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| Havin' a gaffe . . . it wasn't the best day for Natalie Bennett, but her good intentions deserve to be highlighted |
"Meanwhile, the Greens were left red-faced at their 2015 general election campaign launch..." read the newsreader during the opening headlines of last night's evening news.
Oh dear, I thought, what could have happened?
What did happen - which you'll already know if you've been anywhere near social media for the last 24 hours - was that she stumbled over the answer to a question about how to effectively cost the building of 500,000 units of social housing.
I listened to the interview in full after hearing it splashed all over the news. and it was uncomfortable, but - in the scheme of existence - not anywhere near as bad as the mayhem suggests.
It was just two people in a room talking. One had a bit of a cough.
Admittedly it was cringeworthy, and one of those people could have responded with more sharpness to an enquiry about policy costing, but the level to which other politicians [Chesterfield's Labour MP/my fellow 2015 election campaigner Toby Perkins* had a particularly good time rubbing it in on Twitter, which was a shame] and various media outlets whooped it up was a reminder of the lack of humanity prevalent in the current game of politics.
It would be nice to sidestep the current culture of mudslinging. I always found/find it embarrassing to see Prime Minister's Question Time riddled with the sort of name-calling and discourtesy that makes much playground discourse look considered, mature and empathetic.
Of course, if a politician is blatantly lying in a way that will be detrimental to the general public, we would like to call them out on that. But that is born out of a lust for truthfulness and a love of people over a desire to slam an 'opponent'.
Natalie immediately admitted the gaffe and apologised to voters in a fine display of honesty in which I am sure she will have endeared herself to many of the British public.
Her 'answer' itself was drastically lacking in terms of factual response to the question [an element of answering that is often considered crucial], but lest we forget that her intentions are for the benefit of the under-represented masses. Or the common good, as the Green slogan suggests. Part of our ethos is to work alongside others who are working towards the same goals and the common good is certainly one of those aims.
Natalie didn't avoid the question, nor was she lying in an attempt to cover up an extra-marital affair, or claiming that she had no knowledge that a former aide of her predecessor had a raving history of unscrupulous dalliances with under-age minors despite working closely with them for several years.
She just had a 'brain fade'.
I met Natalie at a Green Party meeting a few months back and she is lovely. A person who has entered into the political realm with a wish to do good.
Hence, I just wanted to write some nice things about her - in the spirit of peace and love - as it must have been a bloody nightmare of a day.
In the words of American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actor Ne-Yo...
Natalie Bennett, let me love you.
*************
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*For reference, I may sing Ne-Yo to Toby when I see him. Or may plump for Donna Summer's Love To Love You Baby.
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