Political

Jacqui Smith: our very own Donald Rumsfeld

You know, I think the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is turning into our very own Donald Rumsfeld.

After the previous entertainments caused by her rather odd pair of views (here and here) on walking and the little problem over the timing of her kebab purchases, we had this morning something right up there in the Mr Rumsfeld class.

On being challenged on the Today program that she was wanting to introduce detention without charge for 42 days only in order to cover hypothetical situations (rather than to deal with any current problem), she retorted:

It won’t be hypothetical if and when it occurs. We are not legislating now on the basis that we are bringing it in now for something that might happen in the future; we are bringing it in now for something that might happen in the future; we are bringing in a position for if it becomes unhypothetical. If, unfortunately I and many other experts are right and we do need it in the future it is in place.

As Paul Walter points out:

You could say that about any hypothetical situation, for example:

Minister: We have to legislate in case the Earth turns into cheese.

Interviewer: But that’s a hypothetical situation.

Minister: But it won’t be hypothetical if and when it happens.

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