I’d like to point out that sometimes his whole approach is inexplicable and indefensible. For example, when he attacked Barry Gardiner yesterday, many of Gardiner’s fans thought their man had come away from the encounter as the winner.
On that occasion, Andrew Neil provoked Gardiner into revealing the inner ‘Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ that lurks beneath that softly spoken ‘patiently explaining things to children’ exterior that many of us find deeply patronising and grating.
In other words, Gardner was forced into no-holds-barred attack-mode in a desperate attempt to make headway. What I’m saying is - Andrew Neil came across as a bully. Hey, one might say, he is indeed a bully but he’s our bully.
But wait!
A bully is a bully, and sometimes bullying is the only way to counter bullying from the opposition. But if you bully for the sake of it, or for the lack of a substantial case for the prosecution, which it now seems to be what Andrew Neil is doing, it’s - what’s the term? Let’s say ‘unbecoming’.
“How many complaints of Islamophobia by Tory Party members have you had? How many members have been expelled?”@afneil— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) November 27, 2019
Conservative Robert Buckland says “record shows we have been taking swift and immediate action” but has no figures#andrewneilshow https://t.co/pN5DcsckS6 pic.twitter.com/HnmQsm5Kte
If Andrew Neil really equates Islamophobia with antisemitism then he’s a fool, but if he’s merely going the extra mile to demonstrate his scrupulous impartiality, he’s chosen the wrong weapon. Islamophobia is not racism.
Let’s be frank. You can’t explain away antisemitism by claiming it’s ‘simply because Israel’. These people don’t hate Jews because ‘Israel’. The very opposite. They hate Israel because ‘Jews’.
so-called Islamophobes fear Islam, the religion / ideology. Within the religion of Islam, there’s a core of anti-Jewish racism, which is the root of anti-Zionism. That is the reason for the Arabs’ stubborn, self-harming, rejectionist position.
On the other side, Antisemites know next to nowt about Judaism the religion. It’s the perceived characteristics of Jews (as a people) they vilify. Greedy Jews. The fabrication The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion. Etc., etc.
Remember the way Andrew Neil disparaged Tommy Robinson? Little or no argument was employed. There’s no need to engage with any argument your victim might put forward when public opinion is behind you; you can rely on pure bullying while the public cheers you on.
Cornering Robert Buckland and forcing him onto the back foot was like slowly pulling the legs off a spider. Presenting your victim with a false equivalence as a starting point was, in this case, tantamount to defending a blasphemy law. This tactic, based on Baroness Warsi’s ludicrous demands, has crept into public discourse by stealth and is spurred on with the assistance of Andrew Neil’s egotistical drive to become Mr Impartiality.
“I’d defend the devil to show what a clever fellow I am” might be his motto. A shame.
Update: "Our bully"
Update: "Our bully"
The Shadow Justice Minister @RichardBurgon should have been expelled from @UKLabour when this video emerged. Instead he continues as a prominent pro-Corbyn spokesperson.— Euan Philipps (@EuanPhilipps) November 29, 2019
Claims that anti-Jewish racism is being dealt with are #LabourLies.#NeverCorbyn #GE19pic.twitter.com/T0iE1USXNI
