Who’d be a politician? They are among the most vilified, mocked and laughed at people on the planet. Regular surveys show that the politician is the least trusted professional among the general public - often followed closely by the journalist by the way.
Even one of their own, former American Secretary of State, Henry A. Kissinger, did not like them. “Ninety per cent of politicians,” he once said. “Give the other ten per cent a bad reputation.”
While our public representatives are supposed to work hard they are never allowed to brag. They are supposed to take responsibility for everything without ever having done anything and while showing passion they must always keep cool.
Under all this pressure and often working very long hours for little gratitude, is it any wonder these civic minded citizens who burden themselves with our problems sometimes lose the rag?
Probably not and every now and then, they do exactly that. Just last week the legislature of Hong Kong, Legco, descended into mild chaos when one of its members threw a bread bun at China's representative, Leung Chun-Ying. Independent lawmaker, Wong Yuk-Man, was later flung from the chamber along with two of his allies who had continued to hurl abuse at the Chinese Chief Executive. The exchange was part of increasing tension between the former British protectorate and its overlords. Since taking control of the wealthy business hub, China has gradually chipped away at its liberal character and Hong Kongers want it back. If a bagel or baguette is the only thing that's thrown in the direction of the Chinese in the coming months they will have done well.
There are of course other parts of Asia disposed to parliamentary punch-ups. Fights have broken out in both the Japanese and Taiwanese parliaments. But in the last few years South Korean legislators have turned their parliament into something of a joke with no fewer than three brawls in the house since 2008. In December 2010, the Gukhoe, descended into chaos during a debate on a bill for the provision of free meals for all junior school students in Seoul. The then governing Grand National Party (GNP), which had a large majority and which was opposed to the bill, invaded the speaker's chair during the debate in an overly zealous attempt to get their point across. The farce went on for some time before politicians from the opposition, the Democratic Party, managed to drag the unruly GNP members away from the chair. But that bust-up was nothing in comparison to the fight that broke out in July 2009 over a bill involving privatisation of the media. Yet again it was members of the GNP party who tried to occupy the speaker’s chair in an attempt to pass the disputed legislation quickly. The opposition used furniture to block the entrance into the chamber and a fully-fledged fist fight broke out.
Closer to home, former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is probably the best known pugilist-cum-parliamentarian of recent years. While on the 2001 election trail, the Labour MP was on his way to an address in Rhyl, North Wales when a six-foot, mullet wearing Welsh farmer named Craig Evans threw an egg at his face. Prescott reacted by thumping the 29-year-old protester with a fairly snappy left jab that caught him on the chin. A melee ensued with both men grappling to the ground. Police and organisers soon managed to stop the scuffle and Evan’s was promptly arrested. He was released shortly afterwards.
“It was the day we launched our manifesto,” recalls former Labour Party press secretary, Alastair Campbell. “We had already had Tony banjaxed by an angry woman outside a hospital, and Jack Straw slow handclapped by the Police Federation, so it hadn’t been an easy day. I was in Watford and took a call from one of John’s team to be told what had happened. I spoke to John and he was unrepentant, saying he was attacked and was entitled to defend himself. He gave me a fairly garbled account and was very steamed up. Tony was about to pre-record Question Time with David Dimbleby in Watford. I decided against telling Tony. It was the last thing he needed just as he was going on. I told him afterwards and he reacted much as I had - quite shocked but then fairly accepting quite quickly. Tony's instincts were pretty clear from the start; that it was unlikely to be a resigning issue. We knew that the public would have some sense of support for a politician defending himself. The following morning we spent a lot of time working out the best way for Tony to deal with it at the press conference. When it came to it Tony just said, ‘John’s John’, which defused it really well.”
Blair’s instincts were right and much to the media’s annoyance the incident did little else but generate sympathy for Prescott who later had his nickname changed from ‘two jags’ to ‘two jabs’ Prescott.
South America has also seen its fair share of digging matches. A number of years ago in Argentina, Graciela Camano, a member of the country’s Lower House, the Camara de Diputados, left her chair to confront a political opponent, Carlos Kunkel. Seconds earlier Kunkel had shouted and gestured at her provocatively during a debate on budgetary measures. Footage of the incident clearly showed other deputies in the chamber smiling at the content of Kunkel’s jibe as Camano’s expression darkened. When she reached Kunkel, she hit him with an uppercut which looked something more like an underhand tennis serve.
“He has worn me out,” Camano later said. “He kept shouting without making a single proposal. He’s always attacking me. I have been putting up with it all year.”
Not long after that spat in Argentina, our own parliament was the scene of political controversy when Green Party Deputy, Paul Gogarty, decided to reinforce the image of Ireland as a country of literature, eloquence and the gift of the gab. Gogarty was making a speech during a debate on a Social Welfare Bill when he abruptly and angrily responded to heckling from Labour TD Emmet Stagg by saying: “With all due respect, in the most unparliamentarily language, f**k you Deputy Stagg, f**k you”. The TD apologised straight away but he could not placate the deputy Cathoirleach, Michael Kennedy, whose stunned look was priceless. Stagg, the agent provocateur, later reacted by saying the ensuing fuss was nothing more than “a storm in a tea cup”.
Even that bastion of democracy, India has seen an increase in parliamentary violence in the last few years. The latest incident took place in February and involved some MPs using pepper spray, broken glass and other stationery items to hurt each other.
There have been punch-ups in Italy, there has been tie-pulling in Turkey and water throwing in Greece but were there such a thing as an Oscars for this kind of carry-on, the Ukrainian parliament would have to win it for pure theatre. So far this year there have been at least two violent punch-ups in parliament. The most recent took place in April on the back of remarks made by Communist Party leader Petro Symonenko who was criticising the removal of former President Viktor Yanukovych.
But even before the recent rise in tension, the Ukrainian Parliament was prone to brawls. On one occasion some five years ago, the speaker of the House, Volodymyr Lytvyn, had to be shielded with umbrellas as attempts were made to pelt him with eggs. Parliament was eventually suspended when a smoke bomb was let off and the fire brigade had to be brought in. One hell of an explosive debate you might say.
Around the World - every Monday from 3pm on Moncrieff
