A leading Scottish author, angered by Jeremy Paxman's dismissal of Burns as a "king of sentimental doggerel", yesterday proposed a novel revenge against the controversial broadcaster.
A leading Scottish author, angered by Jeremy Paxman's dismissal of Burns as a "king of sentimental doggerel", yesterday proposed a novel revenge against the controversial broadcaster.
Andrew O'Hagan, who was raised in Ayrshire, suggested that the Newsnight presenter should be banned from enjoying one of his favourite pastimes - fishing - in Scotland.
More than that, he said Paxman could then use his fishing rod "for something else". He didn't specify what he meant by "something else" but the inference appeared to be there was a suitable place where Paxman could stick it.
O'Hagan, who believes Burns is the greatest poet the world has seen, was speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. He was reacting to Paxman's comments about the national bard included in his foreword for the new edition of the Chambers Dictionary - which was first revealed by The Herald on Thursday this week.
O'Hagan was asked about his feelings about Paxman's judgment, and said: "The only thing that can be said about this is that - and I am not a vengeful person - Paxman likes fishing in Scottish rivers, well, he should be banned. Then his fishing rods can be used for something else.
"Burns is the world's greatest poet."
Coincidentally, it is believed that at the moment Paxman is on holiday in Scotland, fishing.
O'Hagan, born in Glasgow but brought up in Kilwinning, added: "Jeremy should go back to where he came from, and I mean the Newsnight studio, and busy himself with other cultural matters."
O'Hagan is a long standing advocate of the greatness of Burns, and earlier this year he edited a new selection of Robert Burns's poems for Canongate, published as A Night Out With Robert Burns.
O'Hagan's appearance at the festival was billed as a rumination on the changing relationship between Britain and the US, but instead evolved into a debate about nationalism and the union of Scotland and England.
The writer made plain his distaste for what he called the "mythologies" of Scottish nationalism, and said Scotland's "sweet tooth" for these mythologies, and the "decay" they caused, were being "prodded by Alex Salmond" regularly.
"There is an argument to be made for the beauty of the union of the countries in the way it has allowed them to retain their distinctive characters but also has that closeness and camaraderie with another country," he said.
His comments that the SNP peppers its political message with the "absolutely terrifying skirl of the bagpipes" that allude to past Scottish battles prompted divergent views from the large audience. O'Hagan also spoke about his recent journalistic travels in the US and his new collection of essays, The Atlantic Ocean.
