Why is it that I am perpetually beaten to the post? Just as a half-formed thought, usually a sort of mental burp, really, enters my noodle I think to myself, that might make a decent post on the blog. But when I eventually get round to it, usually several days if not weeks later, I find that everyone and his uncle has already said what I wished to say. Today, half watching an appalling PMQs, I suddenly remembered that the last time I had seen 'Dim' Dave's chubby-smug chops on my 'telly' it was when he was standing next to that rather lovely and very courageous Burmese lady, basking in her reflected glory. At the time, she looked vaguely embarrased by his complete and obvious lack of any glory whatsoever! Later on there were shots of him hobnobbing with sundry eastern potentates and we were assured by the 'smelly socks brigade' who accompanied him that Dave was out there roughing it in various presidential palaces as he sold 'Great Britain plc.'
My immediate thought was that Dave couldn't sell a heater to an eskimo! The wretched man has never held down a proper job in all his life, let alone a seriously difficult and demanding one like selling. My second thought was that a proper prime minister of Great Britain should not be involved in flogging various bits and pieces produced by what is laughingly known these days as 'British industry'. That task, after all, is the job of the companies concerned. They have a British embassy to assist with whatever British embassies actually do, and in the very last resort, God help them, they can always call on the services of a Trade minister who will, I'm sure, do everything of which he is capable - do stop sniggering at the back!
Anyway, before I get round to writing, up pops Fraser Nelson at The Coffee House and says more or less the same thing! Except that he actually backs it up with reports and results from various studies - swot! - such as:
A Canadian study into the visits of Stephen Harper’s government (pdf) showed that – for all the hubris and politicians’ vanity – they did squat for trade. They just took businessmen to sign deals that had been agreed already. [My emphasis] They are great lobbying opportunities for the businessmen, and they help the politician pose as the friend of business. But evidence of them helping exports? 'Small, negative and mainly insignificant effects'.
In other words, these ego trips are simply a means of escaping for a while the muck and bullets in Westminster and hopefully garnering a few good, but meaningless, headlines.
PS: Still waiting for TypePad to explain why the 'font size' control has disappeared so until then you will have to peer closely, I'm afraid, but try not to 'huff up' your screen! (19/4: fixed!)
While they are signing the rendition deals, they might as well rubber stamp a few commercial contracts as well.
Posted by: Whyaxye | Wednesday, 18 April 2012 at 19:31