I can vividly remember the Hopalong Cassidy, cowboy suit. Well I can sort of remember – black and white waistcoat and chaps, a papier-mâché 10 gallon hat and pair of cap pistols.
Obviously UK Deputy PM, John Prescott, who is more or less contemporary with me, missed out on his humble cowboy suit.
Now there is a corruption probe over gifts from his filthy rich, Christian right, American friend Philip Anschutz; who just happens to want to open a super casino in London.
At any price, it sounds a pathetic bribe to me. Surely our leaders, in the broad sense, have greater desires than just reliving childhood fantasies.
Where is the ubiquitous plain envelope full of money, or the special off-shore bank account, the dollars?
To be sure, Prescott’s new suit is more elaborate than mine was. The present included a pair of tooled leather boots, a Stetson hat and a belt with his initials - JP - on a silver buckle. I guess the inscription is in case he forgets who he really is, mid fantasy.
The suit was in addition to, or perhaps to enhance the experience of, an all expenses paid trip to Anschutz’s Colorado ranch.
According to reports, Anschutz was not at the ranch most of the time, he was probably at church getting the biblical word on the efficacy of gambling and super casinos. Funny line for an evangelical.
So Prescott is in a shit load of trouble, which is bad news for him. It could be bad news for the rest of the world. If he resigns then there probably won’t be a leadership spill and smiling Tony will keep on smiling.
Still, a week is a long time in politics. Long enough to dig a bloody great hole and pull it down on yourself.
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