Clarkson's 'Blunder'

So, perennial figure of controversy, Jeremy Clarkson, has done it again. In the past, he has upset lorry drivers, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, and gay rights campaigners to name but a few, but now it is the turn of public sector workers to feel aggrieved after his 'rant' on The One Show.

I say 'rant' because this is exactly what it wasn't. Clarkson was asked for his view on the strike action of the public sector workers on Wednesday 30th November and here is what he said: "I think they (the strikes) have been fantastic. Absolutely. London today has just been empty. Everybody stayed at home, you can whizz about, restaurants are empty. It's also like being back in the 70s. It makes me feel at home somehow."

Now here is the part that has caused the BBC to be inundated with over 21,000 complaints about his comment (read carefully what he says before his 'outrageous' comment): "But we have to balance this though, because this is the BBC. Frankly, I'd have them all shot. I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families. 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?"

His words were clearly meant as a joke and were not his actual opinion. The head of Unison called for Clarkson to be sacked by the BBC and that the union was seeking legal action to see if 'Jezza' could be referred to the police. In my opinion, this is absolutely ridiculous and the head of Unison needs to take a chill pill.

I'm not Jeremy Clarkson's biggest fan, and some of his political views definitely do not match my own, but he can not be sacked for something so tame... especially because the view that many people believed he expressed was not that outrageous at all. The public sector workers have no reason to go on strike. They're in jobs, and they will be getting pensions - they should spare a thought for the 2.62m people out of work in the UK.

The global economy is in a terrible state right now, and the UK has a massive budget deficit that needs to be cut. Many people do not realise that the deficit is so large that even after all the cuts the current coalition government is imposing by 2015, our debt will still be increasing. There is no way the country can sustain so many people running how it is and the only humane solution is to force people to pay more and work longer. If they don't like that, then Clarkson's idea is the next best bet. If the people striking are shot and therefore no longer in the picture, the jobs can go to some of the currently unemployed meaning the government will have a much smaller welfare bill.

The only criticism I would have of this plan is to make their families watch. That's not pleasant at all.