Opinion: ‘Rory was the PM we needed, instead of Boris, Truss or Rishi,’ says William Porteous
Diss Express columnist, William Porteous, shares his view
How have you been? It’s been a while since I appeared in the Diss Express as I tend to get caught up in this everyday occurrence that I know plenty of others struggle with; life. On top of this it’s probably been a great way to generate different subject matter! Step away and refocus.
I’ve been reading two autobiographies - the first Rory Stewart’s and the second Adam Buxton. One an international globe trotting fountain of political knowledge the other a typically almost eccentric comedian with a heart bigger than Moby Dick’s. Big whale that Moby Dick, shame about the harpoon.
Rory’s book is laser focused in its take down of the almost entirely rotten Tory party and political system post 2010. It's absolutely in my ballpark. The early and mid
naughts is when I was probably most politically engaged or rather when I was really being born into certain frameworks of ideology. Rory was the Prime Minister that we needed as opposed to the rip roaring tilde wave of garbage swilling nonsense that was Boris Johnson, Truss and Sunak. Who knows how things might havepanned out had Rory beaten off the populist rhetoric of Johnson but do you ever think about it? No, of course not.
The news cycle eats the past up like a rabid crocodile on extra strong rabies pills. The likelihood of you, me or even Alistair Campbell recalling that leadership debate is unlikely.
Anyway as a one nation Tory I think Rory would’ve probably lasted about as long as Truss before the utter contempt the Tory party had for logic (at the time) would’ve eaten him whole. Where we want to go as the United Kingdom is unclear now as it was then. It’s a mess isn’t it? Yes it is.
Stop the boats, yes, crack down on the gangs bringing these desperate people over absolutely but bring those with something to give to this land of ours the chance to thrive. It’s no good saying stop the boats unless it’s from a compassionate stand point. Having a Farage-style stop everything and hate anybody that’s not exactly like us (whatever us means) is just ludicrous. The likes of Farage are having it all their own way but one wonders for how long. I presume unless a miracle happens he’ll be the next Prime Minister in which case all the rhetoric and bile will have to formulate into actual action and policy. The microscope will fry him. He’ll be like an ant under the burning rays of a magnifying glass held by (hopefully) a very keen and curious British public. When you read Rory’s book you see how Farage has been given the most fertile of all grounds to propagate his ideology aided by various media platforms that grandstand him as if he’s a wicked cool paragon of political inventiveness. Cheers Brexit and cheers chaos for chaos is the mother of all ladders.
Adam’s book is the antidote to the toxic masculinity and bleakness that Rory paints. Adam’s podcast is my weekly cornerstone much like the ancient realm of the WTF podcast hosted by Marc Maron. In the weeks I’ve been away from here, I’ve listened to Adam speak to a number of guests but a standout is CMAT, the singer songwriter with a set of pipes I’d chew a cat's tail off for. Chewing cats’ tails is tricky. She talks about her own journey with songwriting and the conversation is particularly interesting when they talk about eating disorders and body image. I love hearing from people younger than me and their real experiences in this blink and you’ll miss it mad world we live in. The way our minds are doing cartwheels trying to keep up with everything. It’s great to know I’m not alone there.
Like Adam I, too, tend to create quite a lot, some might say a little too much. Perhaps I should dial it in a little on the creative front but that inner voice kicks in. “How many lives do you have? Oh only one is it? Better get cracking old chum.” So my band Pharmacists are putting out our fourth single today actually! June 20! And much like CMAT and most people I have my own demons and unlike most people I’ve written a song about said demons; Namely grief and boarding school! In fact the
more I read about Adam’s life the more I found myself nodding along and saying in a quiet white British male way “Oh yes, me too.”
Adam went to boarding school, wrote comedy, blagged and blustered, had self doubt and much besides but ultimately and most importantly of all has a black dog named Rosie. He too walks in Norfolk like myself! Did I also mention I too have/had a podcast and a black dog called Rosie…
Yes it’s been a very, very male- centric few weeks away only balanced by the fact I live with four ladies and one lad. One of the ladies is a dog the lad is also…a dog. I’m not entirely sure what my point is here, suffice to say I love left leaning creatives with a sufficient amount of self doubt and self loathing. We need those openly honest and loveable types in our lives to show us it’s OK to be scared and a little odd in our own special way.
I think my creativity is probably masking my own fear of the absolute shower of nothingness in life though. Wooh! Steady on there old chum, nothingness? What do you mean? What I mean is ‘what’s the point?’ I mean the actual point. I feel more and more that creatives are just hoping we’ll hit upon something that cancels out the
boredom and fear of the impending endless void that awaits us all…by that I mean the new Aldi in Diss, of course I do.