Edward Kennedy

Today's papers in the UK seem to be full of the news of Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy's death in fact it almost overshadows the real and more domestic news that we should be reading in our daily papers.

I remember many things about Ted Kennedy, sadly none good. But lets not rake up, Chappaquiddick, his alleged treatment of women, his utter contempt for Britain in ensuring that a member of the IRA be afforded almost presidential deference on being granted a visa to go to America. No, it's not these trivial transgressions that I will remember, nor his assertion that Northern Irish Protestants should "go back to Britain" [let him not worry that these people were simply not Catholic that raised his anti British hackles] it is Kennedy's confrontation of a young British soldier who found himself while on foot patrol in Belfast in the midst of the Kennedy press circus that was his "State Visit"... "why don't you go back to your own country" he demanded of this hapless soldier who found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. But given the nature of a good old British squaddie he hit back with the wonderful repost "I am in my own Country"!! ... and off went Mr Kennedy.

No, I'm sorry, the passing of Edward Kennedy should not take centre stage in our papers today we should be covering more important issues that have a real meaning to Britain.