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| The Mooch, a crocodile rant and Brenda from Bristol – the year’s best political cameos | |
| (21 days later) | |
| From the voter who had a stern word with Theresa May to the Australian MP who wasn’t going to let gay marriage get in the way of fake croc stats, we salute those who made a brief but significant contribution to the conversation | |
| Tim Walker | |
| Tue 26 Dec 2017 18.30 GMT | |
| Last modified on Wed 27 Dec 2017 00.10 GMT | |
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| Most MPs would rather face a tricky Newsnight interview than be confronted on camera by a member of the public. When a non-politician forcibly inserts themselves into the scripted daily action of Westminster or Washington, it tends to expose the chancers and hypocrites who populate our public life. Their fame may last fewer than 15 minutes, but their contribution can have a far more lasting effect on the politicians they target. | Most MPs would rather face a tricky Newsnight interview than be confronted on camera by a member of the public. When a non-politician forcibly inserts themselves into the scripted daily action of Westminster or Washington, it tends to expose the chancers and hypocrites who populate our public life. Their fame may last fewer than 15 minutes, but their contribution can have a far more lasting effect on the politicians they target. |
| Theresa May discovered as much during her disastrous general election campaign this year, when she faced an impromptu dressing-down from a voter during a rare public walkabout in Abingdon. Kathy Mohan, who has had mental health problems, chastised the prime minister over cuts to her disability benefits, leaving May struggling to get a word in. | Theresa May discovered as much during her disastrous general election campaign this year, when she faced an impromptu dressing-down from a voter during a rare public walkabout in Abingdon. Kathy Mohan, who has had mental health problems, chastised the prime minister over cuts to her disability benefits, leaving May struggling to get a word in. |
| When the prime minister was permitted to speak, she didn’t have much to say. Sam Blackledge, the chief reporter for the Plymouth Herald, published the full transcript of an interview with May, describing it as “three minutes of nothing”. After May failed to give him a single substantial answer, Blackledge ruthlessly exposed the arrogance and emptiness of her “strong and steady” campaign. | When the prime minister was permitted to speak, she didn’t have much to say. Sam Blackledge, the chief reporter for the Plymouth Herald, published the full transcript of an interview with May, describing it as “three minutes of nothing”. After May failed to give him a single substantial answer, Blackledge ruthlessly exposed the arrogance and emptiness of her “strong and steady” campaign. |
| That arrogance turned to humiliation as the results rolled in on election night, when May’s mortification was compounded by the presence of Lord Buckethead, who had campaigned against her in her Maidenhead constituency and won 249 votes. In an interview with the Guardian, Buckethead suggested that “a slightly mouldy pain au chocolat” could negotiate Brexit more effectively. | That arrogance turned to humiliation as the results rolled in on election night, when May’s mortification was compounded by the presence of Lord Buckethead, who had campaigned against her in her Maidenhead constituency and won 249 votes. In an interview with the Guardian, Buckethead suggested that “a slightly mouldy pain au chocolat” could negotiate Brexit more effectively. |
| And it was Brexit that gave the hirsute career civil servant Sir Tim Barrow his moment in the sun when – as the UK’s new permanent representative to Brussels – he delivered the government’s formal notice of its intention to exit the EU, under article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon, to the European council president, Donald Tusk, in a weathered leather satchel. | And it was Brexit that gave the hirsute career civil servant Sir Tim Barrow his moment in the sun when – as the UK’s new permanent representative to Brussels – he delivered the government’s formal notice of its intention to exit the EU, under article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon, to the European council president, Donald Tusk, in a weathered leather satchel. |
| In the US, the Trump administration had a year of political cameos that were equal parts preposterous and terrifying. In February, Richard DeAgazio, a member of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, raised security questions when he posted images on Facebook of himself posing at the Florida resort with the US army officer who carries the “nuclear football”. | In the US, the Trump administration had a year of political cameos that were equal parts preposterous and terrifying. In February, Richard DeAgazio, a member of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, raised security questions when he posted images on Facebook of himself posing at the Florida resort with the US army officer who carries the “nuclear football”. |
| In July, the veteran astronaut Buzz Aldrin made the same faces many of us do when watching Trump speak – the difference being that Aldrin was standing next to Trump at the time. Trump’s closing remark may offer a clue to Aldrin’s befuddlement: “This is infinity here. It could be infinity. We don’t really don’t know. But it could be. It has to be something – but it could be infinity, right?” | In July, the veteran astronaut Buzz Aldrin made the same faces many of us do when watching Trump speak – the difference being that Aldrin was standing next to Trump at the time. Trump’s closing remark may offer a clue to Aldrin’s befuddlement: “This is infinity here. It could be infinity. We don’t really don’t know. But it could be. It has to be something – but it could be infinity, right?” |
| Meanwhile in Alabama, alleged (and denied) child molester and Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore came trailed by grotesques such as Janet Porter, the spokeswoman whose defence of her candidate, after allegations from several women, was to argue that there were many other women – several billion, in fact – who had not accused Moore of groping them when they were teenagers. | Meanwhile in Alabama, alleged (and denied) child molester and Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore came trailed by grotesques such as Janet Porter, the spokeswoman whose defence of her candidate, after allegations from several women, was to argue that there were many other women – several billion, in fact – who had not accused Moore of groping them when they were teenagers. |
| In Australia, where same-sex marriage was legalised in 2017, MP Bob Katter went viral when he declared himself preoccupied with more pressing matters. “I mean, y’know, people are entitled to their sexual proclivities,” Katter smiled. “Let there be a thousand blossoms bloom, as far as I’m concerned.” Then his tone changed: “But I AIN’T spendin’ any time on it because, in the meantime, every three months a person is torn to pieces by a crocodile in North Queensland.” Alas, the ABC fact-checked Katter’s claim – the whole of Queensland averages one crocodile-related death a year. | In Australia, where same-sex marriage was legalised in 2017, MP Bob Katter went viral when he declared himself preoccupied with more pressing matters. “I mean, y’know, people are entitled to their sexual proclivities,” Katter smiled. “Let there be a thousand blossoms bloom, as far as I’m concerned.” Then his tone changed: “But I AIN’T spendin’ any time on it because, in the meantime, every three months a person is torn to pieces by a crocodile in North Queensland.” Alas, the ABC fact-checked Katter’s claim – the whole of Queensland averages one crocodile-related death a year. |
| But it was Brenda from Bristol who summed up the year best, with her reaction when told by a BBC crew that May had called yet another general election. “There’s too much politics going on at the moment,” said Brenda, speaking on behalf of the nation. | But it was Brenda from Bristol who summed up the year best, with her reaction when told by a BBC crew that May had called yet another general election. “There’s too much politics going on at the moment,” said Brenda, speaking on behalf of the nation. |
| Politics | |
| 2017 miscellany | |
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