Things are going from bad to worse for Toby Young. Ah well.

Toby Young
Fréa Lockley


…

Controversial right-wing commentator Toby Young used his latest Spectator column to tell the world about his “terrible year”, which was “probably the worst of my life”. It didn’t go well, though. In fact, many people read it and saw it as yet another rallying call for one of Young’s biggest fears: a Corbyn-led government.

‘If Jeremy Corbyn becomes prime minister’

Young reached out for sympathy because, this year, he “lost five positions, including my full-time job”; and he now feels he’s “been surgically removed from every VIP list”. The Christmas cards and party invites just aren’t coming now, apparently. He “quite enjoyed being made a fuss of” in his old life. Now, it seems, no one cares.

Apparently, it isn’t all bad. But then “there’s the money — or lack of it”. As he continued:

Start your day with The Canary News Digest

Fresh and fearless; get excellent independent journalism from The Canary, delivered straight to your inbox every morning.

it’s only now that I’m relying on it entirely that I realise just how difficult it is to make a living from being a hack… Poor Caroline [Young’s wife] has had to take a part-time job to keep the wolf from the door. If interest rates go up, or Jeremy Corbyn becomes prime minister and introduces a property tax, we’ll have to sell the house.

In other words, Tory Young just got a faint reality check about what life is like for millions of people in Tory Britain. Poor Toby, poor Caroline. Not.

Continue reading below...

Related articles

“Twitter outrage mob”

What made Young’s column worse, however, was him blaming a “Twitter outrage mob” for his downfall. None of it, of course, is his own fault.

But that same ‘mob’ had plenty to say in return.

Some pointed out the obvious:

Just days after Alan Sugar said he’d leave the country if Corbyn was prime minister, Young’s comments went down well:

Others were gentler, but pointed out the reality of Tory policy:

A lot of people also shared reminders from Young’s past:

And some pointed out his questionable position on Israel:

Karma?

It’s true, Young has had quite a ‘tricky’ year. In January, he was forced to resign from his role with the university watchdog Office for Students. As The Canary reported, Young’s appointment caused widespread controversy. But in his Spectator column, yet again Young claimed he was victim to “attacks” from a “twitchfork mob”.

In a letter to Theresa May, Labour MPs Angela Rayner and Dawn Butler criticised Young’s “long history of misogyny and homophobia”. As The Canary also reported, the real reason Young resigned was an exposé by Private Eye revealing Young attended a secret conference on eugenics in 2017.

After that, not surprisingly, few people wanted to employ Young. Certainly not in education.

Now, here he is again, blaming everyone but himself for his problems. Jog on Young, we’ve all had enough.

Featured image via Out RAjious/Flickr

Since you're here ...

We know you don't need a lecture. You wouldn't be here if you didn't care.
Now, more than ever, we need your help to challenge the rightwing press and hold power to account. Please help us survive and thrive.

The Canary Support

Related articles