Is this Cameron's Sepp Blatter moment?

[Anna]

This has now been announced. The deputy general secretary of Unison, the UK's largest union, Karen Jennings, told the BBC: "We've accepted the apology. He's recognised that he went too far in saying what he said and what we're doing now is extending our hand to him to come and work with a healthcare assistant to see just how they work and the healthcare they deliver. I think he would enjoy that."

So it would appear that it's been accepted that it was Clarkson being his usual oafish non-PC self. Also, he may be Dave's mate but why should he have been brought into it? We all have friends who are a total embarrassment to us at times don't we?

Clarkson of course has been handed a golden opportunity now to demonstrate he can be a Mr. Nice Guy.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

wonder how the sales of Clarkson's dvds for xmas are going? ...

[barber olly]

Nothing like selective quoting is there. For a slightly more representative impression, from the BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15999234

I mean, how dare they go on strike when they have these gilt-edged pensions that are going to be guaranteed while the rest of us have to work for a living?"

That was the bit that amused me. When has Clarkson ever done any useful work? Compare the garbage that he produces with the useful work of many public servants. I suggest that his punishment from the BBC should be a months community service carrying out mundane tasks which local authorities can no longer afford because of cuts, and a month deputising for Petroc on Breakfast.

[french frank]

I don't think you can have it both ways and say it was both a freedom of speech issue and a mere joke. It isn't the former in that, clearly, whatever anyone's view is about anything it isn't the obligation of the BBC to give them a platform; especially not in these days of blogs and Facebook where people can state their views freely. And, yes, it was an oafish tasteless joke which Clarkson hoped would annoy people - and he succeeded. A bit more notoriety. It's the Paul McMullan argument again: if people choose to pay out their hard-earned money for it (Top Gear, specifically), it's justifiable, and worth a lot of money.

[Mr Pee]

When has Clarkson ever done any useful work?

I suppose it depends what you mean by "useful". I happen to think that entertaining millions of viewers of Top Gear on a Sunday evening- particularly in these depressing times- is extremely useful. You might just as well say that classical music is not "useful".

[scottycelt]

Delightful Freudian slip there, scotty! I think that you actually meant "he obviously doesn't have a brain and, for that very reason alone, I'm genuinely surprised the BBC still employ him" but what you wrote is rather more amusing, n'est-ce pas?!

Point taken, ahinton, ... I've obviously merely added to the amusement and silliness, as previously suspected, so thanks for the kind confirmation!

[Bryn]

I guess Clarkson has tried to model himself on the sort of character Terry Thomas specialised in, but without the charisma.

[barber olly]

I guess Clarkson has tried to model himself on the sort of character Terry Thomas specialised in, but without the charisma.

Possibly, but yes he's had a charisma by-pass, probably the only one he hasn't driven down at 120mph.

[ahinton]

As someone said to me in advance of yesterday evening's Question Time programme on BBC1, "I'm not going to watch that, because Clarke's on!"; ah, the plight of the Dimbleby...

[barber olly]

I suppose it depends what you mean by "useful". I happen to think that entertaining millions of viewers of Top Gear on a Sunday evening- particularly in these depressing times- is extremely useful. You might just as well say that classical music is not "useful".

I don't and classical music is very useful

[Chris Newman]

I suppose it depends what you mean by "useful". I happen to think that entertaining millions of viewers of Top Gear on a Sunday evening- particularly in these depressing times- is extremely useful. You might just as well say that classical music is not "useful".

Top Gear promotes an irresponsible style of driving: driving beyond reasonable normal and safe methods, burning oil and rubber unnecessarily, drink driving as was observed not long ago. Useful? I would rather have repeats of the Tour de France. The comment about classical music is too childish to comment on.

[Dave2002]

Such a shame that clearly neither Mr Clarkson nor Mr Cameron know about the history of the police and military with regard to strikes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanelli_railway_strike

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonypandy_Riots

The Ådalen strikes in 1931 near Kramfors, Sweden were instrumental in changing public opinion in that country, and also in the setting up a national police force - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%85dalen_shootings. Perhaps not the original intention of the strikes though.

[Vile Consort]

Milliband and that humourless woman from the union did their side no favours by reacting as if they seriously believed he was actually advocating murder. What were we supposed to take from that? That (a) they honestly did believe it and are therefore stupid, (b) they didn't believe it and are therefore liars, or (c) they couldn't resist the urge to perform the trick when Clarkson blew the dog whistle.

No doubt she will be elected an MP in due course. She will then be able to enter properly into the contest to profess to believe the most ridiculous thing without blushing or laughing. The competition from the Tories is pretty stiff, though.

[Mr Pee]

Top Gear promotes an irresponsible style of driving: driving beyond reasonable normal and safe methods, burning oil and rubber unnecessarily, drink driving as was observed not long ago. Useful? I would rather have repeats of the Tour de France. The comment about classical music is too childish to comment on.

Nonsense. This idea that just because your average motorist watches Clarkson, May, Hammond or The Stig tearing around a track in a Ferrari that he then hops into his Ford Ka and drives the same way up the A3 is ridiculous. If you can prove a link between the two I'd love to see it. And has already been pointed out, TG isn't really about cars anymore; it's a comedy programme, and consistently entertaining, showing imagination and great humour week after week. Reliant Robin Space Shuttle, anyone??

And as for my comment about Classical Music also not being useful- why is that childish?? The question was whether Clarkson's work was useful. I maintain that it is, because TG is often the most watched programme on BBC2, providing entertainment and relaxation to millions of television viewers every week- many more than attend classical concerts. We all need entertainment and diversion. Some people get that through Top Gear, some people through classical music, some -such as myself - through both. What's the difference? How is Classical Music more "useful" than television? I'm sure there are many who took part in the strikes last week who would much rather see public money poured into their pension pot than into the Royal Opera House, or the LPO. I wonder if they would define Classical Music as "useful"???

[John Skelton]

If anyone has pointed out that the publicity this has received has neatly deflected attention from the strikes, well quite. However:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hhtiPVx9aLFSN_0-HYk5MMb7a4mw?docId=N0228831322876629256A

If The Sun wants to publish Clarkson's particular brand of shlock and bore that's its affair. Like the other recent BBC apology spectaculars the question should perhaps be whether a license fee funded, public service broadcaster should be promoting this kind of self-promoting thuggishness. If that's 'old-fashioned' or 'humourless' of me, fine.