Peter Rhodes on apologies, imperial guilt and a lesson in rounding-up penguins
This was the week when Kneecap had its Winnie Mandela moment. Kneecap, charmingly named after the IRA's preferred method of torture and maiming (a bullet through the knee), is an Irish Republican band which has a bit of a downer on British colonialism, Israel and politicians in general.
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Footage has allegedly emerged of one of its members appearing to say "kill your local MP" which has caused enormous distress to the bereaved families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox. Complaining bitterly of a smear campaign, Kneecap says: “To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt.” Too late, lads.
I can't be the the only one reminded of the fall of Winnie, wife of the legendary Nelson Mandela, who, during South Africa's revolution, seemed a loyal and rational partner. And then in a speech in 1997 she let the mask slip. At the time, anyone suspected of betraying the liberation movement was likely to be “necklaced,” burned to death with a petrol-filled tyre slung around the neck.
