Heartland

So, this thing with Cameron and the pig...

Now that the giggling has died down a bit (and OK it is funny) there are a couple of serious implications - IF* the story is true.

1) if, as has been claimed, photographs of the incident exist, then the Prime Minister could be vulnerable to blackmail threats, which means that national security could have been compromised.

2) the purported existence of these "hazing"-style rituals among the scions of privileged and powerful families leads one to the conclusion that these elites are trained from a young age to know and keep embarrassing sexual secrets about one another - posing all sorts of questions about the alleged cover-up of a history of paedophilia in the corridors of power.

*(And it's a pretty big "if")

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Also, regardless of whether the story is true or not, cui bono?

Why has it been released, and why has it been released now? Is it perhaps the opening salvo in Boris Johnson's (or possibly Gideon Osbourne's) leadership bid?

Wheels within wheels...

It is a bif 'if'.

Yes, something like this could expose him to blackmail, but politicians having dark secrets is hardly new, and who needs to blackmail them when they can be bought? Okay, maybe that last comment's a little unfair as I don't think Cameron's ever been implicated in cash-for-favours type scandals, but is it too cynical to say putting ANYONE in charge of national security is always hugely risky?

As for the paedophilia thing, yes we know that has gone on and some politician have been implicated, but it's rather an unfair leap from hazing ritual to there with no evidence. It's too easy for the serious abuse investigations to spill into witch hunt without adding to it.

As for funny, isn't it more just pathetic and depressing? Especially after yesterday's (absolutely correct) comments about the knob gag?

I don't mean to sound like I'm having a go at you fiendy - you know I think you're a great bloke - but isn't this just gutter press trash and barely worthy of our attention? I'm not defending hazing or the specific pig incident, and God knows I'm not defending Cameron, but I'm not sure any of this really affects anyone and I don't think we should encourage this kind of "journalism". If there is anything to be gained from this story coming out, it's a proper discussion on the horrible practice of hazing.

Sorry if I sound like I'm on a high horse. Just a bit tired today.

Coming barely a week after Corbyn had bucketloads of crap thrown at him by the national press I find it quite hypocritical that this story should be played down because the evidence is currently anecdotal only.

My impression was the BBC doesn't want to leave itself open to slander accusations - and is probably being leaned on heavily by Downing Street comms. The newspapers have always followed their own tune in this kind of thing.

So far it comes nowhere nearer to evidence based (fact) from allegation, so burden of evidence is on someone who revealed such news. Anyhow, it sounds embarrassing, if it's true. And let be honest, pot thing is nothing, coke is heavier, but cock in head of dead pig is slight different, but still not higher than embarrassing, at least IMO. It's hard to call it necrophilia, it's just stupid act, but it's light year (distance) from case of Jimmy Savile and his friends.

But this VW case is huge and true. Waiting for EU commission to come and check facts and, if they did this in EU, charge them with fine. Waiting.

The pot & coke allegations are hardly surprising given the reputation of the Bullingdon club. And I understand that Cameron was disciplined at Eton for smoking weed. If true, it does make Cameron a flaming hypocrite; his government's hard-line anti-drugs policy smacks of "it was OK for me to do these things but not for you".

The VW thing is very disturbing. It could extend to other car manufacturers too according to the grauniad.

I'm not defending him, but if he only did that when he was young and stopped, change of mind/view is acceptable. Plus, war on drugs it's a bit more complicated, take a look on money invested of propaganda, security services/forces, power of said services. Case of Colorado proves that letting off pot from drugs list can do more good that bad, but you can't expect that conservatives will be pro decriminalization of possessing drugs (weed).