Alf's 'grand designs' could be his Dunkirk!

I described Chris Thomas MHK as like a ‘machine gunner at Mons’ after his recent appearance in the portal. If he needed a number two ‘gunner’ it would be our own Private Pike, Alf Cannan MHK and Treasury Minister, who pops up in the portal to talk about his great vision:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/cannan-hopeful-on-liverp...

Alf rattles away and hardly draw breath let alone gives interviewer Tim Glover an opportunity to intervene. However when Glover does mildly interject it's a veritable hand grenade. The Isle of Man can want all it likes and the timetable it needs but Liverpool's agenda will be that Cruise terminal not the Manannan plodding up the river - good point.

Watching Alf and comparing him with Thomas and Howard Quayle’s recent media outings I wonder are all Ministers now adopting a manic interview style is it some sort of mid term political PTSD?

Alf concedes his CEO is doing all the spadework so nothing changes there and he avoids the ‘B’ word i.e. Birkenhead. What is it folk have against Birkenhead? I love the place and you would get to get another boat ride or a bus or train over the River - better still the link out to the motorway, should you be minded to explore or traverse ‘the black heart of England’, is less congested.

Alf rattles on hardly pausing determined he’s not going to be asked anymore awkward questions but then has to concede the unthinkable if the chips are down the only Port may be Heysham. He’s like Admiral Bertram Ramsay in 1940 realising that with Ostend gone and Calais invested that Dunkirk may be the only option.

Meanwhile Travelwatch are waiting in the wings like the French in 1940 ready to accuse Alf of stabbing them in the back. They are next up in the portal mark my word!

The Steam Packet and Liverpool terminal are Alfs ‘grand designs’ they could yet turn into his Dunkirk no wonder Chief Minister Howard Quayle seems to be smiling a lot these days.

Image: Alf: ‘If Calais falls it may have to be Dunkirk’!

Bernard Moffatt