James Delingpole James Delingpole

Why don’t we stand up for our freedom to drive?

The Fawn came up to me the other day in a state of extreme agitation: she’d been listening to George Monbiot on the radio.

issue 19 March 2011

The Fawn came up to me the other day in a state of extreme agitation: she’d been listening to George Monbiot on the radio.

The Fawn came up to me the other day in a state of extreme agitation: she’d been listening to George Monbiot on the radio. My ears pricked up. I do so love it when the Fawn gets cross about the same things as me. It makes me glad that I’m not married to one of those leftie wives — we all know the sort — who drag their more right-wing husbands down the siren path of bien-pensant foolishness.

Monbiot had been on the Today programme with Tiff Needell, the likeable racing driver who used to co-present Top Gear. They’d been discussing the decision by Spain’s socialist government to ‘lower energy costs’ by knocking 10kmh off the national speed limit. What had driven the Fawn to near-apoplexy was when Monbiot had put on his soft, reasonable, caring, Watch With Mother voice and said: ‘Just slowing down a little bit would do us all so much good.’

Having listened to Monbiot just now on BBC Radio 4’s Listen Again I entirely understand the Fawn’s fury.

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in