To be fair to Rupa Huq, in retrospect context *is* everything; which is totally contrary to what I said before. I was badly mistaken. More especially, when potentially damaging remarks can be deliberately quoted in isolation. It seems quite plausible that she was simply over-reacting, possibly in response to goading in having to explain what she'd said -
"“I’m sorry if I was not making myself understood clearly."
Now as we only have the two snippets, we have no way of knowing the context. Given the event, its quite conceivable that at some point the discussion at revolved around black stereotypes - or more specifically the "stereotypical black man"; and how black people may be perceived by some voters as a result. Never mind by the police. Regrettable though this all might be. Just as there are stereoypes for all types of people from footballers wives, to university professors, to old age pensioners - broad generalisations with no bassis in reality but which can affect peoples' attitudes nevertheless. If only unconsciously.
And it seems quite possible that all Rupa Huq was doing in the context of that discussion was to simply point out that Kasi Kwarteng doesn't in fact conform in any respect to the idea of a stereotypicl black man. Being an Old Etonian - another stereoptpe to which he doesn't conform, unlike say Boris, with a Cambridge Double First, a merchant banker, and a right-wing-nut-job, with books to his name to prove it. As let's face it. only ten years ago people advocating such poilicies "were" regarded as nut jobs, whatever anyone says. And now look where we are.
So he's hardly typical of anything really. But its how he's percieved by the public and presumably voters, along other minorities which was maybe the topic under discussion.
You could say that it was very courageous of Rupa Huq to involve herself in such an event, possibly involving such sensitive topics in the first place. And that any politician, with any sense, would have avoided it like the plague.
"Ramsay Starmer" most certainly would have; and like Tony Blair before him, he'll not likely deny himself the opportunity to rid himself of a pontential future rival
with possibly more charisma than him. i.e more than 0000.000000001 on the scale.
michael adams
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Michael Adams ● 575d