Dr Rowan Williams is understood to have lost confidence in the Rev George Pitcher, his public affairs secretary, and agreed that he should leave his post at the end of the summer.
It is understood the situation came to a head when Mr Pitcher made a crude joke about the Archbishop in the Daily Telegraph’s diary column following criticism of Dr Williams’ attacks on the coalition.
Previously Mr Pitcher had played a key part in arranging the Archbishop’s guest editorship of the New Statesman magazine last month, which Dr Williams used to launch a strident critique of David Cameron’s policies.
I did not see the Archbishop’s official statement regarding the departure of Rev. Pitcher. Did it say something along the lines of things not being clear, there not being sufficient definition, a bemoaning of the absence of recognized scrutiny, the issue being one of collegiality and the need for further discussion, whilst the good faith and fraternal good intentions of our colleagues in the government not being at all in question, only misunderstandings of the precise requirements of the Archbishop and good practice as regards the ministrations of the government, and that it is hoped that an early opportunity will be found to clarify this? Because that would undoubtedly speak to the seriousness with which this entire matter should be viewed.
Nah – didn’t it just say his contract had come to an end.
Oh well, how unfortunate. Not much support for their former colleague from the Telegraph.
I am confused, is it being suggested that Rev. Pitcher wrote the offending article in the New Statesman, rather than the Archbishop? Is this why he is taking the fall? Must be the case – I am sure that Archbishop Rowan would not let another man take the heat for his own words and decisions.
Still, if they had asked the advice of Mr Pageantmaster…oh, is that the phone ringing? Yes, yes, I will be over right away – no no, there will be no record of this meeting in my diary or any minutes, the only record will be the passport stamp on entry and exit.
Much of the uproar in the UK is opaque to this American, including the “crude joke.” But does it seem that things are coming apart at Lambeth Palace?
“But does it seem that things are coming apart at Lambeth Palace?”
Things are at least wobbling a bit.
Things have to be together before they can come apart.
Did he shout at Christine Odone as well?
from The Teelgraph, June 18:
“Cristina Odone, the former editor of The Catholic Herald and Telegraph columnist, may have had her differences with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, but they appear to have been growing more intimate lately, if what his right-hand man tells me is to be taken at face value.
“He took her roughly over the canapés, but he’s always doing that,†the Rev George Pitcher, the archbishop’s secretary for public affairs, says, with tongue in cheek.”
So now you know.
“Mandrake reported that the political and religious affairs commentator, Cristina Odone, had tackled Dr Williams over his remarks at a party. The diary column quoted Mr Pitcher, a former Telegraph journalist, as joking that the Archbishop had responded to the confrontation by taking her “roughly over the canapés”.
It sounds to me like the ++man is getting angry that he’s becoming a laughingstock, but for that he’s got no one to blame but himself.
He’s British, so I don’t expect him not to be interested or involved in British affairs. But, running his mouth and alienating the government is not going to look good(or be good) at all, especially when his true watch, the C of E and Anglican Communion, is in such a shambles. Best to get one’s own house in order before looking and commenting elsewhere.
Reflecting about it – getting a risque joke about one’s boss in the blog of a friend – is probably a sign that the relationship between the ABC and Mr. Pitcher had broken down and that Mr. Pitcher had to go (and wanted to go?). No employer is paying a PR person to get sexual innuendos about them published in national papers.
#10 driver8 – I thought it was a rather surprising appointment originally, and this hasn’t been the first gaffe, but how odd that a risque comment should lead to loss of a job, while the writer who wrote the article which upset the government and damaged our church [yet again] keeps his? I do find the way his former Telegraph colleagues [who published the gaffe] and Riazat Butt have put the boot in just a tad tacky – what is all that about?
George Pitcher has been a successful writer and journalist, and built up a business in the past, so I hope he is able to put this behind him and go on to the next project casting off the bruises from this one.
Mrs. Wildfire and I, now settling comfortably into our seventh decade and aging gracelessly, don’t understand the risque joke. Canapes we know, but the sexual innuendo escapes us.
It is just as well. We don’t need to understand–we won’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
#12 Has someone given you a horse wildfire?
#13,
The entire Communion has been given a [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_Horse]horse[/url].
#14 Fair point. Better not feed it any canapes.
RE: Mrs. Wildfire and I, now settling comfortably into our seventh decade and aging gracelessly, don’t understand the risque joke. Canapes we know, but the sexual innuendo escapes us.
While I am confident that I am aging gracelessly as well, I, significantly younger and therefore surely much more faddishly hipster, also do not see the sexual innuendo. It appeared when I read it to mean that the ABC and the journalist are always fighting or in conflict.
Obviously, since so many see sexual innuendo, it’s there and cannot be discussed on a blog.
But I did want the Wildfires to know that [i]They Are Not Alone[/i].
Oh, I get the joke. Pageantmaster and co., don’t “take” the horse either. I’ll lay off comment re: whatever you feed it or the dinner you buy it. 🙂