Nobbut Laiking, by Ross Brewster
To my mind it’s shocking that a Government minister felt urged to write to British universities reminding them that Jewish students and staff must be protected from abuse during the recent outbreak of Free Palestine demonstrations and encampments.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said universities must “act swiftly and decisively” to counter the threat to students’ safety and welfare. This followed reports that some student societies were sending out inflammatory messages supporting Hamas.
Many students were feeling the need to hide their Jewish identity, a subsequent report by the BBC found.
Vice chancellors from some of the country’s leading universities were called into Downing Street earlier this month to discuss actions to address the rise in anti-Semitic abuse on campus and the impact on students’ learning.
Strange how there was no sign of the protesters at the start of the Israeli invasion into Gaza. Were they waiting for the rain to stop and the weather to warm up a bit first? Ah, such heart rending commitment to the cause.
It took six months from the start of the conflict for the students to start putting up their tents and donning their keffiyehs.
The level of protests in this country thankfully pales in comparison to events at several US universities. However there was some suspicion of American activists infiltrating protest groups here.
It’s perfectly right that our seats of learning should promote debate. But I doubt that many of the protesters would be able to even pinpoint Gaza on a map.
It is appalling that the so-called cream of the British education system has to be formally reminded that, however you view the current conflict, anti-Semitism is wrong.
Six more months of dirty tricks
One thing we can prepare ourselves for is six more weeks of dirty tricks politics now that a general election has been called for July 4.
The main parties have already been out on the field practising penalties. The Tories targeting Labour goalkeeper Angela Rayner over her housing history while Labour probes for more easy pickings in the Conservatives’ defence over sleaze.
I don’t ever remember an election campaign starting this early or nastily.
Pollsters are already saying the voting public is weary of all this barely disguised electioneering.
The slogan writers have long been at work. Changed Labour they’re calling it now while the Tories flog their message that, whatever the polls say, “it’s not a foregone conclusion”.
It’s about image. Sir Keir, sleeves rolled up, shirt buttons straining, as the man of action. Rishi playing it cool, despite all the red card challenges from his own side, in those expensive Adidas Sambas.
Even their choice of football teams to support says something. Sir Keir an Arsenal aficionado. The obvious team of the Islington and Camden set. Rishi remains loyal to Southampton. In fact he’s got a season ticket at St Mary’s.
But for most of us, even followers of the political scene and football, I suspect the message is “give us a break”. There’s plenty of injury time left to cry foul.
Is this the end of VAR?
One of the thrills of seeing Carlisle United score a goal is the spontaneous joy it promotes.
In United’s league they don’t have VAR. Some rotten referees admittedly. But we don’t have to wait five minutes to find out if a goal is confirmed, or another incident is played in slow motion for the 20th time. And for that I give thanks.
Once something is invented it’s difficult to dis-invent it. VAR is to be discussed at the annual meeting of the Premier League. I doubt it will be scrapped while there’s lots more tinkering to do.
Surely it was never intended to have goals ruled out by a toenail and I’m not 100 per cent convinced by the angles and lines they draw.
Let them bring in refs from European leagues and fiddle with the TV cameras. I’ll stick with Brunton Park — and hope for better than last season’s miserable ration of goals.
