ITV political editor Robert Peston has outraged Irish viewers with a comment, during a discussion on the EU and the Irish border with hard-Brexit Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg, in which he described Ireland as ‘undermining British governments” for well over a hundred years:
The image below, which shows old British flags still hanging in a Dublin cathedral suggests that Mr Peston has the issue of which country has a history of interfering in whose politics rather the wrong way round.
Rees-Mogg agreed entirely – indeed he wanted to press the point about the length of time in which this ‘undermining’ has occurred.
The exchange certainly casts an interesting light on the way in which at least some parts of the Establishment view our neighbouring countries and Britain’s past interactions with the world.
The programme has been contacted for comment.
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As an Irishman I’m always happy to see a British government undermined. And this would not be the first time that a British government has been brought down by Irish politics. The British never think about Ireland – until it’s too late.
That’s absolutely crazy. What a stupid thing for Peston to say. Is Ireland and the Irish people supposed to forget all the injustices inflicted on them by Britain
By England, surely?
How can Peston and Rees-Mogg both suffer from Irish-Amnesia?
Because they’re both English. They don’t spent their days reflection on the Famine, the Emigrations, the Black and Tans, or the shooting of James Connolly, etc. Many Irish would want them to feel guilty about those things, but that’s another matter.
Is he angling for DUP support for a leadership contest? As a Catholic that could be but he’s taking a
very odd point of view here for a Catholic.
We need to remember that those who attended public schools received a very anglocentric view of history and the pupils may know nothing of the 800 years of the English occupation of Ireland.
Cobblers. The Irish BUILT Britain’s infrastructure: canals, rsilways, roads, cities at great cost in terms of injury and death.
I’d imagine that Peston meant that English governments had been ‘undermined’ – frustrated in their ambitions – by their proprietary attitude to Ireland and the refusal of the Irish meekly to accept English rule.
I don’t have much time for the man but would he really be so crass as to blame the Irish for the so-called ‘Irish problem’?
The truth of course is that Ireland has had a ‘British problem’ the nature of which has changed over the years, but which has not yet gone away, since 1169 (FYI folks, I am British).
Peston showing his Establishment Colours, again. Gawd these MSM people are becoming so obvious, they don’t give a shit.
Whether or not Peston meant it, the remark has undertones of – ‘don’t they realise colonisation will be good for them, just let us get on with it’. If the ‘natives’ object, they are just trying to undermine the British Government.
He thinks he is still talking to ‘Cunk’ on Britian
Peston is obviously looking for a part in a remake of “Father Ted”. No, wait! Father Ted had more charisma!!
As old Winston once opined “We have always found the Irish to be a bit odd. They refuse to be English”
Thank heaven for small mercies!
Pest-on Sunday!
Not a word uttered while Mogg was deliberating.
He just couldn’t stop himself interrupting Barry Gardiner after every question he, “Pest” asked!
Another, RIGHT LEANING JOURNALIST STICKING IT TO LABOUR!
Then getting his arse kicked in the process!
Reminds me of many signs that were shown outside lodgings etc back in the day- “no blacks, no dogs, no irish”. Shows how this country looked with contempt on areas of society. Peston is an establishment stooge, and Mogg is just a hypocritical toff.