[Update at end of post]
Most of those watching the drama of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest unfold took the twists and turns of the buildup, the performances, and the voting in good spirits. One should never take Eurovision too seriously. But the eternal politics of the vote got to one viewer, and in doing so, exposed his political party as still being home to racist bigots all those decades after the impression was given their act had been cleaned up.
Most of those watching the drama of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest unfold took the twists and turns of the buildup, the performances, and the voting in good spirits. One should never take Eurovision too seriously. But the eternal politics of the vote got to one viewer, and in doing so, exposed his political party as still being home to racist bigots all those decades after the impression was given their act had been cleaned up.
We have heard a lot recently about how the Labour Party allegedly became suddenly anti-Semitic in the months between the 2015 General Election, and Jeremy Corbyn winning the leadership. Many right-leaning sources have been particularly righteous on the subject. But nothing about Tory racism, which was always there under the surface, and burst into the open after the Irish jury failed to award the United Kingdom any points.
Nick Harrington, a Councillor on Warwick Distrct Council, took to Twitter to rant “thanks Ireland. You can keep your f***ing gypsies! Hard border coming folks!” His account was later deleted, and he has since been suspended by the Council. But here two problems enter: one, his status does not merely extend to sitting as a Councillor, and two, this is not the first, and certainly not the worst, racist outburst from him.
Harrington’s vicious racism was picked up on by former world and Olympic 400 metre champion Christine Ohuruogu, who has also been on the receiving end of this particular Tory’s version of humour. Yesterday afternoon, she Tweeted “Someone just sent me this posted by Tory Councillor Nick Harrington who was sacked last night following racist comments. #nothisfirsttime”. What did the accompanying photos show?
Harrington had, it seems, been involved in making what he called a “scarecrow”. Except it was a scarecrow with a not at all subtle black face, clothed to look like an athlete. The upstanding Tory Councillor declared that this was “The Harrington-Stanton Scarecrow Competition entry!” And, after one respondent had suggested the figure might not be “politically correct”, he added “I said it looked like Christine Ohuruogu!”
At least he spelled her name correctly. But a Councillor, whatever their political stripe - it’s highly doubtful even the Kippers would come out with something like this - has a responsibility to his or her community to represent them without fear or favour - or any form of bigotry. The Tories on Warwick District Council should not merely suspend Harrington, he should be expelled from the party. Especially given his status.
Nick Harrington also sits as a magistrate. Have a think about that. Imagine anyone who is not white, does not have English as their first language, or does not hold a British passport, coming up before the likes of him. Right now, lawyers around the West Midlands will be looking up old cases where Harrington was involved in the dispensing of justice. And the most screamingly obvious question will keep on being asked.
How on earth did he get to be a magistrate? And how on earth has the Tory Party not done anything about him already (the Christine Ohuruogu Tweets were from September last year)? Elective office and upholding the law should not even go near people like that.
The Tory Party is once again exposed as The Nasty Party. No surprise there, then.
[UPDATE 1935 hours: Nick Harrington has now resigned as a magistrate. As the BBC has reported, "A spokesman for the Judicial Office said Nick Harrington had resigned with immediate effect".
At least the local bench will be spared his unreconstructed rantings]
[UPDATE 1935 hours: Nick Harrington has now resigned as a magistrate. As the BBC has reported, "A spokesman for the Judicial Office said Nick Harrington had resigned with immediate effect".
At least the local bench will be spared his unreconstructed rantings]
6 comments:
The Coventry Telegraph reports that Harrington's tweet is now being investigated by the police.
Well worth having a look at the Daily Mirror website, where one of our local MPs - James Heappey - features. Invited to speak at a school, he asked a (Scottish) pupil how she'd vote in an independence referendum. She said 'Yes', and he told her to 'Fuck off back to Scotland'. All the usual 'apologies' followed.
Charming. Must have have taking lessons from the neighbouring Ian Liddell Grainger, an equally delightful waste of space.
In the screenshot of Christine Ohuruogu's tweet it shows Harrington responding to a tweet by someone called Mackenzie who is clearly amused. It couldn't be, could it?
Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't there a politician a few years back who made a speech at the Conservative Party conference about the dangers of the party being perceived as the "nasty" party? What prescience!!!
Harrington's behaviour is merely the tip of the grubby racist iceberg.
Anybody who has taken the time to consult history will see the British establishment has always hated the Irish for their sense of independence. Which is why the Northern Ireland "problem" is so tragic. The Unionists/Protestants simply cannot see how they have been used ever since the Plantations era - now they are an Irish irritant and inconvenience. But British brutality there is a matter of public record, as it is elsewhere in the defunct Empire.
Similar feelings are the visceral reasons for existence of the SNP and Plaid Cymru. Which also partly explains the reasons for their steady advancement despite establishment efforts to bury history. It also partly explains why the British economy has been deliberately concentrated around London.
Harrington is just one of the tiny, crumbling cogs as the "British" machine flies apart. With morons like him around there is no prospect it can ever be rebuilt. Given the social and geographic divisions deliberately created by the Tories, New Labour and LibDems, why be surprised?
Media haters like Paul Dacre, Tony Gallagher and Kelvin Mackenzie are logical outcomes, not an aberration. The situation is even worse in political "leadership" because it is much more hypocritical.
The Irish are just one target. There are many others......Do you want a list?
There are quite a few comments in both the online reports of this story in the Fail and the S*N supporting this racist idiot. Shows how much we still have to progress in this country.
Post a Comment