A word in your ear, old chap?

I arrived at page 30 of today’s Times and started to fume with anger. There is a two page advertorial for Sir Richard Branson including a half page picture of the man himself, “relaxing” in his chalet in Verbier. I fume because, in years gone by, the Times used to be a paper of record, a source of news upon which one could rely. I bear no malice toward Branson himself. He is an outstandingly successful businessman and good luck to him. He is also the apotheosis of self-publicism. For him, a two-page freebie in the Times is small beer.

The “story” was written by Alice Thomson and Rachel Seymour who forfeit their right to be called journalists. They should be working for Max Clifford.

What is this really about? It is about sanitising Sir Richard. The “story” is a nauseating encomium portraying Sir Richard as the “saviour” of the NHS. Or maybe as a more generic “saviour” for, as it is written, you might think these two naïve girls were trailing the second coming. If you do not have the Times yourself, the words without the picture are available here. Note that on the Times-on-line page, the article is placed under UK “news”.

Who knows what still goes on when the anonymous “great and the good” sit down together behind closed doors? Do not underestimate the traditional British corridors of power; the monarchy, the church, the old school tie network, the civil service, the honours system, dinner at Chequers, Prime Ministerial patronage and the Times. Who remembers Chis Mullin’s “A very British Coup”?

No, I am not being paranoid. The “establishment” is not about to overthrow Gordon Brown. The electorate will do that soon enough. But the establishment is still the establishment and “a word in your ear, old chap” is enough to make the editor of the Times run a Branson advertorial which would be more honestly placed in a Labour Party political broadcast.

And Sir Richard is such a modest man:

No job is too big for me, says Sir Richard Branson
Sir Richard is becoming more and more political. But he thinks he can have more influence in business than in Parliament. “In my 30 years as a businessman I've been to Chequers and seen seven prime ministers for dinner - they don't exactly have a very long career. I hope to have another 30 years of what I'm doing.” (The Times)

This government, this Labour government, is going full steam ahead with the privatisation of general practice. The propaganda machine has been running down family doctors for three years. Now it is turning to building up the private sector and, in particular, Virgin Healthcare. The credulous public are to be persuaded that Sir Richard is not a ruthless, profit driven businessman, but a kind, caring and benevolent man whose only interest is the welfare of patients. Who then could be better to take over from those indolent, overpaid fat-cat GPs?

Those who want to know what really drives Sir Richard Branson will visit Branson Pickle.

Those who, like me, remember what the Times used to be like will quietly weep.

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And see:

(I am) not paranoid. (I am) just observing the fag end of a useless Government being hung out to dry by big business, so that remaining public assets are stripped. (The Jobbing Doctor)

A gamble too far (Dr Grumble)

Brown's losing it  (Dr Rant)