Coward cops of Tunisia back on patrol? What an insult to the ISIS terrorist’s victims
IN defence of Tunisia, their ambassador explained on Radio Four’s Today programme that his country had paid a high price as the killings by an ISIS terrorist of 30 British holidaymakers had caused their tourist industry to collapse.
Further, he said terrorist attacks were not only happening in his land but in Europe as well. All true.
But there is one difference. When we have outrages in our country our police ignore their personal safety — as with Lee Rigby — and try to capture or shoot down the terrorists.
Not true in Tunisia. With the attack on the Imperial Marhaba in Sousse in full swing in June 2015, the coastguard commander fainted, his corporal took off his security shirt so he wouldn’t be recognised, a couple of quad bike officers mysteriously didn’t arrive until the killings were over, and the same was true of a mounted police team.
A judicial report described their reaction as “at best shambolic and at worst cowardice”.
Five of the Tunisian policemen branded cowards were arrested for incompetence but have been now been released after pressure from their Interior Ministry.
And what do you think they are doing now? Assigned to protecting tourists in the town Sousse.
No matter how low the price, do promise you will not holiday in Tunisia.
Dropped Wright in it
IF you ever wondered why every time you turn on the TV, no matter what sports network, or switch on the radio, no matter what sports station, there are always at least three of the same pundits giving their views, I think I know why.
I am reading Ian Wright’s excellent autobiography.
Clearly 99 per cent is about his football talent and where it has taken him but there is an illuminating couple of pages on his financial situation.
Having been so successful for so long, you would have thought Ian would be nicely sorted. Not true.
Thanks to duff financial advice by what he describes as his “old management”, he is deep in hock to HMRC.
With the exception of the one house he bought for his mother, he has been forced to sell his other eight properties to keep the taxman at bay.
He points out that he is one of the lucky ones as he is being allowed by HMRC to try to pay off the debt through his many TV appearances rather than being bankrupted.
He says in his book he didn’t realise there were loads of big-name players facing similar tax demands who have no way of paying the money back.
They have been exploited by cunning financial companies who trousered their fees and left players facing a lifetime of penury.
There is no way players like Ian could have known what a terrible outcome there would have been to these “deferred tax” plans.
I know Danny Murphy and Martin Keown have to keep their punditry going to keep the wolf from the door. I’d be interested in hearing from other ex-footballers in that position.
There is no shame. It can happen to anybody. It almost happened to me.
I would like to thank Ian for shining a light on the painful exploitation of innocent footballers.
— THE Italian for suppository – Innuendo. Thank you.
Cam no fan of Theresa
I HEAR all is not well in the relationship between David Cameron (remember him?) and Theresa May.
They do not speak. Cameron is incandescent at the way Mrs M is running Brexit and the manner in which she has treated his former colleagues.
He refuses point blank to pick up the phone to seek favours as he doesn’t want to be in her gift.
Mrs May, meanwhile, never rated Cameron when he was the Prime Minister and would rather start wearing high heels than seek advice from him.
She objected to the boys’ club approach of Cameron at No 10, where only Eton types were allowed to have views.
Her Cabinet is much more of a meritocracy, where if you do your job and keep your mouth shut you will receive preferment.
Most of the male Secretaries of State live in fear of her.
I am told the quieter she goes as she hears a minister’s explanation of some policy fumble, the more terrifying it is.
I am rather warming to Mrs M and will put aside the fact she was a Remainer.
Leave has given her a political opportunity she could never have foreseen. She should be so grateful.
Pensioners are being ripped off by energy companies and banks
HAVE energy companies and banks no shame?
They happily rip off a 96-year-old pensioner for years – and when you catch them out and dump them, they have the front to come back and try it all over again.
Ian Stevens took over his dad’s finances last summer when Mr Stevens Snr was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
He found his dad had been paying home insurance renewals for 20 years without a murmur.
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The last one wanted £349 to cover Ron’s former council house in Walsall. A quick look online and Ian found a similar policy for just £149.
But the real shocker was EDF, who had been supplying his gas and energy for a decade.
He switched Dad to the Co-op and saved a staggering £1,075. After Ian had fixed the switches, both Lloyds and EDF were phoning and writing offering to match the deal.
There are millions of pensioners being exploited in this manner. Surely it doesn’t fall to me and my price comparison site, to expose the shocking goings on at banks and energy firms?
Does nobody in government care?
Jeremy's Barbados break
WHILE Jeremy Kyle flew back from Barbados first class, his shapely girlfriend and former family nanny Vicky Burton was seated up the back with the cad not returning once during the nine-hour flight to check she was safely tucked up.
And this is when the relationship is still hot. Give it a couple of years and she’ll be lucky to have a seat on the starboard wing.
Nominative determinism makes a comeback
NOMINATIVE determinism is back.
The boss of a firm that’s invented a new spray-on drug for premature ejaculation is Mr Wyllie.
Personally I’m so excited about this breakthrough.
Oh, sorry . . .
The new editor of the Huddersfield Examiner is a Mr W. Ankers. Announcing the appointment, his employers Trinity Mirror said they were sure he would “grab this opportunity with both hands”. I’m sure he will.
Face it Denzel, you lost
KNOWING the global cameras were on him, the ego planet that is Denzel Washington put on his angry look at the Oscars when he lost to Casey Affleck for Best Actor.
In his deliberately staged reaction – he couldn’t possibly have thought he was going win with Fences – he showed a lack of generosity and the real face of Mr Washington.
In a glittering 30-year career he has already won two Academy Awards so there is no suggestion he was facing some weird exclusion.
Many fine actors have never won one.
Add to that the way Affleck, who received his Mumbler of the Year award for Manchester by the Sea, paid tribute from the stage to Washington for being his early inspiration and you can see what a piece of work he is. At the minimum he should have smiled and given Affleck a thumbs up. It would have done him much more good.
His petulant display should be contrasted with the producer of La La Land, who on learning they hadn’t won Best Picture after all was full of grace and bonhomie to the people behind Moonlight.
Imagine if that happened to Washington. How angry would he have been then? If you’ d plugged him into the grid he could have lit up LA.
Denzel, my old son – get over yourself. You need to go on an anger management course.
Punnies
GARBAGE collection service in Uxbridge, West London – Talking Rubbish.
Cycle repair shop in Accrington, Lancs – Blood, Sweat And Gears.
Pie shop in Arnold, Nottingham – Live And Let Pie.
Haberdashers in Tardebigge, nr Redditch, Worcs – Sew Sew Lovely.
Tiling firm in Glasgow – Bonnie Tilers. Chippy in Clacton, Essex – Andy’s Plaice.
Watch repairers in York – Time Out.
Cycle shop in Deddington, Oxon – The Cyclogical Shop.
Great punnies. Do send more to [email protected].