Politics rears its ugly head - but only briefly, I promise.

After my post on X Factor this week, I am quite surprised that I am springing to its defence today. The reason for this is that Ian Duncan Smith (or Ian and Duncan Smith as Paul Merton always insisted on calling him) has asserted that the X Factor and shows like it are a significant factor in the riots which took place in various locations in England recently. He links them with with a "regrettable culture of acquisition", presumably meaning that poor people see what the rich and famous have and want it for themselves. I must assure Mr Smith that this is not a new phenomenon and in this instance, much as I dislike X factor and others for reasons already stated, I can confidently tell him that he is not only wrong but is being offensive to boot. In Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, which I believe predates X Factor by a few years, Israel Hands, one of the mutineers states his reasons for wanting to hurry the mutiny along by saying, "I want their pickles and wines and that." People will always want to acquire things. I very much want a 1959 Les Paul but that doesn't make me a rioter. The X Factor and shows of this nature actually encourage their audience to become hysterical, to let off steam and to divert their feelings of aggression towards panel members who denigrate their chosen aspiring "stars". If anything people are less likely to riot because of them.

Anyone with an ounce of nous can see that Duncan Smith is wrong about this for a host of obvious reasons.  I find his remarks offensive, however,  because I think it is unfair and dishonest of someone who is wealthy - according to Wikipedia a millionaire - to deplore the acquisitive instincts of people who earn less in a year than he claims on his expenses. If we are looking for reasons for the recent riots we might start with the shooting of an unarmed man by armed police, the subsequent misinformation on the subject and the ludicrous "all in it together" claims of wealthy politicians with subsidised second (or third or fourth) homes.