Ann Widdecombe - 'a salsa the likes of which we will never see again'
As His Grace intimated last week, Ann Widdecombe is fast becoming a national treasure. She is known to be one of the most 'right-wing' politicians: a devout Roman Catholic who opposes abortion, has zero tolerance on cannabis, was against the repeal of Section 28 and is a climate-change sceptic.
And yet she is cheered to the rafters...
posted byArchbishop Cranmer at 3:35 PM Permalink
24 Comments:
Adolf Hitler was very popular in Germany, by all accounts, and he was also off his trolley.
There is one thing which His Grace fails to mention.
Miss Widdecombe is being given this platform (figuratively as well as literally) by the BBC.
Perhaps the corporation deserves more credit for its openness and neutrality than it is currently given by His Grace's fellow Conservatives?
Mr Gaites - unlike Hitler Ms Widdecombe hasn't plunged half the globe into war or killed millions of people. All she's done is piddle off the lefties. That puts her well ahead in the humanity stakes as far as I'm concerned.
;0)
Gnostic
Don't encourage me, Cranmer will not thank you for it.
She is still a crap dancer, and she is an embodiment of conservative values, ie How not to do things. "Here I am having ago, and don't you just love me even though I am making a complete hash of it".
But to be fair I do like her and it was cruel to make comparisons with such an evil entity. My point was that popularity is no real test.
"a devout Roman Catholic who opposes abortion, has zero tolerance on cannabis, was against the repeal of Section 28 and is a climate-change sceptic." = All things I can identify with.
Mr. Gaites, I agree on the popularity and dancing thing. She moves across the floor like an old tugboat shipping water. But then, she is getting on a bit...
:D
"She is known to be one of the most 'right-wing' politicians: a devout Roman Catholic who opposes abortion, has zero tolerance on cannabis, was against the repeal of Section 28 and is a climate-change sceptic"
There is general agreement that such people should leave the Salsa well alone; hence the ironic cheers at her performance. Welcome to the post-modern world, Your Grace.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14ywPDqWrHU this might amuse
When I saw her dance with Anton last night, I was reminded of Hyacinth and Ben Ali Gator in Walt Disney's Fantasia.
Acutally, Hyacinth the hippo is a better dancer.
"We shall never see again"?
Please God.
Your Grace,
I'm glad that you have returned from your hiatus. I cannot comment on this lady, as I'm not familiar with her. I could picture a younger Enoch Powell as a ballroom dancer though.
May Lord Mandy eat his heart out!
PS RMBruton @1808: "I could picture a younger Enoch Powell as a ballroom dancer though" - but Enoch had a career in British politics to worry about, didn't he?
I mean, the poor things nowadays can't just stare at eu directives all day, can they? Got to keep the show busy - and on the road...
BJ said: "Perhaps the corporation deserves more credit for its openness and neutrality than it is currently given by His Grace's fellow Conservatives?"
Maybe. Then again, maybe not - in light of elephants and rooms. If Your Grace can permit it, here's the link to a relevant Speccie cartoon...
http://www.spectator.co.uk/wit-and-wisdom/cartoons/
...stately as a galleon...
In case anybody of the younger generation is puzzled by my previous reference to the galleon:
http://monologues.co.uk/First_Ladies/Stately_as_a_Galleon.htm
She should have been speaker of the HOC.
She would have played by the rules and ensured all the others did too. Otherwise you would have incurred her displeasure, and you wouldn't do that twice!
Anne Widdecombe has the delightful ability to 'send herself up'and to laugh at herself and enjoy the joke.
She is not the greatest dancer , but who cares when she entertains so well!.
To see her take to the dance floor (more like a Galleon in full sail than a tugboat)) with Anton pirouetting around her is quite something !
There is nothing we British like more than politicians making a fool of themselves. I have not watched the show or even the clip but I imagine it could not compete with George Galaway’s antics on that other popular show. It is their huge egos, obsession with the limelight and complete lack of self awareness that allows them to be so crass.
She is principled. She is eccentric. Both traits are highly regarded by the British public. But that doesn't mean that every/anyone would necessarily agree with her views. That surely is the definition of the tolerance for which we are known. I don't agree with much of what she says but I think she is one of those people that makes the world a better place just by being in it. She is still a fruitbat, however adorable.
Sam Vega @ 16.29:
The cheers were far from being ''ironic'' - they were cheers of genuine delight!
Graham Davis @ 09.32:
It was neither ''crass'' or, a case of ''making a fool'' of herself; it was just jolly good fun!
Miss Widdecombe continues to delight, is all.
Oswin
Delight that Ms. Widdecombe's performance embodies all the usual terpsichorean virtues? I don't somehow think so. People do not cheer as loud or with the same tone when watching Ginger Rogers. This was a bit like Johnson's dog walking on its hind legs. Perhaps literally as well as figuratively. I'll settle for "ironic delight".
Sam Vega
Settle for what you will, but are still quite wrong.
Oswin,
Ah, yes, I can see that I am now. You are far too persuasive for me. You seem to have some kind of a gift for this sort of thing...
Sam - I knew, given time, you'd grasp the true concept of irony...
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