David Starkey, in my opinion, which David Starkey would state I have a right to, is a pompous, jumped up, sexist, micro twit.
Starkey's 'put down' as you put it, of Dimbleby was not intelligent it was rude. Dimbleby simply asked Starkey if he was saying there should have been no allied invasion, to clarify his long winded lyrical jaunt when he decided to give us a potted history of the liberation of France by Britain and allied forces. There was no need for Starkey to say ''What I'm trying to say David, if you'll occasionally detach your mind from your prompt sheet...'. He often responds to questions with a spiteful retort. Why I don't know, perhaps 'little man syndrome' is a real syndrome?
The discussion moved on to the economy. He made a remark that the economy has to be sorted by the 'head' not the 'heart'. That's fine but yet again he can't help but stick the knife in somewhere. He went on to say that his and the Tory approach to fixing the economy was 'the head'. He followed this with a disparaging remark that: 'I know that ladies like the heart but John and I (in reference to John Redwood), both heartless, can actually decide that the head must rule'. As I said, he's a pompous sexist!
Regarding a question posed about the reform of the NHS. He stated that the NHS is run by senior practitioners for senior practitioners. To a certain extent I agree with those comments. It is a 'senior practitioners' service. You ARE more likely to die if you enter hospital at the weekend with a serious health condition than you are if you enter Monday to Friday. Unfortunately I have spent a period of time in and out of hospital over the last 3 years. I've experienced good service but I'm sad to say I've also received and witnessed poor service. And I have to say, not just from senior practitioners. 'Some' of the nursing staff I have experience of have displayed no care what-so-ever in dealings with me, other patients and families. It was heartbreaking at times to see the treatment and/or lack of treatment/care of some elderly patients. When I was fit enough to get out of bed I actually became an unofficial ward helper! Helping some of the old boys with their food, showing them how to use the TV, where the Emergency Buzzer is and how to use it even!!! Evenings and weekends are essentially run by registrars and/or doctors in training. It isn't right. If we are to have a world leading health service then the senior people must be made to work a rotating shift pattern. It won't be popular but tough, the 'senior' people are handsomely paid. I would like to add that there are some very caring and very professional people working in the NHS and thank god there are.
