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Shami Chakrabarti: an apology In view of recent legal developments this humble blogger would like to state that her comment over breakfast last Thursday consisting of the words “That Shami Chakrabarti is never off the telly” was mere banter and persiflage and in no way, shape or form meant to suggest that contact between Ms Chakrabarti’s anatomy and said machinery was of a rumptitious or tumptitious nature.
UPDATE: Oh dear, judging from the comments, that was another of my jokes that sailed straight off the edge of the world. I commented later:
“The point was, and I do apologize – though not in a way that admits liability! – if my attempt at making it in a funny way was not clear to all readers, was that while I’m all for the stand David Davis is making, Shami Chakrabarti threatening to sue someone over an ‘innuendo’ so mild that it wouldn’t have looked out of place in the mouth of Bertie Wooster, is petty and trivialises the issue.”
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Just tell me when I’m supposed to applaud and I’ll clap like a seal for you.
I’m fucking sick to death of living in a polity that’s turned into the Westminster Archers, a tale of the comings and goings of simple Westminster Village folk.
It’s the occasional thread like this which reminds me that although we all appear to be using English we clearly aren’t speaking the same language. WTF does any of this mean?
Does my brain look big in this?
Silly as this all is, who wouldn’t like to see a smug Labour minister face the stiff financial penalty of humourlessness that they all deserve?
Natalie, just to be safe, apologize to Everyone, everywhere, in case you insulted them, or might have offended them in the past in any way, or in case you (unintentionally!) offend them in the future.
And an apology to Mother Nature, and GrandMother Gaea, wouldn’t be out of order.
And an apology to the cosmos might be in order, also.
Abjectly sorry for taking up your time, and possibly offending you in some way, Yours truly humbly,
And you, nick g. I apologize to you, too!
The point was, and I do apologize – though not in a way that admits liability! – if my attempt at making it in a funny way was not clear to all readers – was that while I’m all for the stand David Davis is making, Shami Chakrabarti threatening to sue someone over an “innuendo” so mild that it wouldn’t have looked out of place in the mouth of Bertie Wooster, is petty and trivialises the issue.
Oh dear.
The extent to which sexual innuendo is ‘trivial’ surely depends on a great many things in one’s life and upbringing. If Natalie knows Shami well enough to judge that it was truly trivial for her in her circumstances (or was perhaps political exploitation) then so be it; otherwise, as with Mr Burnham’s original spouting, I feel we could all have done without it.
Interestingly, over on Spy Blog, there is the additional question (very interesting in the political circumstances of the Davis campaign) of how Burnham knows the content of their telephone conversation.
Finally, IMHO at least, those who sink to ad hominem argument are desperate in their shortage of better argument, unpleasant people, or both.
Best regards
No one ever apologizes to me. Maybe I should sue someone…
I’m very sorry to hear that, Alisa.
Now, if I were to suggest that Shami Chakrabarti needs to just butch the f**k up and deal with it, would she sue me?
Oops, too late. I hear the black helicopters now…
NO CARRIER
And remember to apologise for your sexism, Natalie.