Whilst crooning about Dickie Davies’ eyes, Half Man Half Biscuit declared that “mention the Lord of the Rings just once more, and I will more than likely kill you”. I feel similar whenever the virtues of that human interaction replacement system, Twitter are endlessly praised.
My constituency MP, John Thurso had a brief spell in the limelight following the 2010 General Election and return of Liberal MPs to Government since his grandfather, Archie Sinclair (currently remembered through a guano-splattered bust at the bottom of my street) departed in 1945. He has been mentioned again following the Deputy Speaker’s mis-quoted impatience at the use of Twitter during Parliamentary sessions.
The House of Commons Commission, represented by Thurso, already had been planning to examine the use of electronic devices in Westminster; and Tom Watson pressed him on his views. In a response along the lines of “who is this Gazza?” or “what is Linford’s lunchbox?”, Thurso responded:
“I deeply regret to inform you that I am a dinosaur when it comes to twittery-thingy and really haven’t a clue how it works.
“So may I discuss that with you and find out what exactly you’re talking about?”
Like an eager Billy Bunter, Watson did explain and – not available Online as far as I can tell – Thurso declined to get involved in what he termed verbal incontinence, too long for a soundbite and too short for a meaningful comment.
It is a blessing to know that such people still exist, really. This is not to say, of course, that I would ban Twitter from the Commons floor, rather than calling for a more considered use than that displayed by Pete Wishart (although the SNP forgave him on behalf of Scotland) or Milimajor snatching defeat from the jaws of victory over previous lack of traction on Andy Coulson.