by liberal japonicus
From the Guardian
During the UK's 38-year membership of the European Community, and latterly Union, the true believers had, too often in their eyes, to make special exceptions for the "awkward Anglo-Saxons". The "Brits" wielded handbags and threatened vetoes, insisting all the time on remaining at the top table of discussions despite opting out of Europe's more ambitious ventures – the Schengen open borders agreement and the euro being chief among them.
"wielded handbags" cracks me up. It seems like all of the world is in a slo-motion multicar pileup.
Well, I suppose the people at the Grauniad know their Monty Python as well as we do.
Posted by: Porlock Junior | December 11, 2011 at 04:18 AM
I thought that was a reference to Thatcher. Though I wonder if this Python sketch was referring to her as well.
Posted by: liberal japonicus | December 11, 2011 at 07:32 AM
No way did Python refer to Thatcher...their show stopped years before Thatcher was PM. If they were poking fun at a PM, it would have been Heath.
No, it's just the Brit stereotype of a disgruntled middle-aged housewife.
Posted by: Snarki, child of Loki | December 11, 2011 at 10:52 PM
So is the handbag carrying line in the above about disgruntled housewives or about Thatcher? A quick google shows this, so I'm now not sure exactly what the line there refers to. Still funny though.
Posted by: liberal japonicus | December 11, 2011 at 11:49 PM
A confrontation which is histrionic but which doesn't involve physical violence. Such confrontations are also called handbag situations.
Handbags at ten paces
Posted by: CharlesWT | December 12, 2011 at 01:32 AM
CharlesWT, thanks for the link! It is little wonder that such a strange and exotic culture would not do well in Europe ;^)
Posted by: liberal japonicus | December 12, 2011 at 03:20 AM
Iirc the first prominent wielder of the handbag as prime minister was Golda Meir. Ephraim Kishon wrote about how the mere appearance of her with it stroke fear into those she negotiated with.
Posted by: Hartmut | December 12, 2011 at 04:05 AM
"Handbagging" is a British political cliche dating from the early 80s.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/28/thatcher-bag-legendary-nurturing
"... In the 1980s, a new word entered the language, as civil servants muttered about their dread of being "handbagged" by the Prime Minister, though we remain ambivalent about how injurious assault by handbag might be. Football commentators dismiss spats between players as "handbags at dawn'", but to be "handbagged" – as Tony Blair was said to have been by the Women's Institute when its members slow-handclapped a speech he gave in 2000 – is to have undergone serious political assault and battery.
But Maggie's handbag did more than introduce a new mode of aggression. It violently wrenched the bag from its traditional associations. ..."
There is also, of course, the Lady Bracknell association.
Posted by: Nigel | December 12, 2011 at 06:03 AM
It reminds me of Eddie Izzard's bit about the queen battling a crazy dog using a handbag with a brick inside.
Posted by: Rob in CT | December 12, 2011 at 11:05 AM
There's a very entertaining Youtube of a British woman bashing wannna be jewel thieves with her handbag. She knocks one of them off his motorbike.
Posted by: Laura Koerbeer | December 12, 2011 at 11:46 AM
And, back to Monte Python, perhaps this skit was the kind of thing that triggered the handbagger/Thatcher connection?
I guess that video should have been posted on the 9th.
Posted by: Snarki, child of Loki | December 12, 2011 at 10:26 PM
In Silent Hill IV - The Room the first weapon the hero can give to his girlfriend-to-be is a handbag (later to be replaced by a piece of chain). She's more effective with that than the hero with golf clubs or metal tubes.
Posted by: Hartmut | December 13, 2011 at 04:04 AM