September 13, 2001
To London on the 18.47. David Miliband was on the train. He is in a similar situation to the one I was in when I was first selected - enemies occupy every office in his constituency party, although in his case it is nothing personal.
He says The Man - who was once in a similar situation in Sedgefield - advised him 'to go around smiling at everyone and get other people to shoot them'. Advice that The Man seems to have applied throughout his career.
I have often thought that if you want to judge alpha types, especially in public life, it's no use meeting them, since they have spent a lifetime perfecting their persona. You need to look at the people they choose to surround them, and then the agenda will become clear.
"Man smile; man nice man."
look at the people they choose to surround them
ReplyDeleteabsolutely right
by their acolytes shall ye know them
When Blair first popped up, various interviews were published with his former teachers at Fettes. They had his number. But I'll grant you that his employment of the likes of Campbell and the now Lord Mortgagefraud tells much the same story.
ReplyDelete