Friday, December 03, 2004

What's the Welsh for 'tugging the forelock'?

For the first time in the five-year history of the Welsh Assembly, a member has been expelled from the chamber for the day (via Peter Black). The heinous crime they committed that caused the Presiding Officer to take this measure? Not financial or election irregularities. Not attacking another member of the Assembly. Not even breaching some arcane law like coming into the chamber with a sword. No, it was for making a 'discourteous' remark. Even after the Tourette's-esque fit of swearing that characterises the post below, I hesitate to repeat her remarks because they're just so totally offensive, so I warn you in advance that you might soon be reading something that offends you to your very core, language the likes of which should clearly allow someone to be removed from a democratic chamber, a statement that goes well beyond he bounds of common discourse and ends up in the truly obscene.

Yes, Leanne Wood AM referred to the Queen as 'Mrs Windsor'. Could there be a crime any more heinous? I'm sure we all join with Rhondda AM Leighton Andrews (soon to be OBN, I'm sure) and every one of his constituents in seeing it, and not the act of protesting about it and getting someone thrown out of the chamber because of it, as 'childish and offensive'. Jonathan Calder has more on the history of Leighton Andrews, who seems to have moved a long way from his roots as a Liberal activist. New Labour, New Toadying.

2 Comments:

Blogger James said...

Would it have been okay if she'd called the Queen "Frau Hanover" instead?

12:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nah, she's Mrs Mountbatten. It's just that she's a raving feminist who insists on using her mainden name. Or not, as the case may be.

1:45 PM  

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