tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post8993339961307241519..comments2024-02-06T16:17:25.826+00:00Comments on THE GRØNMARK BLOG: Harold Wilson on a stamp? Seriously?Scott Gronmarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118026157459333174noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-35242986588167056992014-08-18T15:57:43.045+01:002014-08-18T15:57:43.045+01:00Good question! I wonder if America's treachery...Good question! I wonder if America's treachery over Suez (which Eisenhower later deeply regretted) would have made it impossible to get the UK involved - plus the unlikeliness of a bromance between Wilson and Johnson. And the fact that Vietnam was one of the few places on the globe in which Britain hadn't had any serious involvement. Plus, the fact that the French had been sent running out of Vietnam with their little Gallic tails between their little Gallic legs might have rendered any British involvement diplomatically awkward (mind you, it would have worth it just to see De Gaulle's face. <br /> Scott Gronmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15118026157459333174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-44823397543991539962014-08-18T15:34:18.164+01:002014-08-18T15:34:18.164+01:00I think he's known as the World Affairs Editor...I think he's known as the World Affairs Editor. Actually, that was quite brave of Wilson, as Simpson, who was always a hefty chap, must have been at least ten inches taller than the PM. Respect!<br />BBC journalists are still being attacked: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3jWVDyl7v4 Scott Gronmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15118026157459333174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-52553049704314664782014-08-18T15:29:35.297+01:002014-08-18T15:29:35.297+01:00Nice to be back, SDGNice to be back, SDGScott Gronmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15118026157459333174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-24313189166385605702014-08-18T15:28:36.626+01:002014-08-18T15:28:36.626+01:00What's rather odd is that every damned major p...What's rather odd is that every damned major party throws the phrase "One Nation" around the whole time - and yet the chap who invented it doesn't get a mention!Scott Gronmarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15118026157459333174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-9855895235395656652014-08-15T11:33:47.028+01:002014-08-15T11:33:47.028+01:00During his term of office,Wilson had a nagging fea...During his term of office,Wilson had a nagging fear that he was being spied on,possibly by MI5.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-34520936975846804792014-08-13T16:53:19.253+01:002014-08-13T16:53:19.253+01:00Of course, one important difference between the Wi...Of course, one important difference between the Wilson years and today is that, back then, we had Private Eye, which sprayed it around without fear or favour. Much of it landed on Wilson & Co, as well as on the Tories.<br /><br />Today we have, er, Marcus Brigstocke, who I understand is some kind of comedy poodle act.GCoopernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-8380944254731989102014-08-13T10:13:49.368+01:002014-08-13T10:13:49.368+01:00It's difficult to get across to those who were...It's difficult to get across to those who weren't there at the time the sense of acceptance among the populace that Britain in the late 1960s and 70s was ungovernable and was fated to be so whichever party was in power. That explains the enduring appeal of Maggie to those of us who lived through the 70s and simply wanted some sort of order out of chaos. Still, at least it gave us a rich array of comic figures to enjoy such as your dining partner Lady Forkbender, Lord Kagan the Gannex raincoat magnate, the disappearing John Stonehouse, as well as the The Thorpe trial and pillow biting . It's odd how many of Harold's political clique ended up in jail or disgrace. Thank goodness no could say that about…err..<br /><br />One question that has interested me recently in the way that counter-factual history sometimes does when bored: if Tony Blair rather than Wislon had been PM at the time, would we have stayed out of the Vietnam war?ex-KCSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-38576815601634883542014-08-12T22:38:24.794+01:002014-08-12T22:38:24.794+01:00John Simpson doorsteps HWilsonPM:
He joined the BB...<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/correspondents/newsid_2624000/2624607.stm" rel="nofollow">John Simpson doorsteps HWilsonPM</a>:<br /><i>He joined the BBC at 25, as a sub-editor in the Radio Newsroom, before becoming a political reporter. He attracted publicity early, when the then Prime Minister Harold Wilson apparently punched him in the stomach when John asked him whether he was about to call an election.</i>David Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12345636878071983416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-82255650396970139852014-08-12T22:24:07.183+01:002014-08-12T22:24:07.183+01:00John Simpson, the BBC World Editor (?), was remini...John Simpson, the BBC World Editor (?), was reminiscing about his early days in journalism. He recalled wandering into one of the big London stations where Wilson was arriving back from some event. No interview had been arranged and when Simpson stuck a microphone in front of Wilson's face and asked a question, the Prime Minister punched him in the stomach and walked on by.David Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12345636878071983416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-28741246384594397632014-08-12T22:09:30.515+01:002014-08-12T22:09:30.515+01:00This is an excellent post. Much enjoyed reading it...This is an excellent post. Much enjoyed reading it. Have been putting off starting a book on Disraeli by Christopher Hibbert and will now get my ass in the proverbial. Bro, nice to have you back.SDGnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-65392842319106372282014-08-12T13:21:32.073+01:002014-08-12T13:21:32.073+01:00If Disraeli is not in the new collection of stamps...If Disraeli is not in the new collection of stamps...then the collection of stamps sucks. <br />If Gladstone gets one, and Disraeli is not in the collection, then the collection sucks a**.Erik Bartlamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05401279267556576137noreply@blogger.com