“The government has not understood the scale, gravity and severity of what has happened” the rescue effort is the “biggest in peacetime Britain”(Fire Brigades Union, General Secretary Matt Wrack).
But heck, the Government is in London, and they were busy playing their political games and glad-handing each other.
Bearing in mind we have had not one, but two Prime Ministers this week, one would rather have thought that one of them might have bothered to turn up to look important and shake hands in South Yorkshire. Couldn’t Bliar have stopped off on his way to his constituency (he went through Doncaster on the very main line which had been shut by flooding) to smile at some of the poor sods who have lost their homes?
No, of course not, because, well let’s face it, these poor disillusioned sods don’t bother voting, so there really isn’t much point bothering with them is there?
I was also rather amused by this commentary on Quentin Davies As A Local Labour MP
BBC News’ 12 o’clock bulletin didn’t notice the flooding until 12:18, and that was just a mention of the quote (above) from Matt Wrack. It took until 12:22 before they could be bothered to provide any more coverage.
I wonder how long it will be before the new Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, manages to saunter up this way.
So, you’re in the middle of a flood, your possessions floating down the street. You haven’t slept and you can’t even put the kettle on to make a cuppa. You’re just standing there wondering how much worse things can possibly get, when Tony Blair bounces up and shakes you by the hand…. 😉
Hmm, I see your point. 🙂
*giggle*
I really hope the rain isn’t too heavy this weekend…
On Quentin Davies; did you see the comment from the Secretary of Grantham Labour Party?
I did, and I found it rather surprising.
However, the media persona of Mr Davies may be rather different to how he is face to face – and I can see that it is quite possible that he is an excellent constituency MP.
When I was an MP, I knew him well. I was involved with Northern Ireland issues and he was Tory spokesperson. So we met outside of the Commons Chamber. I would not give him house room. On Sheffield, two local Sheffield MPs had oral Questions to Blair on Wednesday and failed to raise the floods problems.
You mean, he is even worse than his media persona. Oh dear.