...to be absolutely disgusted by Michael Gove's comments?

[MaryMcCarthy]

I suppose we all knew what Thatcherism and the modern Conservatives were about, but to hear it spoken out loud, with such disdain, just makes me so angry. Whether he said it last week or last century I'm just boiling with rage at how such callous sociopaths can rise to such high positions of power. I dare say we need a revolution in this country.

@Clavinova

emuloc The use of offensive language in this post

Somewhat surprised to read your post at 11.20 - I find those words offensive.

Yeah right, how about answering RumblyMumbly question to you instead eh.

emuloc

I was answering you. Why don't you apologise for the offensive slur you posted?

Oh @Clavinova, you really have completely lost the plot, darling.

Stop saying it was 40 years ago. It was 28 years ago. Certainly not the "norm". No one I know has ever said anything like that, especially in a public speech ffs. I hope voters see what these people think of us.

I was a student in those days. Gove’s comments would have caused as much offence then as they do now.

He's 54 those recordings of public events were made in 1987 and in 1993 so he would have been roughly 20 & 26 when he made the remarks.

He's a current Member of Parliament running the Cabinet. Nothing will happen to him, he likely won't even apologise. But we do know that he was racist, sexist, homophobic and joking about 'dirty, toothless Northerners' just for 'laughs' in public debates when he was an adult.

For those apologising for him this was the 1980's and 90's not the 1880s! Remember 1993 was the same year Stephen Lawrence was murdered by a gang of white racists, as a society we knew racism was a problem.

@supermoonrising

To be honest it just sounds like typical “young Tory boy trying to be risqué and hilarious” unfunny nonsense.

It’s more pathetic than offensive. The problem isn’t what he said specifically, the problem is why do these sorts of people attain power in our country. These people with the empathy of a snake and the worldview of a spoilt toddler. They do seem to gather in the Conservative Party.

I assume you're white and heterosexual then, so not offended?

Agog at those excusing it because it was 30 years ago. So finding child abuse funny was normal in the 90s? Calling people f ws was okay? Saying the south should stamp over the toothless north was just a sign of the times?*

^This. As a survivor of CSA, I find his attitude deeply offensive and disturbing. No wonder paedophiles like Jimmy Saville were able to hide in plain sight.

@Bluntness100

Blimey I’m sure I said some shit as a teen at college. I’d hope no one forty years later was holding me accountable.

I'm surprised and saddened by your attitude Bluntness. I usually agree with you on threads, I can't believe you're excusing him .

Blimey I’m sure I said some shit as a teen at college. I’d hope no one forty years later was holding me accountable

You’re not a cabinet minister, are you?

Jesus wept!

After all the crap this man has said and done, his part in the dismantling of a working education system, his backstabbing, gurning and all his every day fuckwittedness this is getting attention?

I fucking hate him and the ground he walks on but please can we get rid of him based on his supposed competencies rather than his youthful, over privileged wankery?

I don't want him to be able to say "They dug up some 'pig fucking' crap from my youth" I want him to know that his wilfully obtuse, utter no nothing, self absorbed certainties were so fucking awful he was sacked, from anything and everything.

He is an utter incompetant. Don't give him any excuse to go on and get yet another well paid job, be able to rely on his cornies. Sell the gobshite 'pob' down the river on a raft of his own stupidities!

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

My apologies to all pobs, backstabbers, youths, wankers, pig fuckers and incompetants. I shall never compare you to The Goviot again.

In my defence, I am REALLY pissed off at the focus of this.

He didn't just dismantle the education system. Before that he (and tye truly awful Graying) also trashed the legal aid and family court system (I used to work in that system at the time).

@theDudesmummy

He didn't just dismantle the education system. Before that he (and tye truly awful Graying) also trashed the legal aid and family court system (I used to work in that system at the time).

Eurgh! I was a lecturer. My utter distaste for all things Goviot started with him as Ed Sec. I don't doubt he has wrecked everything he has ever touched.

He's been referred to as a Reverse Midas for decades.

Promoted?

Given the man promoting him is also sexisg, racist and homophobic its hardly a surprise.

Fuck! I've just realised The Goviot is now housing minister. I thought I'd escaped from his idiocy.

I'm self employed, how much damage can he do to me?

Gaaaaaaaaargh!

Oh, no surprise, he and his Tory mates are utterly vile. If you voted for them in hope of something better then more fool you. They are ALL like that and think the same whether they say it out loud or not.

Oh, x years ago? That's all right then. And Prince Andrew? Also x years ago. Gove was young and stupid? Bring home Shamina Begum then, also young and dumb. The apologists on here are rarely consistent. Gove remains what he's always been, no evidence to the contrary.

And I loathe making the point but how does the race, religion and sex though perhaps not class nor regions) attributes of the new government compare with previous Conservative and Labour Cabinet Ministers, especially the Big 4 posts of State. At first glance, a minority ethnic and Hindu Chancellor. I think Labour had the first woman foreign secretary but the second here, across all historical governments. A minority ethnic and Hindu Home Secretary. And the Conservatives have had two woman Prime Ministers, though I won't share my opinion of either. Now as context, I suspect the figures are skewed by the recent governments tending to be Cnservative or Coalition, and the new Labour Blair Brown axis 'blocking' two of the four offices during that 13-odd years. How many minority ethnic and/or women Labour (or what % minority ethnic Trade Union) leaders? It's an odd conundrum.

Odious little turd.

I am a similar age to Gove, and it was NOT ok, acceptable or normal to say the things he did when he did. Especially not amongst young people. I too went to university debates at that time, and recall a stupid, posh homophobic twat being booed off the stage and having things thrown at him.

Would need to check but I think the first Cabinet with two of the Four Offices of State held by women and with two minority ethnic politicians too. Boris the only 'white' male (though a little Turkish ancestry?) of the four. Doesn't excuse Gove, nor the policies implemented by these individuals but arguably a conundrum all the same. At first glance, two of the four went to elite private schools, three Oxbridge and all four university educated?

I'm not interested in their gender nor their religion and/or ethnicity. If they are adhering to the Tory ethos then that is what they are. And those are the opinions they share and represent.

@longwayoff I evaluate then by what they say and the decisions they make, too (Priti). I find it interesting how the parties with an ostensible ethos of equality and diversity appear to have (significantly?) less senior representation than the Conservatives, though I suppose they would argue it's consistent with their (IMO lip-service to) 'see what happens if you just let people get on with their lives without interference and don't focus on identity politics' ethos.

I understand, don't misinterpret my disgust with the current batch of Tories as support for the feeble opposition. I, like many others, feel disenfranchised. 'Let's just leave things alone' is traditional Toryism; this newish crop is something more closely related to the batch that Churchill beat back in the 30s. Unfortunately.

@Blossomtoes

Blimey I’m sure I said some shit as a teen at college. I’d hope no one forty years later was holding me accountable

You’re not a cabinet minister, are you?

Me too. When I was 13 I thought capital punishment was a good thing.

Now I have grown up and know differently.

For goodness sake of course you can change your views about things as you have different life experiences.

So glad to know that MNers were all perfect from the age of 5 and have never changed their minds about anything, ever.