Roasts, Toasts and Soapboxes

Roast

Objectively Subjective

I was disappointed, but not surprised.

Fiona Bruce’s second hosting of Question Time was awful and unprofessional. Making inappropriate remarks about Diane Abbott, who receives vastly more threats and abuse than anyone else in parliament, was a bad start. Then, as the host, Bruce enabled and joined in with the constant condescension and interruption from the Farage and Friends journalist Isabel Oakeshott.

People in the ivory towers of establishment media are routinely incompetent and inevitably are privileged elites selected for their passive acceptance and legitimisation of ruling class power. Get rid.

Jamie Cameron

Toast

Wonderful Women

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll have heard about Warwick University’s rape group chat scandal. Whilst a lot of the focus has been on the disgusting behaviour of the boys, isn’t it time that we admired the bravery of the girls involved?

These girls were singled out in the most horrible way, and have had to deal with the possibility of the boys who threatened them returning to their campus. Yet the girls have ensured that their story hasn’t been forgotten. By using social media and appearing on national news channels, they have made sure that the story stays in the limelight. By making their voices heard, there’s no doubt that they are helping campuses to be safer spaces for everyone.

Caitlin Disken

Soapbox

Car Crash Critique

Yes, Prince Philip was in a car crash. Yes, he may have been at fault (though this is yet to be proven). Yes, he was spotted days after the Sandringham crash driving without a seatbelt, which is inexcusable. However, the overwhelming criticism he is now facing at the hands of the press and social media is wholly unjustified.

I am by no means a royalist – indeed, I would prefer the monarchy to be abolished – but the expectations for him to personally “compensate” the other victims, most notably Emma Fairweather, purely because of his public status, are attention-seeking at best.

Most frustrating is the public outcry calling for the introduction of a maximum age limit for driving. Prince Philip may be 97, but studies have shown time and time again that young males are the most unsafe drivers. Old age does not automatically mean incapability.

Whatever Prince Philip may be, he is not a scapegoat who can be milked for compensation and he is not a poster boy for removing the right to drive from the elderly. If this incident has taught us anything, it should be that this problematic junction near the Sandringham Estate needs a bit more TLC from transport planners.

Grace Dean

car crash comment Diane Abbott Fiona Bruce media Prince Philip Question Time royal family Sandringham Warwick University

Last modified: 25th July 2019