Bob Crow: Good riddance to bad (political) rubbish

I add the word 'political' because I know nothing of Bob Crow the private man.  The Mail reports that he had been married with three children before taking up with another lady with whom he was in a steady relationship.  So, as a private man he might well have been a loving father, if not a loving husband, and perhaps also a good and generous friend, I simply do not know and so, given his sudden death at the age of 52, I shall confine my remarks to his public persona.

As a trade union leader he was an unmitigated political thug whose hypocrisy was only exceeded by his waistline which, fed on the very finest cuisine from the top restaurants of London, was fairly immense.  The fact that he gorged so regularly at 5-star eateries in the West End, inbetween exotic foreign holidays to the world's most expensive tourist spots,  whilst remaining a convinced Marxist-Leninist is an indication to me that his love of self far exceeded his love for 'The People'.  To be fair, which I am not inclined to be given that Bob Crow would have had difficulty spelling the word, he used the industrial muscle of his tube-train drivers to hold various governments, and the workers of London, to ransom and drive their wages (now at around £50k a year!) to heights never before dreamed of for the simpleton's job of driving a tube train!  As a result, this, er, 'horny-handed son of the soil', drove his own wages up close to £150k a year whilst living in a subsidised council property paid for by other workers through their taxes.

So, good riddance, Bob Crow, and as you probably died at the young age of fifty-two of an aneurysm brought about by rich living then they can carve these words on your grave stone:

        "He got what he deserved"!

 

Comments

[Decnine]

Our eternal judge said, "Judge not, for as you judge so shall you be judged".

On hearing of Margaret Thatcher's death, Mr Crow said, "May she rot in hell".

[David Duff]

Quite so, Decnine, "Measure for Measure"! Whatever else "that woman" stands accused of, it was not hypocrisy.

[AussieD]

Union officials appear to be the same the world over. Down here we have two just convicted of stealing from their members and a Royal Commission about to start into Union corruption. Should make for fascinating reading as it progresses.

Committed Marxist-Leninist "leaders" have to live in luxury Duffers so that they get first hand experience of the things they rail about in condemning the "capitalist swine" who subjugate the poor workers. I mean how else would they know about those evils?

[dearieme]

He appointed his wife head of his union's Credit Union. Snouts in troughs, eh?

[Antisthenes]

"living in a subsidised council property"

To me council houses rents should be set at normal market rates and discounted according to the ability of the renter to pay them (means tested). As it stands it is far to open to abuse and often is.

This was a man who was a political dinosaur like so many of those others who are of a politically left persuasion socialists, eco loons and the like. It seems to me that left thinking has become so dominant because it so easily appeals to those who are of an emotional disposition and are non rational and objective thinkers. Right wing views need the ability to grasp abstract concepts and a reasonable understanding of causes and effects from actions that although appear to be from good intentions are far from it as the outcomes are not going to be that intended and the consequences damaging and counter productive. The majority of us have limited intellect and are short term-ists so will never accept that left thinking leads eventually to impoverishment socially, economically and to the loss of civil liberties.

[jimmy glesga]

Bob Crow was a London East Ender and a Millwall supporter.
I am sure the right wing will be happy with his death. He was probably the best negotiating trade unionist in decades and inspired his members not to be scared of the bosses.
Hopefully other weak trade union leaders will be inspired by him.

[David Duff]

Not just the "right wing", Jimmy, but most London **workers**, you know, those people trying hard to earn a crust and keep their homes and families together and who utterly rely on the Tube for transport. If you mean that blagging them is the sign of "the best trade unionist in decades", and if you think that encouraging "weak trade union leaders" to do their best to bash other workers then you have a very odd definition of 'workers' solidarity', Jimmy.

[Laban Tall]

50K a year is probably what you need to live on in London - and that's buying a house in the outermost suburbs. Anyone on less than 30K is being heavily taxpayer-subsidised via tax and housing credits.

Bob did a very good job for his members, and that's what he was paid to do.

Don't you remember when Norman Tebbit was senior in BALPA, the pilot's union? Full many a time he'd be on the news explaining why no one was leaving Heathrow over Easter. Back in 60s.

Bob Crow was in that mode.

[David Duff]

Hello, Laban, and you are quite right, Crowe did do a good job for his members but he did it at the expense of other workers whilst, at the same time, espousing the cause of Marxist-Socialism in which workers' unity is considered all-important. At least Tebbit never went in for that sort of humbuggery!

And, Crowe's political philosophy was entirely malignant for everyone, apart from the chosen commissars, who might have had the misfortune to live under it. Thank God, that like Scargill, he never made it to a position of real power.

[jimmy glesga]

The point I was making David is Bob Crow was a good representative for his members and kept their pay and conditions secure. That is what they paid him to do and he dunnit.