This thread about the casual dishonesty of politicians and the media’s failure to call them out is a fascinating read
You’ll probably have seen by now this tweet by Brexity Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski about Europe which has been getting a lot of attention of late.
Britain helped to liberate half of Europe. She mortgaged herself up to eye balls in process. No Marshall Plan for us only for Germany. We gave up war reparations in 1990. We put £370 billion into EU since we joined. Watch the way ungrateful EU treats us now. We will remember.
— Daniel Kawczynski (@DKShrewsbury) February 2, 2019
It’s been getting a lot of attention because what he says is complete bollocks, as many, many people have pointed out.
Now a chap called David Allen Green, a contributing editor to the FT, has taken the time to point out why it’s more significant than just another MP talking nonsense, in this fascinating thread about politicians being casual with the truth and the media’s failure to call them out.
It’s well worth a few minutes of your time.
A thread on why the Daniel Kawczynski @DKShrewsbury dishonesty thing matters.
1.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
Politics in the UK – and USA and no doubt elsewhere – is in a poor shape.
And one reason for this is the casual dishonesty of politicians and their supporters, and the unwillingness or inability of the media to check the falsehoods of politicians and their supporters.
2.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
Attention spans are short, the news cycle relentless, and there is always new content to distract us.
A politician lies, people shrug, the political caravan moves on.
The political lie serves its quick and cynical purpose, and is soon just forgotten.
3.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
Most Politicians usually are clever enough to get away with it.
They seek not to be too specific.
They know they can brazen any exposure out long enough for people not to care, to get the cover of the “so whats?” of the easily bored.
But Daniel Kawczynski slipped up.
4.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
Daniel Kawczynski was specific.
Here is the tweet, read it for yourself: https://t.co/OdykYz8p31
In particular:
“No Marshall Plan for us only for Germany.”5.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
Whether or not that statement was true, it was a vile and inflammatory tweet – accusatory and base. The sort of thing no decent and responsible politician would want to send, even if their facts were correct.
But.
6.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
But Daniel Kawczynski does not even have the wit to be an adequate demagogue.
Because far from the UK getting no Marshall Plan, the UK as a matter of fact was the greatest recipient.
So not just an untruth, but the opposite of the truth.
7.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
(On the Marshall Plan, it is fascinating how British self-serving myths miss out how it was saved by this external intervention, as the historian of the Plan points out: https://t.co/oOTbphXWWv )
8.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
This mistake was quickly pointed out to Daniel Kawczynski.
It was pointed out here:https://t.co/FnuST1c4Zw
9.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
And it was pointed out here:https://t.co/qO3yPUtclL
And so on.
10.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
And what was the response of Daniel Kawczynski, the man without the wit to get the central fact in his vile tweet correct?
His response was, of course, witless.
He started by just typing “you should get out more” to anyone who corrected him.https://t.co/ewrw8pGQLu
11.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
But that playground putdown didn’t work.
He was then challenged – magnificently – on the radio by @alexisconran.
Please watch and listen, so to grasp the utter state of Daniel Kawczynski https://t.co/3oCTlGBjME
12.
— David Allen Green (@davidallengreen) February 4, 2019
