Posts About 'Jim’s Pledge'

Mark Feckless MP

This is a guest post written by Mark Feckless, Member of Parliament for Bleaksby.

Today is exactly 25 years to the day since Live Aid. As such, it was a popular topic for idle chatter in the Members’ Tea Room this morning. One close and successful friend of mine put forward an interesting question. She asked:

“How is that Bob Geldof, a man with no discernible talent, a man who is foul-mouthed and instantly dislikeable, a man who feels it morally justifiable to call his daughters Peaches and Fifi Trixabelle, a man who openly supports imposing the music of Queen upon a nation, can organise an event which goes on to fund corrupt Governments in Africa and still be praised for his achievements?”

Bob Geldof may be mocked on popular comedy shows on television, but his name has become synonomous with attempting to make the world a better place with his limited ability. Yes, maybe in some cases things got worse but people got swept up in this wave of enthusiasm to help others. People remember exactly where they were when they watched Live Aid and what a great time they had. They didn’t have to deal with some of the awful consequences in places like Ethiopia, so they still have a positive view of how it went.

Read that quote again. Now think of the Labour Leadership Contest. Remind you of anyone?

Jim Garner may not be the most talented politician. God knows, he’s certainly not the most popular. He may have slipped up in the past and tried to hide it and maybe he shouldn’t tweet during late night sittings in the Chamber.

But he has an enthusiasm to make things better. He probably doesn’t even know how and in some cases it’ll undoubtedly make things worse – but probably not for you. What more can you ask for? Let yourself be washed onto the shore of ignorance by the Jim Garner wave.