by
ianrthorpe
@ 2006-11-16 - 18:17:35
King Kenute seems to have decided the way to halt climate change, save the London Olympics and get himself lots of media attention is to whack a punitive tax of £25 per day on Chelsea Tractors. This, he thinks, will ensure his re-election as London mayor and his elevation by public acclaim to the status of a god, after the style of Roman Emperors. Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius etc. having established themselves as protectors and friends of ordinary citizens and all round good guys were elevated to divine status. Usually it happened a few weeks before they were murdered.
Unfortunately the "Red Ken, Man Of The People" act fools few outside the la - la land that is Islington. To those who live on Planet Reality, Red Ken's socialist credentials are as false as those of Phoney Tony.
Will King Kenute's attempt to turn back the tide of climate change with his selective tax do any good? Well it can only be applied within the congestion charge zone and banishing a few thousand Sloane Range - Rovers from this small area will make not one iota of difference to anything. It is a typical example of New Labour's gesture politics.
Massive public investment is the only way to reduce the contribution made by transport to our total carbon emissions.
The real King Canute (alternative spellings Cnut, Knut) was actually not trying to hold back the tide but demonstrating to sycophantic courtiers that even a King has no dominion over nature.
If only King Kenute (alternative spellings are your choice,) President Blair et al could find that much humility.
Read another POV on King Kenute at Iain Dale's Blog