We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.
Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]
|
The Mandelson from the Ministry As befits his role as grand pyjama person of external trade, Peter Mandelson has paid great attention to his image and position. There are a whole series of photographs of Peter meeting other responsible dignitaries as he promotes the European interest throughout the world. The jolly capers with the Chinese Minister of Commerce, Bo Xilai, are especially heartwarming.
Peter makes great play of his distinguished career at Westminster, detailing the achievements of his tenure at Trade and Industry and Northern Ireland. A mere snippet suffices…
In 1999 Peter Mandelson was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Between 1999 and 2001 he negotiated the creation of Northern Ireland’s power sharing government and the IRA’s announcement that they planned to put their arms beyond use. He also introduced the radical overhaul of the police service in Northern Ireland.
A mere bagatelle of an omission and I am sure that it is unintentionally overlooked. But didn’t he resign a couple of times?
|
Who Are We? The Samizdata people are a bunch of sinister and heavily armed globalist illuminati who seek to infect the entire world with the values of personal liberty and several property. Amongst our many crimes is a sense of humour and the intermittent use of British spelling.
We are also a varied group made up of social individualists, classical liberals, whigs, libertarians, extropians, futurists, ‘Porcupines’, Karl Popper fetishists, recovering neo-conservatives, crazed Ayn Rand worshipers, over-caffeinated Virginia Postrel devotees, witty Frédéric Bastiat wannabes, cypherpunks, minarchists, kritarchists and wild-eyed anarcho-capitalists from Britain, North America, Australia and Europe.
|
Not during the period referred to in the snippet, no.
EG
What’s a “grand pylama person”? I read it as a grand pyjama person and thought, gosh, how frank.
Pylama corrected, and Euan, Peter Mandelson resigned on the 24th January 2001, which is within the period mentioned.
If Mandelson wishes to profile what he considers his political achievements in public, then surely the resignations are just as useful for visitors to the European Commission’s website who may display some interest in his character and career.
But nevertheless the snippet quoted is not factually inaccurate – he was in that job at that time and did do the things stated.
EG
Philip Chaston – Quite.
Funny that, eh?
If there really is an Illuminati running the world than Mandy is a part of it.
How he can be consistently thrown out on his ear only to spring back up again like a particularly stubborn and hardy weed is beyond me. He must be Number Two or something and have an angora cat.
If he’s “Number Two”…….then who’s at “Number Ten”? Could it be “Number One”?
They are both ‘Number Twos’.
If worldwide conspiracy comes down to whether Peter Mandelson is one of the puppet masters of our lives or not then include me out. I would have hoped that international wet fantasies of secret handshakes, masonic emblems and Deus Ex-style intrigue would not include this seedy, vain and corrupt little man who dwells in the knowledge that whatever he does will be excused and pardoned by Tony Blair.
I love the way that Euan Gray nitpicks. His pedantry is pathological.
Fact is, Mandy resigned in disgrace twice during his time as a Cabinet minister. To exclude that from his CV seems dodgy, to say the least.
By EU standards, Mandy is a model of probity.
This is not a compliment to him.
Wot Johnathan said.
But Julian Taylor, if there really were an Illuminati, they would be people of exactly this quality. Not James Bonds and Simon Templars. Peter Mandelsons and Tony Blairs. Vile.
Deus Ex, what a brilliant game.
We’re well on the way to the dystopian future now.
Verity
I would dearly hope that if there were such a thing as an Illuminati then they would consist of men of integrity, probity and wisdom. It would be a shock to discover that the last great hope against the Mandelsons and Blairs of this world are themselves Mandelson or Blair types.
But I am sure that is the case, Julian Taylor. What kind of people would want to be running the world? Decent people? Of course not! People on the Tony Blair, Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell level. Louche types. Ted Heath was meant to be one of them. See? It’s all people of that calibre.
Oh, I wonder how long it will be before the truth about an anonymous Lib Dem leadership contender hits the fan – somewhat appropriately. I can’t wait.
Philip Chaston, I still don’t understand what a grand pyjama is. I’ve never heard the term before.
Presumably a pun on grand panjandrum.
EG
Yes, Euan. Grand panjarandum occurred to me as well, but I thought it might be something different I hadn’t heard of.
grand pyjama person of external trade – quite a puzzling expression, obviously refers to his post as an EU ‘Trade Minister’, now if it had said grand pyjama person of the carriage trade – that might have covered an even broader description of the man.