People losing their damn minds #1

Simon Jenkins asked in yesterday's Guardian if Blair was losing his marbles with this 'respect' initiative:

"Listening to Tony Blair talk about his "respect agenda" yesterday, I wondered if he was losing his marbles. What is "investing in good behaviour"? When was "spitting at old ladies always a crime"? We have had this drivel for eight years."

Yes folks - it just feels longer. I have to say the same thought occurred to me when I read that Blair had evoked 1930s Glasgow as an example of the respect culture. Merde! Glasgow in the 1930s! When, exactly, does Blair think Glasgow got it's violent reputation? As the Guardian pointed out, the papers of the time were full of tales about rampaging razor-gangs which terrorised many of the most impoverished parts of the city - until Sillitoe "scuffed the razors down the stank".

Doubt very much anything happening today would have shocked Blair senior - unless he spend the 1930s indoors. Junior's losing his damn mind.

The piece also noted that in the media of the time, "Less publicised than the gang wars was the extensive corruption among Glasgow city councillors and building contractors".

Ah, how things have changed.