Passing comments: Chloe Smith, Ed West and the Hamiltons
Monday, July 2, 2012 at 9:30 I have enormous sympathy for Treasury minister Chloe Smith following her difficult appearance on Newsnight last week. There but for the grace of God and all that. To quote John Sergeant when his then-BBC colleague Robin Oakley had a mental block live on air, "It's a mistake we've all nearly made".
I have been interviewed hundreds of times on national and local TV and although I have never experienced anything quite like that, it reminded me of some awkward moments I would rather forget. Watching Chloe reach repeatedly for that comforting glass of water was a tell-tale sign of the pressure she was under. I've lost count of the number of times my mouth has gone dry and I have found it difficult to speak during an interview.
(Years ago a friend told me that in times of severe stress his tongue would swell up and for two or three days he would be unable to speak. At the time, ironically, he was speechwriter for the chief executive of one of the world's largest multinational companies.)
Sometimes even breathing is a problem. Often I start a sentence and because I want to get in two or three points before the presenter interrupts I am tempted not to pause. Suddenly I think, "Shit, I'm running out of breath." At this point there are two options: one, struggle on to the end without taking a gulp of air or, two, pause, breathe, and continue. Sometimes the combination of a dry mouth and lack of oxygen produces a strange gurgling noise that makes it sound as if I'm being strangled.
So hats off to Chloe Smith - a bright young politician - for avoiding that fate and remaining as composed as she did in circumstances that, to some extent, were outwith her control. It wasn't pretty but worse things happen to politicians. My advice? Get back in the saddle as soon as possible. Volunteer for the next available Newsnight slot, and the one after that. Clearly, no-one else in the Treasury wants to do it. Be fearless, learn from the experience and become the face of the Treasury on British TV.
Yvette Cooper, wife of Ed Balls, did it under Labour and I have always admired her for her courage. She was one of the few successes in the last government and her current standing owes much to her composed yet fighting performances on programmes such as Newsnight. Chloe Smith should take heart and follow her example.
Ed West is a journalist and social commentator. He blogs for the Telegraph and on Thursday argued that: The smoking ban was right - I love Big Brother. Like others I had mistaken Ed for "one of us" and so, on June 7, I invited him to join us, as a guest, at the Forest Freedom Dinner. I didn't read too much into his reply but now it all makes sense. He wrote: "I'll have to ask my wife first. I'm not sure what my orders are for that evening." Needless to say we heard nothing more. The man is not only spineless, he's totally whipped!
I was a guest recently at a lunch hosted by the Association of Independent Tobacco Specialists at Lords Cricket Ground. We were in the Long Room, overlooking the ground, and the speaker was Christine Hamilton. I thought she was good value. She even mentioned Forest. Lord Harris, our late chairman, was a very good friend of the Hamiltons and helped raise the money that enabled Christine's husband Neil to challenge Mohammed Fayed in court. The whole thing cost an arm and a leg and forced Christine on to the public speaking circuit. She is clearly not the battle axe of legend which is why I can't help liking her. Life has not always been easy for the Hamiltons - for which they have to take some responsibility - but I admire their spirit, their work ethic, their refusal to be beaten, and their obvious love for one another. Quite uplifting, really.
Reader Comments (2)
Ed West is also mind-garglingly gullible.
I have no sympathy for Chloe Smith who is intent on punishing adult consumers, repeating unproven opinion as fact, and forcing the poor to quit because they're easy to bully and price out of the product.
Nice quote in here of an MP who reckons he can't afford to smoke on his salary! http://www.theyworkforyou.com/pbc/2010-11/Finance_%28No._4%29_Bill/14-0_2012-06-19a.8.0#g8.1
What hope for the benefits class which has very few pleasures in a wretched existence but to smoke.
People like Chloe Smith make me sick. Maybe when she grows up a bit and learns how to think for herself then she'll handle live interviews better.
Until then she deserves the bricks that she throws being (methpahorically) thrown right back at her.