The fortunes of Gary Lineker, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Kamala Harris have unleashed a torrent of glee from those who relish the demise of those they call the liberal elite, the luvvies and woke warriors. Justin Welby was right to resign and has, by doing so underlined the terrible failings of the CofE and his leadership in dealing with horrific sex abuse. He has also been eloquent in his condemnation of what he called the morally unacceptable Tories Migration Bill. Gary Lineker is a brilliant broadcaster who also happens to have a brain, a social conscience and is not afraid to speak out against injustice. He’s not a news reader and his opinions might have rattled the BBC and their critics but did not affect his job as a football pundit and presenter. And we know what happened to Kamala Harris. It’s what comes next we should worry about.
If you believe the Daily Mail and The Telegraph, Jacob Ress Mogg and innumerable commentators we are at a turning point where the avocado and sourdough eaters, Guardian readers and lefty lawyers have got their come-uppance. It is quite extraordinary how those who have a platform and therefore, one might argue, are at least slightly elite are so quick to sneer and disparage anyone who thinks that justice, tolerance and kindness matter.
Attacking ‘others’ be they immigrants, foreigners, intellectuals and artists is the oldest trick in the book for those hell bent on power. Hitler used it in the 1930s and we’ve seen the right across the world doing the same – creating fear of ‘otherness’, promoting patriotism, family values and controlling information.
In September 1930 Hitler vowed in court to destroy democracy through the democratic process, holding rallies where he attacked Bolsheviks, social democrats, immigrants, Jews and the ruling elite. He promised to make Germany great again. Sounds familiar?
Donald Trump has wasted no time in putting his acolytes into positions of extraordinary power where experience, knowledge and thoughtfulness count for nothing. He will dismantle the flimsy guardrails that protect democracy and process, allowing people like Elon Musk free reign. The ripples will be felt across the globe and while he may not seek it, there is a moral duty on Keir Starmer’s shoulders for the UK to regain some of its international respect so spectacularly trashed by Boris Johnson and others. The war against extremism is long and tough – voices of reason are desperately needed even if the anti- liberals won’t hear because they’re too busy congratulating themselves and railing against Net Zero as a war on motorists.
Meanwhile, here’s an idea to rattle them even more – Gary Lineker for Archbishop of Canterbury and Justin Welby for MoTD ? Just a thought.
