Jimmy Spratt, a former DUP MLA, spoke for the vast majority of the citizens of Northern Ireland when he told East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson to “wise up and wear a mask”.
Mr Spratt is undergoing cancer treatment and was forthright in his condemnation of Wilson.
Like the rest of us, he is fed up with the stupid stunts of the veteran MP.
Spratt, (whom this writer has known through policing) was candid in calling out Wilson. The former police officer is a plain speaking, no nonsense old-style copper. No doubt in his heyday, he would have given Sammy a dressing down and sent him home with a flea in his ear.
Whilst personable in private, Wilson is becoming tiresome in public. His antics are not funny, and his trivialising of serious issues undermines the dignity of the office he holds as a Member of Parliament.
As a public representative during a pandemic, he has responsibilities to the wider community. One of which is to abide by the rules - whatever about his own personal viewpoint. But he gives the impression the rules don’t apply to him and in that he has something in common with Michelle O’Neill and Dominic Cummings.
Like Cummings and O’Neill his comments fell short of full contrition. During his second attempt at an explanation he said: “I didn’t have a mask on, should have had it on and am offering no excuse”. That would have been fine but for the fact he initially claimed he took a call, removed the mask and then put it back on again. The photograph taken by another passenger showed him maskless and reading a magazine.
Wilson being a committed contrarian could not leave it at that but added, “sad that we have now become like East Germany under the Stasi where members of the public think it is acceptable to act as snoops.”
What a crass comparison. Sweeping as the powers are under the Coronavirus Act 2020 (btw the act was passed without a vote being taken in parliament), the UK is nowhere near anything like life under the Stasi in the former East Germany. The Stasi adopted the Nazi rule book and oppressed millions of German citizens. They killed some four hundred, imprisoned nine hundred and ruined the lives of tens of thousands. They ruled through fear and terror.
Sammy Wilson is a controversial, polarising and engaging political figure. He has expressed views which run contrary to mainstream scientific opinion and expertise on matters of sexuality, health and climate change. He is entitled to those views. This post truth, anti-fact, Trumpian era suits a politician like Wilson. Shout, flaunt, mock and spin and you will find a receptive audience of crank sceptics and serial soreheads.
Let’s be frank, Wilson was not caught out because there was some sinister spy sent to snoop on him by the secret police. No one was sinisterly induced to make his transgression public. Quite simply he was caught out because he was recognised whilst being on public transport without wearing a face covering as required by law.
And it is not as if he doesn’t have form at questioning the public health guidelines on the wearing of face masks.
The politician is entitled to ignore the rules but in doing so he must accept the consequences – not just legal or in penalties but also in terms of ridicule.
If some now regard him as a clown in search of a circus, the blame for that lies with him.
Some commentators believe he is waging some kind of heave against the first minister. If so, a blatant disregard for public health guidelines won’t help his ambitions but more likely his time has passed.
Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote: “Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, to carry their own weight, this is a frightening prospect”.
So, wise up and grow up Sammy.
