Tag Archives: gang culture

Dee Doocey

Dee Doocey writes: Riots – a case for reason and not posturing

By Dee Doocey | Mon 22nd August 2011 - 11:53 am

The TV comedy The Thick of It brilliantly satirised the tendency of New Labour to govern by ‘initiative’. Politics was reduced to public relations. Policies were created on the hoof with an eye to the next morning’s headlines.

If you thought those days ended at the last general election, think again. The recent riots should have given everyone pause for thought. Instead, many politicians and commentators were shooting from the hip or trotting out predictable responses.

Playing to the gallery pays only short-term dividends. Yes, “something must be done”. But politicians of all parties have a duty to think before they open their mouths, and not try to cash in on gut reactions or tabloid hysteria – despite the media’s hunger for sensational news and tendency to incite sensational comment.

Despite the pressure to meet emotionally-driven imperatives, only an intelligent, long-term, considered response will prevent a recurrence of these riots. What needs to be done?

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged , , , , , and | 14 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Andy Daer
    @John Waller, we don't actually know what that the last thing Netanyahu wants is. If he brings about regime change, that would be good for the Iranian people, a...
  • Simon R
    Realistically we do have a problem that people are going to University to study certain subjects in far greater numbers than demand exists for jobs that require...
  • John Waller
    Andy you say: ‘Netanyahu becoming more powerful is troubling, but for me the most disturbing thing today was hearing that Netanyahu claims to be acting solely...
  • Geoffrey Payne
    I have not seen any comments from the Parliamentary party about their opinion about what is going on here. The government of Israel has become a regional supe...
  • Andrew Melmoth
    Never said there was Greg. I just don't think they should be the only choices available to kids from my kind of background....