New clothes offer for Dutch MP

Not exactly Europe’s biggest political crisis but I thought I’d report (with thanks to Dutch newspaper Nederlands Dagblad) the story of Dutch MP Hans Spekman whose clothing choice has led to him being known as ‘the man in pyjamas’. Spekman goes to work in the Dutch parliament wearing baggy jumpers which have been described as ‘cut-up burkhas’. Colleagues who felt this attire to be unfitting for a parliamentary representative have offered to buy Spekman a suit, but his response to criticism is ‘first look in the mirror and mind your own business’.

I am sympathetic to Spekman’s position. There are all kinds of things we don’t like about other people’s appearances, but that alone doesn’t mean they should change.

Clothing is just part of fashion, all fashion is, by definition, ephemeral. Ergo we all die anyway.

Furthermore, if aliens invade the planet and it is Spekman who defeats them, then he will be a hero. I imagine other MPs will then start wearing baggy jumpers themselves. We could even have a complete reversal of the jumper vs. suit situation. So just leave him alone!