Home Sickness

‘WHEN the Sun ditches its Page 3 strumpet, you know something important is afoot.

”I walked into a Cabinet”

And 15 pages in readers have it. Tony Blair is backing the Sun’s campaign to end domestic violence, and he’s written a few words about it.

”Domestic violence is a sickening crime which has hidden in the shadows for too long,” he says.

We cannot agree more. And it’s just as hard to disagree with Tony’s next comment that domestic violence ”usually takes place at home”.

Whose home? Well, Tony’s got that angle covered and, by way of a clue, adds that it’s as likely to happen behind the closed doors of a ”mansion or a flat”.

The theme of the piece is admirable but the writing style seems not unlike a sixth former trying to pad out an essay about a subject he has barely researched.

But Tony seems to be in good company, since alongside his column the Sun produces a picture of a woman seemingly being strangled by what we suppose is her husband.

And it might well be in their home – which could be a mansion, a flat or, dare it not be said, a maisonette.

Now that Tony and the Sun understand what domestic violence is, we peer with fresh suspicion at the Star’s photograph of Home Secretary David Blunkett sporting a black eye.

Describing himself as ”fighting fit”, the bearded one says the wound, which required 10 stitches, was caused when he bumped into a metal loft ladder.

And where did this incident take place? Yes, you’ve guessed at – at his home. Which might just be a mansion or a flat or a cell or…’

Posted: 2nd, December 2003 | In: Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink