Bang 'em up! Er, the Police Chiefs, that is!

Or at least, shut them up!  They are behaving exactly the same as our senior officers in the armed services, mouthing off at the prime minister but lacking the moral guts to start by resigning.  Cameron, for all his myraid faults is the prime minister of our country, an office which gives him ultimate authority, and he was put there by the choice of the electorate.  If he fails to discharge his duty properly we will all have the opportunity to turf him out.  We have no such chance with these jacks-in-office who parade up and down after the event telling us all what an excellent job they did despite the evidence of our own eyes, or at least, our own TV screens.  They want the best of all possible words, to swank around with their silver braid, slagging off the prime minister whilst they remain in their over-paid jobs quietly ticking off the months in the calender before they collect their grossly swollen pensions.  I would remind them that if the PM wishes to reprimand them that is his prerogative.  If they feel strongly enough to disagree then the honourable course is to resign first and then speak their mind.  It has been increasingly clear for the past few decades that the police forces in this country are not fit for purpose.  It's not entirely their fault but their spineless leadership has to bear much of the responsibility.  Personally, I would like to see all Chief Constables chosen by election and thereby forced to stand on the record and reputation of the force they lead.  And, no, I'm not holding my breath, thank you for asking!

 

Comments

[dearieme]

This might interest you, Duffers.
"Otto Von Bismarck is one of the more arresting figures of the nineteenth century, who dominated continental politics and was a driving force behind German unification. Cambridge academic Jonathan Steinberg's fabulous Samuel Johnson Prize shortlisted biography offers a fresh perspective on the Iron Chancellor through the eyes of his secretaries, his old friends, his neighbours, his enemies and the press. “Steinberg has given us a major biography of the figure who placed his stamp onthose events. This is the best one-volume life of Bismarck in English, much superior to older works by Alan Palmer and Edward Crankshaw. It brings us close
to this galvanic, contradictory and ultimately self-destructive figure.”

The author is going to talk about the book at Topping's bookshop in Ely. I mention it to you because Topping's other branch is in Bath - within a reasonable distance for you? You might like to check whether he plans to talk there too.

[David Duff]

Thanks, DM, I've been reading the reviews of that book which seems to summarise the pluses and minuses of Bismarck's career. I have Crankshaw's biography and given the teetering pile of waiting-to-be-read books I dare not buy another one. What a dreadful old Prussian bully he was, but what a genius in some respects.