Amid the cost-of-living crisis, the war in Ukraine and the general decline of the UK to a level most generously described as “despairingly dismal”, it would be comforting to know that at least our leader was responsible enough to wear a seat belt when driving in a moving vehicle. It’s not much. I think we can all agree that’s setting the bar pretty low. Admittedly, probably not low enough for our previous prime minister, but still, it’s adequately low enough that it should be attainable for any dignified public leader.
Yet despite this basic requirement, it seems the bar is still too high for Sunak and his long legs to clamber over. So instead he was tripped up by an insta story which featured him squished awkwardly in the back of a car without – shock horror – a seat belt. Who knew bland old Sunak could be such a thrill seeker.
What makes this story even more baffling, is that he – or more likely, his staff – had the good judgement to film his reckless car behaviour and broadcast it for the world to see on social media. Whilst not wearing a seatbelt isn’t the worst offence against proper passenger etiquette – it could be worse, he could have had his feet on the dashboard, left a piece of gum on the arm rest or decided to unwind the back window just enough to make an irritating sound when you drive along the motor way – we shouldn’t have to justify the fact that at the end of the day he still didn’t think it through, still thought himself above the law, and was still, quite frankly, a plonker.
There is some irony, in that – after the green card fiasco, the party gate scandal – this, THIS, is what sticks. A seat belt fine. He can shelter wealth under his wife’s no-dom status, and be a permanent US resident whilst also Chancellor of the Exchequer for the United Kingdom. What apparently crosses the line is that he doesn’t know basic car safety. Granted, many of his activities have been illegal, albeit ethically dubious but, seriously?
At some point this all of this scandal became the norm for politicians. Have we stopped holding them to account? Is that why we’re now faced with a generation of entitled, money-grabbing politicians who don’t serve us, just themselves? Maybe. Or maybe it’s because we have more of an insight into the lives of politicians behind (closed) doors. Prime ministers of old could have easily flaunted the rules in private and we would have been none the wiser. As much as I dig into Rishi, I’m aware that these days, these people have to expect to always be under scrutiny, with cameras and microphones everywhere. It can’t be easy, so maybe we can expect a slip up from the poor mortals who end up in these situations? That doesn’t offer an excuse for breaking the law, but maybe just an explanation.
Image credit “Rishi Sunak MP – hi-res” by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Govt is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.
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Sunak snubs the seatbelt
Amid the cost-of-living crisis, the war in Ukraine and the general decline of the UK to a level most generously described as “despairingly dismal”, it would be comforting to know that at least our leader was responsible enough to wear a seat belt when driving in a moving vehicle. It’s not much. I think we can all agree that’s setting the bar pretty low. Admittedly, probably not low enough for our previous prime minister, but still, it’s adequately low enough that it should be attainable for any dignified public leader.
Yet despite this basic requirement, it seems the bar is still too high for Sunak and his long legs to clamber over. So instead he was tripped up by an insta story which featured him squished awkwardly in the back of a car without – shock horror – a seat belt. Who knew bland old Sunak could be such a thrill seeker.
What makes this story even more baffling, is that he – or more likely, his staff – had the good judgement to film his reckless car behaviour and broadcast it for the world to see on social media. Whilst not wearing a seatbelt isn’t the worst offence against proper passenger etiquette – it could be worse, he could have had his feet on the dashboard, left a piece of gum on the arm rest or decided to unwind the back window just enough to make an irritating sound when you drive along the motor way – we shouldn’t have to justify the fact that at the end of the day he still didn’t think it through, still thought himself above the law, and was still, quite frankly, a plonker.
There is some irony, in that – after the green card fiasco, the party gate scandal – this, THIS, is what sticks. A seat belt fine. He can shelter wealth under his wife’s no-dom status, and be a permanent US resident whilst also Chancellor of the Exchequer for the United Kingdom. What apparently crosses the line is that he doesn’t know basic car safety. Granted, many of his activities have been illegal, albeit ethically dubious but, seriously?
At some point this all of this scandal became the norm for politicians. Have we stopped holding them to account? Is that why we’re now faced with a generation of entitled, money-grabbing politicians who don’t serve us, just themselves? Maybe. Or maybe it’s because we have more of an insight into the lives of politicians behind (closed) doors. Prime ministers of old could have easily flaunted the rules in private and we would have been none the wiser. As much as I dig into Rishi, I’m aware that these days, these people have to expect to always be under scrutiny, with cameras and microphones everywhere. It can’t be easy, so maybe we can expect a slip up from the poor mortals who end up in these situations? That doesn’t offer an excuse for breaking the law, but maybe just an explanation.
Image credit “Rishi Sunak MP – hi-res” by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Govt is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.
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