05 August 2006
hauntological politics
This is an interesting political development. Several of the families of British soldiers killed in some of our many foreign military travesties are planning to field upwards of 70 candidates at the next election. On of the most intriguing things about this though, is their name, Spectre.
Not only is it an anagram of Respect, but it also conjures up all manner of weird images: not just the spirits of the dead soldiers, but the haunted remnants of democracy in a bankrupt age, and a future in which politics is based entirely on remorse.
Tony Travers, an elections expert at the London School of Economics, says: 'There is much evidence of a lack of trust in politicians, so when you have ordinary citizens standing, they can sometimes attract voters. Where you have bereaved citizens contesting seats, you could have an even more powerful movement.'
UPDATE: sweeteffay reminds me that I've forgotten that 'Spectre' is also an acronym for Special Executor for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion, Blofeld's lot in Bond films. Forgotten? Or never bothered to remember, hmmm. Bond, eh, just not my thing, though I probably have to say I like it when Grace Jones turns up for fear of never being made tea again at K-Punk's gothic pile...Still, I wonder whether there'll be any copyright issues. Can fiction sue fact? Surely! That's just another description of history, ain't it...
Not only is it an anagram of Respect, but it also conjures up all manner of weird images: not just the spirits of the dead soldiers, but the haunted remnants of democracy in a bankrupt age, and a future in which politics is based entirely on remorse.
Tony Travers, an elections expert at the London School of Economics, says: 'There is much evidence of a lack of trust in politicians, so when you have ordinary citizens standing, they can sometimes attract voters. Where you have bereaved citizens contesting seats, you could have an even more powerful movement.'
UPDATE: sweeteffay reminds me that I've forgotten that 'Spectre' is also an acronym for Special Executor for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion, Blofeld's lot in Bond films. Forgotten? Or never bothered to remember, hmmm. Bond, eh, just not my thing, though I probably have to say I like it when Grace Jones turns up for fear of never being made tea again at K-Punk's gothic pile...Still, I wonder whether there'll be any copyright issues. Can fiction sue fact? Surely! That's just another description of history, ain't it...
