Don’t let the silly beggars get you down

Dec 24 2009 by Peter Jackson, The Journal

SIR Liam Donaldson has resigned as the chief medical officer, so Christmas has come early to those of us who do not subscribe to his grim Calvinist view of life.

Sir Liam entertained us for a number of years by issuing periodic hysterical warnings of the end being nigh in the shape of plague and pestilence claiming thousands of lives, but which never came to pass.

When he wasn’t panicking for England he waged a one-man campaign against the perils of drink, claiming preposterously that alcohol in this country ought to be subject to a minimum price.

His parting shot has been to warn that children should never be allowed to touch alcohol even under adult supervision.

He claims there is a middle class obsession with getting children accustomed to alcohol, though I would have thought that, when it comes to obsessions with alcohol, Sir Liam is in a class of his own.

Well now he has gone, doubtless, as I have remarked before, to retire to some puritanical Scottish paradise such as North Uist, where he can spend his twilight years waving an admonitory finger at the bairns for playing on the Sabbath.

I hope they give him two back in return.

But we must remain ever vigilant, for this does not mean the end of the killjoys.

From Australia’s Monash University comes a condemnation of Father Christmas for obesity, speeding and generally being a bad role model for youth.

Public health expert Dr Nathan Grills, in a study published in the British Medical Journal, also points out that Father Christmas not only drinks, but drinks and drives.

Furthermore, his reckless behaviour could also encourage extreme sports such as roof surfing and chimney jumping – not to mention speeding.

Food & Nutrition Australia dietitian Sharon Natoli also says that pictures of Santa smoking are inappropriate.

They might also have pointed out, had they wanted to tick all the boxes, that the iconic Christmas figure is hideously white and uncompromisingly male. It might be added that he has an unhealthy interest in young children and, as far as anyone is aware, has never been CRB checked.

My advice: don’t let the beggars get you down and have a merry Christmas.

Peter Jackson is a freelance journalist and former Journal business editor p.jackson77@btinternet.com