Monday 10 September 2012

In the Immortal Words of Jasper Carrott ...

... "Gummer is a bummer".

Not a subtle sentiment, but les mots justes for all that. John Selwyn of that ilk should have been pensioned off as Lord Gummer of Burger: but no, he is Lord Deben of DECC, and newly-appointed chair of the "Independent Climate Change Committee". 

But why ?  He is, surely, one of the 1990's prime candidates for Worst Cabinet Minister; his conflicts of interest have been well-documented, being up to his neck in the Severn Barrage; and predictably he has already delivered himself of some utter tripe: 

"I think there can be no growth unless there is green growth."  While he would not be drawn into criticising individual ministers, he said anyone who believed gas would remain cheap was making a dangerous mistake. "You have actually got to go for renewables. The facts are absolutely clear. We have to go down the line we said we would, and we have to do it at the speed we said, because this is the most cost-effective speed."

I once rode a train to Norwich with this buffoon, when he was in the Cabinet.  He boarded with an aide and a modest pile of papers.  On sitting down he announced to the acolyte that whatever else they did, they must work through the papers, and then they could enjoy the scenery.

He then immediately launched into the first of an unbroken series of anecdote-monologues, which occupied his small brain fully for the entire journey; and they departed with the papers untouched.  These are not among the Habits of Highly Effective People.

I say no more: Carrott has said it all.

ND

4 comments:

hummer bummer said...

Is Gummer a summer bummer, a rummer bummer, or a dummer bummer?

Mark Wadsworth said...

what about Joe Strummer?

Sebastian Weetabix said...

I had the misfortune to meet the vile little turd once. A deeply unimpressive individual, dreadfully pompous and faux-intelligent. As for ethics... he appears not to have any, doesn't he?

I wouldn't trust him as a low ranking personnel manager never mind in a position of executive responsibility. To think he was a cabinet minister. What the hell were the rest of them like?

Electro-Kevin said...

Perhaps it's a blessing that ineffective people do less with their time.