This comment on the current Speaker, of the House of Commons, John Bercow, who is generally regarded by many people as a slimeball of the first order:
“If you feel that is an exaggeration, look what they did when last entrusted with what was potentially a great reforming measure – the chance to elect a new Speaker to replace the compromised and incapable man we must learn to call Lord Martin. They ended up choosing the legislature’s equivalent of Donald Duck, not because they believed he might step out of his cartoon one day and restore order to a profoundly damaged but vital institution, but because it would upset the Tory party. That is how serious the present parliamentary majority is about restoring the credibility of the Commons. And as we read endless stories about the new Speaker’s lavish refurbishments of his apartments, the size of his television, his wife’s political stunts and his decision not to dress properly for the State Opening, the full force of what a pointless little creep he is, and how he squats vacuously in one of the great positions of state, is brought home to us.”
There is a passage in F.A. Hayek’s The Road To Serfdom where the great man writes about how “the worst get on top” in political systems where there are few restraints on power. Mr Bercow validates that theory most admirably.
Oh, and Brian Micklethwait, like me, has met Bercow. He’s not a fan.
“Why The Worst Get On Top” is an entire chapter (chapter X) of “Serfdom”.
I read it again only late last month. It’s worth the review.
>> “the worst get on top” in political systems
>> where there are few restraints on power.
I guess we will see this demonstrated again shortly when they choose the Presdient of the EU.
Should you perhaps credit the comment to its author, who I think is Simon Heffer?
At risk of stating obvious, the link to the original article is the credit.
Diogenes, no. Those who want to read it can see who wrote it. It is a mouse-click away. Easy!
Corrupt scumbag John Bercow as Speaker of the House of Commons.
I am often accused (with some justice) of looking on the dark side of life – but I did not expect this to come to pass.