Melanie Phillips

As you can see from the 'links' section of this site I am a regular reader of the online diary of Melanie Phillips. She is a right-wing journalist who has changed much since her formative years when she openly classed herself as a feminist, was leftwing and believed in personal freedom at all costs. She appears to have undergone the personality transplant that frequently accompanies the ageing process. (So when precisely did she get mugged, I wonder) and has shifted to the right. She calls herself a neo-con (or a neo-conservative - there are a lot of them about these days. They are breeding like rabbits). Her political outlook is hideously simplistic, relying upon what I regard as the outdated paradigm of left versus right. Naturally, she daemonises the left, holding those who adhere to that political perspective responsible for every ill that plagues the universe. Her views are polarised - there are no shades of grey in her world and 'ambivalence' is a dirty word. She holds the left primarily responsible for anti-semitism. (Where in God's name do people get that idea? I guess she's never heard of Nazi-Germany.)

I remember when she appeared on Question Time. Another member of the panel challenged her views on Israel. Will Self asked her if she felt that her loyalties were divided between Israel and the UK. (People have asked that question to many Muslims and everyone remembers Tebbit's infamous 'Cricket Test') She replied in a voice loaded with contempt, 'You wouldn't ask such an offensive question if you were Jewish.'

Will Self responded in a voice devoid of emotion, 'Oh, but I am Jewish.'

Flustered, Phillips spluttered, 'Oh, well, you ought to be ashamed of yourself then.'

Lesson to you, Ms. Phillips, you really ought to conduct some research into the background of your fellow panalists before you appear on Question Time. Everyone and their dog, pussy cat, hamster and pet spider knows that Will Self is Jewish.