How to Say “Sorry” properly – Part Two

Perhaps it’s not the hardest word after all?

I’m sorry about what happened. I said all along that, when I saw this first, I was horrified, I was shocked and I was very angry indeed. I think the most important thing we do is reassure people that everything is being done to clean up politics in our country. I wrote to those people who were affected by it, expressed a very deep regret for what happened. The person who was responsible went immediately and lost his job and I’ve ensured that there are new rules so this can’t happen again. We’ve done everything in our power to deal with this, now we’ve got to get on with the job of creating opportunities for people, creating apprenticeships, greating new work and of course getting a budget for jobs.

Do you think [garbled] the buck stops with you?

I take full responsibility for what happened, that’s why the person who was responsible went immediately. Now we’ve got to get on with the responsibility of getting this country through the most difficult times.

And just to throw stuff into the fray, here’s the confession from the 1662 BCP.

ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, We have offended against thy holy laws, We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, And we have done those things which we ought not to have done, And there is no health in us: But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us miserable offenders; Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults, Restore thou them that are penitent, According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord: And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

8 Comments on “How to Say “Sorry” properly – Part Two

  1. I think it’s fair to say that there was a bit of a gap (at least 24 hours?) between the story emerging and McBride resigning. I take your point though…

  2. No, I mean what _I_ said was a joke. I was hoping that Gordon was saying that he, being the person who took full responsibility, would be going immediately. Which of course he wasn’t. But it was nice to think he was.

    But it’s not as funny now I’ve explained it.

Leave a Reply to Gervase MarkhamCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.