Ticking the boxes

Sometimes when engaging in her morning Google Reader ritual, Westmonster stumbles across an article so predictable, she is left to moan "I could have written that myself!" We don't mean the weekly "ohmigod, like, this Facebook thingy is, like, sooooooo spaced out!" offerings by the generic Fruity Blonde One in the Sundays, but actual news pieces reporting on actual current events.

Take this tick-all-the boxes offering from the Times on the possible extension of the 28 day detention limit for example. We have:

þ Government Minister calling for "national debate"

In this case it's Geoff Hoon calling for this - a rough translation of which seems to be: "we know that this proposal is slightly less popular than nuking the Isle of Wight amongst the people with Not In My Name stickers on their car windscreens, so we'll mutter about national debates until people get used to the idea it's going to happen, slip it in the Queen's Speech and hope to God that nobody criticises us too much."

þ Shami Chakrabarti

The kohl-eyed darling of Question Time audiences can always be relied on to provide an assmble-them-yourselves opinion on liberty! The Government's turning into a police state! George Orwell! Survelliance!

It doesn't matter whether MPs are discussing bringing in the Abolition of Democracy Bill or the Northern Ireland (Thickness of Windows in Public Buildings) Order, you can count on Shami to come up with the same lines.

þ Bloke from the Police

"What? More powers? WOOHOO! Bring it on baby! Yee-hah! Er, I mean, obviously a full debate will have to be undertaken in the country...full and frank exchange of views..."

Everyone sticks to the script so admirably, it's hard to see why anyone bothers interviewing anybody anymore.

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 22 Oct 2007 10:00 AM. Permalink