UKC

HRH has been visiting the flooded areas of Somerset for which I believe he should be commended. Why the hell has Smith not been?

In reply to FesteringSore:

Perhaps he already knows what a flood looks like.

In reply to FesteringSore:

I'd be asking why Owen Patterson hasn't been ....but also for those people living in an area which is below sea level, you do have to take some responsibility for protecting yourselves.

In reply to Uluru:


You'd look a bit silly. He was there last week!

In reply to FesteringSore:
Doesn't ' his royal ears' have property close by?

In reply to FesteringSore:

VIP visits like this must be a right pain in the arse distraction.

In reply to Postmanpat:

Charles remebered his wellies!

In reply to Submit to Gravity:

That was pretty much my thought

In reply to Submit to Gravity:


Meh. If he brings £50000 then I guess it's not all bad.

In reply to Uluru:


build your own earth embankment?

In reply to Postmanpat:


Poor bastards!

In reply to Submit to Gravity:


Distraction from what?
For the locals interviewed on the news it seemed like a very welcome distraction.

In reply to pec:

I wasn't talking about the public - I was talking in general about politicians etc turning-up during disasters and the like, where authorities are trying to resolve issues, but then have to deal with all the arse-kissing and security etc that goes with a VIP visit.

Given that the purpose is usually PR for the politician, it seems to me more a distraction than anything useful. This probably isn't the best example though.

In reply to Uluru:


I live in an area that is slightly above sea level ( sometimes) and is also in a valley .
Sometimes it is below sea level, and no surprise that no amount of dredging pumping or wishing will make the water drain uphill.

I watched the programme last night where they went up with some kind of drainage expert in a plane over the levels, it was obvious that you could dredge the rivers as deep as you want, they would still be below sea level, and the water would still not move uphill.

In reply to woolsack:


Why not?
http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Homemade-flood-defence-holds-torrent-isl...

In reply to pec:




And, no doubt, a great boost to their morale which is a bloody sight more than the self serving politicians and quangocrats have given them.

In reply to FesteringSore:


What I really can't believe is that the media calls this news.

I don't care if jug ears goes to Somerset or anywhere else, why can't he just SHUT UP AND DISAPPEAR? And keep his daft opinions to himself.

Thanks for listening.

In reply to FesteringSore: could have drove there in a landrover from the south

In reply to FesteringSore:


It's not like he's got much else to do. Wasn't he in the pub with Camilla the other day, playing darts? Should he be commended for that too?

In reply to tony:

Maybe he was on the way to see his Duchy, in Cornwall? Nice little earner for him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchy_of_Cornwall

In reply to tony:

So what's the CEO of the EA doing, apart from sitting on his a**e in his ivory tower in London? If the visit of HRH has provided the people of the Somerset Levels with a well deserved morale booster that in itself is more than all the politicians and quangocrats put together have done. I hope that when(if) Smith does eventually visit(Thursday - but I'm not holding my breath) he gets a well deserved pasting.

In reply to Douglas Griffin:

The Duchy of Cornwall isn't just in Cornwall. The landownership stretches at least as far up as bits of Dorset.

In reply to Submit to Gravity:


I don't know to what extent those dealing with the problem were distracted, presumably Prince Charles took his own security entourage though as a general point I get your drift. In reality I suspect the politicians know their visits serve no useful purpose and they could get a lot more useful stuff done staying in the office but if they don't put in an appearance they're slated by the media for being uncaring and out of touch etc. Damned if they do and damned if they don't.

In reply to pec:


True.