With a manifest lack of sober nous he claims that the Tory’s spin-meister has organised the abortion issue coming to the front pages “How bleedin’ obvious does it need to be before you figure out it’s being organised by Lynton Crosbie?” When in fact it was Cosmopolitan magazine that asked all the political leaders for their views on the issue and sent out the press releases – so Fiend is either being disingenuous or is ill-informed. Howard did not kick-start the debate – Cosmo asked the question of all three leaders. Howard said “I believe abortion should be available to everyone, but the law should be changed” and that he had voted for the time to be reduced and would do so again. Blair said “I dislike the idea of abortion”. Chatshow-Charlie said he had previously voted for a 22-week limit but medical advances mean “I don’t know what I would do now”. Clearly these are difficult issues, but Tory HQ was telling the media yesterday morning that they would not be making an issue of abortion.
The Cardinal did not tell Catholics to vote Tory or Liberal. In a bit of a non-sequitar, Fiend, after describing the highly educated, multi-lingual Cardinal as “not exactly the brightest candle on the altar” refers to Catholic-dominated constituencies; “Liberals and legalised abortion do have rather a strong association after all, so the logic of trying to hand Liverpool, Newcastle and Cardiff over to them doesn’t add up from where I’m standing” seemingly unaware that for a long time the main pro-Life campaigner in this country has been David Alton, the Liberal Democrat member of parliament for Liverpool Mossley Hill (until he became a peer).
Fiend completes his bigoted anti-Catholic rant by claiming he would rather take advice on what’s moral in respect of children’s rights from the convicted Soham double child murderer Ian Huntley than from the Cardinal. Indeed.
All in all a bizarre, late night posting that is extremely offensive to millions of British Catholics. I wonder if the Fiend would describe the Chief Rabbi, who shares the same views on abortion as the Cardinal, in the same terms? Frankly Guido only expects this kind of thing from drunk Glasgow Rangers supporting, sash wearing, Orangemen, not Labour supporting political commentators.
