Robin Cook

[superdoodle]

Does anybody else find it  deplorable that John McCririck used Robin Cooks funeral to have a go at tony blair? Im not a huge fan of tony but surely the speech shouldve been about robin, not a platform to attack someone?

[georgit79]

Whilst I think it was the wrong time, and the wrong place, I certainly think it's disgusting that Blair couldn't manage to return from his holiday to attend the funeral of one of the greatest ever members of his cabinet.

[mfewell]

Hardly surprising though from John McC. He is an extreme Tory and knew Robin Cook as a racing friend rather than as a politician - and it's got him in the news.

[ianess]

Wrong time, wrong place, but I have to back John McCririck's view that not attending the funeral of one of the best Labour MPs ever was an enormous snub to the Cook family.  I was unaware of any great personal rift between the two of them even though there was a disagreement over policy.  Does Blair only want "yes-men" around him?
Even Maggie T had the courtesy to attend Ted Heath's funeral.

[kempie]

Perhaps TB had booked to return with BA?

[mfewell]

Deplorable speech by John McC - but he just now got his 2 minute interview on C4 News... Maybe what he wanted all along.

[maxd]

I absolutely agree with georgit79. It wasn't the time or place for that diatribe but it is appalling that Blair couldn't make time in his busy holiday schedule to go to the funeral. I see it as a huge snub to Robin Cook's family.

[bernardo]

It was appropriate for JMcC to say what he thought, and the time and place was appropriate as well.  Throughout my political career I have been far more likely to regret not doing or saying things which I have not siad, rather than to regret saying things I have said.  He may regret causing any offence which was taken, but that does not mean that he regrets saying it.  I noticed also that there was applause outside the church.

[mfewell]

Isn't TB going to be taking a leading role in the forthcoming remembrance for RC ? I have read by the way that there was a huge personal rift between the two. TB didn't attend the funeral, but so what. There's too much being made of this, and when the present 'fuss' has died down the revealing biographies will appear anyway, with loads worse in. If I want criticism of TB I will consult a better source than John McC !

[nfn]

John McC has just added a bit of publicity to is somewhat flagging career

[Grunty]

Anyone who can be criticised by John McCrirrick can't be all bad.

[robbieh]

Disrespectful - if someone did something to benefit their own profile and make personal brownie points, at my relatives funeral - i would rather they weren't there. The time to make points is NOT a funeral. Cheap political point, very cheap publicity stunt by a very grotesque man and seemingly emotionless man

[kev100]

It demonstrates what a complet ****** Blair is. If this word is blanked out by our "betters" the word rhymes with dosser.

[woofgang]

I hate Tony Blair with a passion, but see it as a kind of moral honesty to not attend the guy's funeral if you didn't actually like him. Better to stay away than to go there and lie or worse, go there and tell the truth!!

[JHolland]

The people who mattered most at the funeral (and at any funeral) were the family - Robin's wife and children. I would expect that Tony Blair had privatly been in touch with them, but even if he wasn't, I would think they would be more upset by John McCririck craving publicity and tryng to score cheap political points when he should have been talking about Robin, than about the fact that Tony wasn't there on the day.

Maybe Tony thought that 'life's too short' and rare time spent with his wife and children was important - he must have known that he'd get a lot of stick over not going, but decided to put his family first. It's been a long time since I actually agreed with a decision that Tony Blair made!

[kazza12345]

maybe blair has realised that life is short, and that his precious holiday with his family is more important than coming back for a colleauges funeral?  I would gyess the blairs have hardly any kind of normal family life, and maybe want to enjoy it while they can (after all who knows when HE is going to drop down dead)

their family holiday at christmas  was stopped because of the tsunami (correctly)  Its not like he can take a few weeks off when he feels like it is it?  Maybe he never sees his young son, and he deemed that more important?

[mullein1]

i have met john mc..and he certainly never said it to raise his profile..he is one of those people that say something and think later..and to be quite honest he wont give a dam who he upsets..in this instance i think he was right and blair should have made the effort..i am sure if it was bushs funeral he would have cancelled his arrangements to be their..apparently some of cooks family thanked john mc for raising the issue ..of what others thought and hadnt got the guts to say..

[adydb]

Lost all respect from me....then he wouldn't understand that answer!

[luckyboy]

Blair is to give the address at robin cooks memorial service...the family told that big fat lump to lay off blair, and having already mouthed off in the media beforehand, it was unnecessary, and totally out of order to use a funeral service to do the same thing.. it was posturing of the highest order, it pleased blairs many critics no doubt, but it would not have pleased the most important people on the day cooks family, or cook himself if he were alive...a funeral is supposed to be a celebration of the persons life instead that oaff spoiled what was up until then a dignified service.. 

[kick3m0n]

Soorry, but it wasn't appropriate Bernardo...not least because the family of Robin Cook specifically asked that idiot McCririck NOT to say anything.  To ignore the request of the family is deplorable, and typical of the self publicising  ignoramous that is JMcC.   He'd already stated his view on TB upon hearing that he wouldn't attend the funeral, to repeat it at a time when the focus should have been on the life of Robin Cook and the grief of his family and close friends was cheap and  ill considered at best.  As many of RCs friends and family have said, it was NOT what RC would have wanted.

[noseyno]

Maybe T.B. Did not want the limelight to be on him with all this sercurity. And take away from Robin Cooks family the sad moment