Sunday, February 06, 2011

Aneurin Bevan on the Tories: History repeating itself

Two quotations: "That is why no amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party....so far as I am concerned they are lower than vermin.

Now the Tories are pouring out money in propaganda of all sorts and are hoping by this organised sustained mass suggestion to eradicate from our minds all memory of what we went through.

But I warn you men and women do not listen to what they are saying now. Do not listen to the seductions...He is a very good salesman. If you are selling shoddy stuff you have to be a good salesman. But I warn you they have not changed, or if they have they are slightly worse than they were" Aneurin Bevan - Bellevue Hotel - 3rd July 1948.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana

That's what happened on May 6th 2010.

Painting by Andrew Vicari here and hat tip new FB friend Sue Marsh. 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hate, vermin ... isn't it crude words?

You debase politics when depict it as ConDemmery and the Tories as 'extreme' and nasty on every viewpoint.

In modern politics those strong words should be applied to the real extremism in our midst - the BNP etc


Please don't debase political language with 'vermin' etc with mainstream parties, no matter how much you disagree with them.

Leave the language of extremity to be applied to extremists.

John Gray said...

Hi Anon

This government is an extremist and extremely nasty government. It is ideologically attacking the weak and the vulnerable in our society for no good economic reason what-so-ever. It is acting despicably. There are no other words to describe it.

Yes, it is no where near as vile as the BNP. But it is acting appallingly and that needs to be said.

The Former Labour Party cabinet Minister Aneurin Bevin referred to the Tories as being “below vermin”. I would not charactise all Conservative (and Liberal Democrat) members as being that.

But let make it clear that I think that this current Tory (lets call it as it is) government is pursuing extremist policies, it is being vile.

As said Demosthenes said if it quakes like a duck, walks like a duck, looks like a duck – it is FFS a …..Duck!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hate Tories
who would privatise our NHS

and Lib Dems

Who privatised hospital cleaning

Thousands died of cross infection

Thats vermin

modernity said...

Nye had a wonderful turn of phrase.