Captain Ott?

[Theblip]

Captain Tom was undoubtedly a lovely brave old man who raised a record-breaking amount of money for the cash-strapped NHS, and was an inspiration and lifted the nation’s spirits during this pandemic. Last year he got a knighthood, Pride Of Britain Award, a hit record, a Piers Morgan Life Stories, etc. Since he died there’s been a special clap, Parliament stopped to honour him, GMB dedicated a whole show to him, there are calls for a hospital to be named after him, a statue to be erected, etc etc. But I am now going to put my head above the parapet fully expecting to be shot down in flames when I ask: isn’t it all a bit OTT? My arguments would be: He didn’t intend to raise more than £100 - the extraordinary donations were from other people. Plenty of people will have done tougher things to fundraise for the NHS, though may be not at such a grand age. Yes he fought for our country - so did countless others. He was adorable with an endearing turn of phrase, but so are many. The likes of Sean Connery, Des O’Connor, Bobby Ball and Maradonna who also died recently had far greater impacts on my life, yet their deaths didn’t get anything like this reaction. Okay, I’ve put my tin hat on. Fire away!

[New Judge]

Yes I agree As much as I admire the Captain (and indeed anybody of his ilk and age) his apparent beatification is totally excessive. It started because he wanted to exercise during lockdown and amazingly managed to raise a large amount of money. But I'm quite sure he didn't want the limelight he was eventually bathed in. I'm not so sure about his family, though but that's not really relevant. In any case, if they erect a statue of him it will shortly be torn down. As the Reverend Wossiname said a couple of days ago, applauding him represents "The Cult of White British Nationalism" and we can't have any of that here in (predominantly) white Britain, can we.

[gulliver1]

Why is the NHS cash strapped ?
£33 million from Capt Tom .
£350 million a week from Boris's Bus.

[davebro]

It isn't "cash strapped" - it's just a bottomless pit!

[Sqad]

Gulliver annual expenditure of the NHS is in the £billions....probably. ...hundreds of billions.

[New Judge]

The NHS isn't cash-strapped - it's bureaucracy burdened. However, we digress.

[andy-hughes]

Lady CG - // Sean Connery, the great Tax Avoider. //

This was debated at the time of Sir Sean's passing, but if you are going to refer to him as 'the great Tax Avoider', it is worth a correction I believe - Sir Sean paid the appropriate taxes to his country of domicile, and as such has not 'avoided' anything.

[andy-hughes]

Bobbi - // So you aspire to a cheat like Maradona then Blip? //

The So Rule - never far away is it?

[Bobbisox1]

That's only your Rule though, one I don't pay any lip service to

[andy-hughes]

Bobbi - // That's only your Rule though, one I don't pay any lip service to //

You don;t have to 'pay lip service' to it - you might consider it when you are typing your replies though, it will save you accusing someone of saying something they didn't say, and then castigating them for it.

[Bobbisox1]

Andy please give it a rest, okay do you're on ' duty' tonight and I used the prefix So, shoot me !

[douglas9401]

Miss! Miss! Hughes senior is derailing again!

[Bobbisox1]

Ha ha , So he is ( oops)

[DTCwordfan]

As per Paignton's suggestion, Page 1, put him on the spare Trafalgar plinth - the problem being the 'Black Lives Matter' or some other offshoot like 'Burmese Lives in Tatters' will want the statue pulled down within a generation for being politically incorrect.

[Bobbisox1]

I really don't like the idea of a statue , I'd rather see a Memorial Day , whatever is decided , it will be fitting

[Mamyalynne]

Take no notice Bobbi, it's very bad practice to come on a long thread and start correcting the answers that have gone before.

Ignore and he might stop.

[Mamyalynne]

I think he'll live on with the work done by his Foundation.

[Bobbisox1]

Thank you Mamya, wise words as always

[andy-hughes]

Bobbi - // Andy please give it a rest, okay do you're on ' duty' tonight and I used the prefix So, shoot me ! //

It's just a bit of fun, no need to get out of your pram!!

[andy-hughes]

Mamya - // Ignore and he might stop. //

In your dreams!!!!!!!!!!

xx

[andy-hughes]

Bobbi - // I really don't like the idea of a statue , I'd rather see a Memorial Day , whatever is decided , it will be fitting //

Why would you prefer not to have a statue?

I'm unsure about a Memorial Day - there are quite a lot of those already and starting another one sounds fine, but it will inevitably lose impact over time, coupled with the fact that the loss of impact rather defeats the object of the exercise.