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Groupthink, the war in Yemen and the strange popularity of Alistair Burt
The former Foreign Office minister drew praise from politicians and journalists alike as a ‘genuinely decent’ man after resigning. IAN SINCLAIR isn’t sure he deserves it
Alistair Burt speaks in Parliament

“I’VE never encountered any group more driven by group-think and rank-closing cohesion than British journalists,” US writer Glenn Greenwald tweeted in September 2015.

In addition to the media, the recent response to Alistair Burt MP resigning from his position as minister of state for the Middle East over the government’s handling of Brexit shows this herd-like behaviour also infects sections of civil society and apparently progressive politicians.

“Many disagree with UK policy in the Middle East but he has a reputation for even handedness,” tweeted the Guardian’s diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour. “Big blow to FCO [Foreign and Commonwealth Office].” Laura Kuenssberg, the BBC’s political editor echoed these thoughts, noting Burt was a “well respected foreign office minister.” 

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