Malcolm Fowler’s Blog

Prince Harry was foolish to call his friend a ‘Paki’ whilst he was being filmed, but that is the end of it. The fact that the term has been used by thugs who have committed racist violence does not make everyone who uses it a racist. Should we outlaw the use of the word ‘Jew’ on the same grounds? ‘Pommy’, ‘Limey, ‘Brit’, ‘Yank’, ‘Ozzie’, Jock’, ‘Taffy’; they all have a derogatory element to them.

Racism is an industry which involves the politically correct brigade turning trivial incidents into major issues and thereby creating conflict.  Prince Harry is a man who has put his life on the line for his country, and meant absolutely no offence. It seems that no offence was taken, but that is not enough for the professionally precious.

They should get a life. Even if we were insulting each other - better that than killing each other.

The word on the street is that the Tory leader is contemplating bringing Kenneth Clarke back into the shadow cabinet, despite being urged not to by many of his colleagues, who question the former Chancellor’s loyalty to the present leadership.

The most surprising thing about the whole affair is that Clarke would want to be associated with this nondescript band of second rate fops, when the party three times rejected him as leader and chose a much lesser man instead. From Cameron’s point of view, what is there to lose? The government is presiding over debacles in every sphere of public life and would be in total disarray were it not for the paucity of Her Majesty’s Opposition. The return to the political arena of a man with robust views, who is not afraid to express them, would surely benefit us all.

Dare we hope that it might bring a proper focus on the steady erosion of civil liberties which has been taking place almost since the Labour government took office? Can so few of us see that it is but a short step from the introduction of ID cards to a requirement that they are carried at all times, and produced at the whim of every petty official who struts the streets to enforce the PC brigades latest silly policy? Are we really going to accept the move to require that copies are kept of every email, without even a whimper?

Bring back Kenneth Clarke. At least he’ll give them a run for their money.

I hope that you are as unsurprised as I am to learn that the Disunited Nations resolution, calling for a ceasefire, has been rejected by both sides. I hold no brief for either; I have dear friends in both communities; but beg leave to point out that Hamas is a terrorist organisation, and Israel the only democratic state in the region.

There is a great deal of cant spouted about the plight of the Palestinians, and there is no doubt that they have to live in conditions which we would find absolutely intolerable. They should, however, look to their own leadership when seeking someone to blame. The state of Israel has existed for roughly the same length of time as myself, and during my adult life there have been two occasions on which it has been invaded by the neighbours that surround it with the intention of wiping it from the face of the map. Had it not been ready to defend itself, and done so very effectively, it would have been consigned to history long ago, and it has limited territorial acquisitions to those that it considered necessary to defend its borders.

It is little wonder that Israeli governments accord such a high priority to the defence of the state and the protection of the people. Persuade Hamas to stop firing 80 rockets a day at Israeli towns and then complain to me if Israel continue the fighting.

I’m sure that we all wish Andrew Strauss well, but the ECB’s capacity for self -destruction beggars belief. If they had wanted a captain who would tolerate mediocrity they should not have appointed Pietersen in the first place. Now we are left in total disarray a few weeks before we attempt to regain the Ashes because he made a stand for excellence.

I am the first person to acknowledge that no one player is bigger than the team, but we have, in KP, one of the greatest batsmen who has ever played the game.  It is vital that he can work in an environment in which he can display his exceptional talents to the full if England are to have a chance.