He's not the first 'politician' to have something from a chicken's bum thrown at him by an angry member of the public, and won't be the last, but due to who he is it has become a freedom of speech issue. Perhaps if he was egged while just walking down the street, rather than trying to hold a press conference people wouldn't be so bothered. It's a bit like burning a book you don't like - sort of jars with our core values really and hard to justify no matter who the individual (speaking) or what the content (of the book).
If the intention of the protestors was to prevent him from speaking - and it undoubtedly was (though I think they were more keen to just deny him the freedom to stand on a single square foot of cosmopolitian London soil) - then it is they who have been left with the egg on their faces. He got to say his piece anyway, even if it was only with a photo of Westminster in the background rather than the real thing, and no doubt enjoyed more airtime as a result than perhaps he would have otherwise.
If I were a Cambridge egghead I might even consider using my own rent-a-mob in future to follow me around and (right on cue as the media pack assembles into place) begin hurling abuse and dairy products and waving banners about to create the stir of publicity that only I benefit from.
Tough talk isn't enough
2 days ago
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