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June 18, 2003
Wednesday
 
 
Sean Gabb on what is in a name
Brian Micklethwait (London)  UK affairs

In a comment on this posting by David, I promised to say when Sean Gabb's then promised piece on the abolition of the office of Lord Chancellor by the current British government appeared.

It has now appeared.

What is interesting is Gabb's objection to this move. He doesn't mind all that much when it comes to substance. What he dislikes is the abolition of the office itself, that is to say of its title.

Such moves, says Sean, and there have been many others, cut us off from our past and destroy our sense of our national history. And this is probably deliberate, he says. It is an article, you might say, about the power of words.

But don't take my word for it. Read the words yourself. It's quite short.

Comments

I am so glad to have had the opportunity to read this from Sean Gabb.
I think he says it all at the end, but finally conservatives are learning how to use their voices...
Is it too late? Because the road looks very shady ahead.
oops - that should be a referral to the streets in France- NOT the streets of Great Britain!

If you haven't heard the joke -
Why do the French line their streets with trees? Because Germans like to march in the shade.
hoho


Posted by Elizabeth at June 18, 2003 10:49 PM

Testing


Posted by Sekimori at June 19, 2003 01:48 AM

An excellent piece by Mr Gabb. I note he appears much more sympathetic towards the Conservative Party cause, than of late.

If he's right, and our New Labour masters are deliberately turning us into a fearful, rootless mob (exemplified perhaps by the shameful behaviour by Labour MPs, in the recent debate on this topic), it makes me very afraid for the future.

This country really does appear to be turning into the corporatised politicised horror of Ayn Rand's crumbling world in Atlas Shrugged.

We must do all we can to resist this I think, and if that means helping the Conservative Party, blundering quiet men that they are, then help them we must.

I'd be interested to hear Mr Gabb's views on how he thinks we could do this, whilst retaining a clean libertarian conscience. Or if we can't stay clean, how dirty we should be prepared to get, to rid ourselves of this New Labour monster?


Posted by Andy Duncan at June 19, 2003 11:01 AM

The move is, of course, classic Macchiavelli -- destroy an icon of a conquered people. If he can't get the monarchy, Lord Chancellor is the next best thing.


Posted by Iain Murray at June 19, 2003 03:15 PM