Only muppets or puppets need apply
Following the news earlier this evening that the “Drug Tsar” Prof David Nutt has been sacked for…. well…. speaking the truth, and Alex Wilcock’s excellent observation that only liars need now apply for the newly vacated post, I am left wondering just how brazenly totalitarian this government can get?
And I know that people can get hot under the collar about the misuse of words such as “totalitarian” . So be clear. I do not use that particular word lightly. We are witnessing political authority attempting to exercise absolute and centralized control over every aspect of our lives. We, the people, are subordinate to the state. Dissent is demonstrably being suppressed. If that is not the definition of totalitarian – then someone please explain what is.
Today it’s the head of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs being summarily sacked because the authorities did not like the findings of his research. And when they ignored/distorted that evidence-based advise, he refused to keep silent, and was dimissed.
It was just a couple of weeks ago that we saw Ed Ball’s dismissing the Commons cross-party select committee conclusion to reject the appointment of Maggie Atkinson as England’s next children’s commissioner. Why did they reject her? Because “We just didn’t think she had the independence of mind to stand up to a secretary of state who loves to get his own way”. Needless to say Mr Ball’s stuck two fingers up to the committee and appointed her anyway.
I hesitate to raise the question of what really happened to David Kelly when he crossed the government. Perhaps, as posted earlier on this site, Professor Nutt should consider himself lucky that it was just a sacking.
As for the rest of us – we will have to take everything the government, or it’s so-called experts, says with an even bigger pinch of salt. Or actually just assume it’s a lie. That’s probably the safest bet here on in.