What an interesting encounter it was between Michael Martin and David Cameron during this week`s Prime Minister`s Question Time.Cameron was going to ask The Prime Minister who he wanted to see as his successor but was prevented from doing so by Martin.On the basis that he should confine himself to relevant matters only.Cameron then replied `are you honestly saying ........` to which Martin to his credit wittily replied `everything said on this chair is honest`
Some people took umbrage at the Speaker`s action while some derided Cameron for his choice of word.The word in question being`honest`.I personally deem the exchange quite interesting.English as a language is very dynamic and contextual.A word can convey different meanings in different contexts.Honest, as used by Cameron in this case was not to question the integrity or call the Speaker Of The House a liar but to express incredulity.
There is a subtext here.Younger people mostly use honest in this way.`Honest` in this context has more to do with relativity and surprise than anything else.So when someone says`are you honestly......` they are not saying you are fibbing (well not necessarily) but more likely to mean `are you really,seriously,surely,positively saying...` . Well i consider myself a member of the younger generation in this instance.Yours truly turned the big 40 this August.
Cameron was just doing his job for asking the question and Martin was doing his in taking the action he took.What is notable and probably laughable is the fact that Cameron did ask the question afterall.So makes you wonder what the fuss was all about all along.Next time David Cameron should sneak such questions into other main questions.You can`t lose that way.The Prime Minister would have to give one answer or the other or ignore it.Either way it is in the public domain.As a seasoned politician he should know how to do this.Though seemingly dormant for now ,we know the Labour leadership issue is festering and would continue to do so.Not until the party chooses a new leader.By a process of election or coronation.
We also know the relevance of the question or why Cameron would want to put the Labour leadership imbroglio on the front pages again:The American mid -term elections coming up next week.All indications are that the Republicans are going to lose the House of Represantives and would be lucky not to lose the senate too.Why? George Bush.Mr Blair`s friend or who some more cynical people call his master.If as expected, Americans show there disapproval of Bush`s policies, notably the handling of the iraqi issue,by voting en-masse against the Republicans the backlash here would be immense for the Prime Minister.Chiefly the call for him to step down.
We wait and see.
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