James Purnell Interviewed in French

[UnquietDad]

video here

If you can sit through it all, you're either very bored or very interested! But whatever one thinks of the guy and his politics, that is some seriously impressive French. Better than Tony's, I think.

I haven't sat through it all but it is pretty impressive. He still has a little bit of an accent but makes very few of the common grammatical errors.

Do you think he's a future Labour PM in the making?

I despair of my French accent when I hear such a good one! He did however go to school in France (according to Wikipedia!)

have just found out the same Fatzak. That's our excuse!

Makes me feel better anyway! It's soooo hard to have a good accent I think when you are from Yorkshire

His French is incredibly good. Amazing accent. Much better than Tony Blair's French.

He is a very nice guy too.

Gawd, I wish mine was that good. Still, good for getting my ear in before a trip to France this weekend, although I doubt I'll be getting the chance to trash the Labour party .

Very good French... shame the content is so yawwwwwnsome and bland

errr but when did James Purnell come into Le Picture Politique?

He's certainly being bigged up as a future leader. I imagine that when Gordon loses the next election it'll be a battle between him and Miliband.

JaneHH - he is Work & Pensions Secretary (at the age of 38) and tipped for promotion in the coming reshuffle. Tony Blair was Shadow Home Secretary at the same age.

aha... thanks for that, UQD. You'll understand that minor English politicians don't make it onto the news here in Holland

Though if someone got hold of this story here it would go like wildfire: AN ENGLISHMAN WHO CAN SPEAK A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND DO MORE THAN ORDER TWO BEERS - STOP PRESS!!!

Hey Jane HH, Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats speaks five, including fluent Dutch (his mother is Dutch). Has Dutch TV not found an excuse to interview him yet?

We all know Nick is a cunning linguist.

haha UQD

No funnily enough Nick Clegg doesn't register on the radar here either... Though judging by the reactions to threads like these on Mumsnet there are more and more British wo/men around these days who can speak more than passable "forrin"...

How can that be? A British Liberal not making an impression in another country? The world is going to the dogs, I tell you.

Liberal Democrat...

It's funny, McBroon always calls them "Liberals". Always did when he was Chancellor too! I think he thinks he will taint them by association with the party of the 70s, or something... or just doesn't see them as being as relevant/important enough to give them their proper name?...

And even more funnily (if you're into this sort of thing) "liberal" in Holland means you're RIGHT-wing

I have a feeling "liberal" really actually means "in opposition to the party currently ruling or which mostly rules". Hey - that certainly works for the Lib Dems in the UK (when were they last "in power"?)

You have Marianne Thieme though, who livens up politics no end!!

The Liberal Democrats have only been in existence since 1988. The last Liberal prime minister was Lloyd George (1916-1922).

errrr WHO?! (as in who is Marianne Thieme?)

Is she a Dutch politican or do you mean "there is Marianne Thieme in the Liberal party in the UK" (dangerously bordering on Pedant's Corner here but I know you're a fellow pedant)

So anyway who you on abaahhhtt?

Have just googled. hahahahaha Partij van de Dieren (rough translation: The Animal Party) What a @"#(*&@#$(#@ joke.

Do you think she is multilingual and speaks sheep / cow / laboratory mouse?

You can see why I like her, though.

yes, for her in-depth speeches, broad base of policies and um (running out of steam here)... need I say more?

Am quite impressed with Monsieur Purnell!