X factor

 

Five years ago we took my oldest daughter on a Sunday to a church to see a singer she liked who at that time had become temporarily well known after appearing on the reality show "X Factor". We had to go into church for a bit which I didn't mind as an aethiest and nor strangely did my Catholic family despite the Church of Scotland minister's joy about something happening on July 12th. Anyway we attended and outside both daughters were able to get their pictures taken much to their joy as the singer happily mingled with his young female fans. Then appeared an older female well dressed if a bit over the top for a Sunday morning service. With her was a younger well dressed man who appeared to be her lacky. She arrived, sought, got a photo taken and as quickly left like she had never been there except for the photographic evidence. It intrigued me so much I took the photo above to later find out if I could find out who she was and what the point of it was.

I was confident it was politics but knew it was not our local MSP. It didn't take Poirot to discover it was in fact the local MP for the area. And it was even less of a surprise to find she was aligned to a party who liked a selfie and did not miss a photo opportunity when it was presented even if the time spend was so minimal as to clearly show no interest in the event, only self promotion. I don't do politics though. I'm not smart enough nor steeped in it enough to do so. I was took to Twitter to remark on the apparent hijacking of the Saltire as a political symbol only to be shot down quickly by someone giving me a history lessons with dates and places concerning that flag. I didn't have interest enough to check the facts, do my own research and construct a counter argument. My lack of interest so early was enough to tell me to stay out of political debate and leave it to the fanatics who will not change their stance any way. 

This photo came to mind though because the lady in question has become known to the whole of the UK overnight. All those photo opportunities were nothing compared to the publicity she is receiving now nationally and possibly even internationally to some degree- though swamped by today's news about President Trump testing positive for Covid19. If she was seeking the x factor she has it now but for all the wrong reasons.

I don't think I have ever seen quite a backlash as the one lady night when this MP posted an apology last night. As we see with the British Prime Minister and the American President this virus is so wide spread no one can hide from it. As we know from the mortality rate this is a killer virus that should be feared. Knowing these two things alone it is incredible that someone could knowingly carry this virus the length of the country and back. It is astounding that she can then not consider resigning on the spot and instead try to reassure us that she is now self isolating. If this was Joe Bloggs it would anger the country but for an MP privileged enough to get a test on tap its staggering.