Gerri Peev: MP off-side on football debate
Entertaining debate this morning raised by the SNP's Pete Wishart on the rights - or should I say wrongs - of a Team GB football squad.
The SNP's Angus MacNeil, tried to be helpful to his colleague's argument by saying: "I wonder whether any Portuguese Members of Parliament are looking for unification with Spain for an Iberian team. I would not think so."
Perhaps, then, he can explain why he is playing for the unified UK parliament's football team, who will meet the US Embassy's side next week?
On a more serious point, during the same debate, Mark Field, the Tory representing the bankers in the City of London, said that the idea of a Team GB was to part of a plot by the Prime Minister to "disguise the fact" that he is a Scot.
And he also warned that Brown's Scottishness would be used against him at the next general election:
Field said: "He represents or is from a country of 4.5 million people out of 60 million. That will be very evident as time goes on. I would not have wished to make that argument before 1997, but his Government have brought it on themselves. It will resonate loudly during the next general election campaign—very regrettably, in my view."
Regardless of where one stands on the constitutional or political debate, for an immigrant such as this correspondent, it is uncomfortable to think that one's nationality should ever be used against them.
The SNP's Angus MacNeil, tried to be helpful to his colleague's argument by saying: "I wonder whether any Portuguese Members of Parliament are looking for unification with Spain for an Iberian team. I would not think so."
Perhaps, then, he can explain why he is playing for the unified UK parliament's football team, who will meet the US Embassy's side next week?
On a more serious point, during the same debate, Mark Field, the Tory representing the bankers in the City of London, said that the idea of a Team GB was to part of a plot by the Prime Minister to "disguise the fact" that he is a Scot.
And he also warned that Brown's Scottishness would be used against him at the next general election:
Field said: "He represents or is from a country of 4.5 million people out of 60 million. That will be very evident as time goes on. I would not have wished to make that argument before 1997, but his Government have brought it on themselves. It will resonate loudly during the next general election campaign—very regrettably, in my view."
Regardless of where one stands on the constitutional or political debate, for an immigrant such as this correspondent, it is uncomfortable to think that one's nationality should ever be used against them.
Labels: football, Gerri Peev, Scottish, Team GB
posted by Administrator at
18:00
1 Comments:
This is lovely, the sub-text of this statement is, as Lord Coe has intimated privately, 'it doesnt matter what the Welsh, the Scots or the Irish think, you'll joly well have a Team GB'. As Lottery funding is drained from every corner of the land for this jamboree it looks less and less appealing....
Post a Comment
<< Home