If he was such a man of morals, he would admit we shouldn’t be in Afghanistan and plan a withdrawal within 2/3 years.
We’re playing a game over there and there are no goalposts because the so called friendly side keeps selling them to the enemy. You should know that Eric, surely you still have contacts in the army.
As for this mother it’s all quite sad. I’m quite sure she didn’t expect the Sun to use her in this way.