tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post5836585752509393953..comments2024-03-08T15:43:20.236+00:00Comments on Keynesian Liberal: Gordon Brown's "bigot" Gaffe.Peter Wrigleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-42460482591455358672010-04-30T17:26:56.278+01:002010-04-30T17:26:56.278+01:00I agree with you about the dominance of the soundb...I agree with you about the dominance of the soundbite, and there is also the necessity for "gimmicks" in order achieve publicity. <br />Even back in the "good old days" of the 1970s, as a local candidate, I found it impossible to get a reasoned argument reported by the Birstall News or Morley Observern never mind the regional press. They would report only gimmicks, coupled, if possible with a photo-opportunity. Today I believe you even have to provide your own photographs.<br /><br />Nick Clegg had a perfectly good argument on legitimising "well behaved" migrants who have already been here for a long period, but this was ridiculed. What he failed to point out, which is unfortunate, is the hypocrisy of the other two, in that, during the past 20 years both Conservative and Labour home secretaries have allowed what were effectively the amnesties we are suggesting now. In fact, I believe that even under existing practice illegal migrants are legitimised after 14 years, so all we are suggesting is that the qualifying period be reduced by four year.If even such a simple point cannot be effectively made, what chance is there for putting forward the case for migrants?Peter Wrigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-76521947637427249522010-04-30T13:32:01.867+01:002010-04-30T13:32:01.867+01:00On 3 it strikes me too that the party debate is so...On 3 it strikes me too that the party debate is so tightly constrained within the limits set by the prevailing media narrative and domination of the sound-bite. Attempts to broaden the debate even a little - such as the LD ideas for an amnesty for long-term illegal immigrants - are relentlessly attacked not on substance but for a supposed failure to 'get real'. Inevitably politicians play safe offering inoffensive platitudes such as the banalities in last night's debate about resurrecting manufacturing industry 'like the good old days in Birmingham'. Attempts to go beyond the strict limits modestly by the LDs or more fundamentally by the Greens are simply rubbished or ignored. Is it just my impression or has this got much worse in the past couple of decades as image has replaced a real exchange of ideas?Jaimehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16106307451408203689noreply@blogger.com