After the brief and not at all warm glow generated by Theresa May’s display of grovelling to the Combover Crybaby Donald Trump was eclipsed by fallout from the new President’s draconian - and most likely unconstitutional - travel ban, there was a need for loyal newspapers to talk down the ban - and what better way than to suggest that Britain, as a result of the grovelling, was in line for a favourable post-Brexit trade deal?
So it was that the Murdoch goons at the Super Soaraway Currant Bun set to work, with today’s front page screaming “Look over there” at the travails of a lottery winner, with only a cursory item on the travel ban, spun expertly with the claim “BoJo in US win for Mo”, which was not true. There has been no change in the Executive Order at the root of the travel ban ruckus, only a “clarification” which is yet to be tested at the US Border.
Still, job done - and the happy talk continued with today’s editorial, which proclaims “Theresa May’s cautious response to Donald Trump’s ban means she’s better placed to secure a US trade deal”. Readers are warned against “keyboard warriors” and “virtue signallers”. “Theresa May’s visit to Washington DC has established a special relationship with the new President that we’re confident will be to the long-term benefit of both nations” is the approving conclusion. And there is a Real Pundit (tm) to back this up.
Faithful Murdoch retainer Trevor Kavanagh - that means his shameless propaganda has Creepy Uncle Rupe’s blessing - has opined “Donald Trump’s fascination with the UK is a real helping hand for Theresa May’s trade ambitions … Never mind the protests - Brits should be basking in our unexpected good fortune as the most powerful man in the world declares his love for our country”. Ah, those sunlit uplands once more.
The imbibing of the Kool-Aid continues: “THE world may be worried about Donald Trump’s shock-jock presidential style but we in Britain can only bask in our unexpected good fortune … a new American President is taking our Prime Minister by the hand, declaring his love for all things British and almost pleading with us to sign an historic deal on trade and jobs”. And to that I call bullshit. Trump is doing no such thing.
We can get an idea just what The Donald is really thinking, and what influence he actually has on any trade deal, by checking out the Rogue POTUS Staff Twitter feed (no wonder that Murdoch VP Louise Mensch was so keen to rubbish its veracity), which put Trump’s response directly: “POTUS was dismissive of PM May. ‘I hope she'll like us, but she doesn't have much to offer’”. And there was more bad news for the Murdoch team.
“Assessment is that a post Brexit PM May needs POTUS more than POTUS needs her. ‘She does what we want, or we go somewhere else’”. And, as for Trump being the one who wields the power, “Overheard through locked door: ‘Don't they know I'm the f--- President!?’ POTUS displeased at resistance”. Oh dear, Murdoch cheerleaders!
The reality is that the Murdoch press is fraudulently giving its readers a world view which does not exist. Theresa May is a weak and indecisive control freak, Donald Trump is not going to give her a special trade deal, and the sooner we realise that, the better.
Murdoch and his minions are playing on British delusion of grandeur. Ignore the SOBs.
Interesting that it is reported that May says she will override the will of the people in the national interest regarding the proposed Trump invitation to visit yet would not do so if it is found that Brexit would not be in the national, presumably Little England's interest.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet there has been no convincing evidence that the UK or even Little England will be any better of outside the EU except for the ill conceived notion of "we have control".
I'll think I'll leave that one there.
The only thing "special" about the UK "special relationship" with the USA is the level of embarrassing, cringe worthy hypocrisy of it all.
ReplyDeleteEveryone else in the world recognises and laughs at the sight of UK prime ministers acting as though they carry any weight whatever in Washington. The moment they step out of line they get villified, as was Harold Wilson when he stayed out of Vietnam.
If you want to see prime ministers lose any semblance of personal - let alone national - respectability and pride just watch on YouTube Thatcher and Blair licking the arse of Congress. Corner shop Treezer's hand holding with Loony Trump is merely the most recent low.
The rest of the world laughs at the UK. It's only the Little Englanders who don't know it.