Politics

Just one comment: sorry

Politics is not a soap opera. A serious sense of purpose and a united, dedicated application has returned, says Simon Hoare MP

Older readers may well recall the slightly disconcerting 1986 scene in the TV series Dallas when Pam Ewing wakes up, enters her en suite bathroom and finds her husband Bobby in the shower. The previous year, Bobby had been written out of the series, killed in a car accident. He returned, much to the surprise of viewers, and was met with Pammy declaring she had had a horrible dream. The period of his absence was immediately erased and life carried on as normal. Politics is a serious business. It can’t just erase memories. Decisions made affect the lives of us all every day. Politics is not a soap opera. That said, it has somewhat felt like one over recent months and for that I want to apologise.

A one-act tragedy

The government has not looked serious about discharging its important duties. The events of ‘partygate’ and Paterson combined to create a toxic environment in the country and in Parliament that led, as we know, to the fall of Boris Johnson (no returning ‘Bobby in the shower’ moment for him). Over the summer – when the country was looking for answers, reassurance and support – the governmental pause button had been pressed while a new leader was selected. The short-lived Truss government, more one-act tragedy than long running soap opera, needs no further comment. Apart from one: sorry. The principles that underpinned the mini budget were basically the right ones. The UK needs to see sustainable growth. Individuals, rather than the State, know best how to support their families with their own money. Our tax system needs to be competitive in order to attract investment and so on ... The principles were true but the preparation and delivery were appalling and the impact on mortgages and confidence made worse by its avoidability. While the markets are now steadier, the UK’s reputation is repairing and the Government emanates an air of seriousness, a sense of purpose and of dedicated application, I am not so naïve as to consider that all is either forgiven or forgotten. The Government has a big job to do and little time to do it in. The appointment of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister and his retention of Jeremy Hunt at the Treasury

While the are important principles reputational were true, the preparation and rebuilding foundations. The Cabinet delivery were that Rishi has appalling appointed represents all views and opinions across the Conservative party, rather than being solely drawn in the narrow image of the Leader. I firmly believe this will make for better decision making and

The BV magazine, November ‘22

NEWS POLITICS more robust scrutiny of policy. The mood of the parliamentary party is dramatically improved. Left, right and centre of the party are speaking to each other again – sometimes for the first time in many years. There is a sense of repurposing, focus and hellbent determination to deliver.

Not just tories

I know some people reading this will be irritated and, in some sense, correctly saying ‘the UK is more than just the Conservative party’. They are, of course, right. But my party did win a commanding majority over all other parties in the House of Commons. We are right to recommit to repaying the trust the British people vested in us. Which brings me to a closing thought on the call of some for a General Election. Given all the country has gone through since the New Year, I really do remain to be convinced that the policy delivery vacuum of a drawn-out election campaign is in the interests of our country or our economy. The ship needs to be steadied and the course reaffirmed first. My second argument against a General Election is that we have a representative parliamentary system, not a presidential one. No individual is elected directly as prime minister. As you will know, individuals standing under a Party banner are elected to serve constituencies, and it is the sum of those results which puts a party over the line in order to form a government, that being more than 325 MPs. It is then a matter for the House of Commons to decide whether it has ‘confidence’ in that party. My party has yet to lose a single vote in the Commons. If a confidence vote were held tomorrow, there would be a massive

I remain to be majority in favour convinced that the of it. The King policy delivery has asked Rishi vacuum of an election campaign Sunak to form a Government. He has done so. He is in the interests and it commands of our country or the confidence of our economy Parliament. Let us not move any further to defining how our democracy works through the prism of ‘personal presidential politics’. The Government has work to do to regain your trust. I will do all I can to help my party do so.

It’s time to grab the opportunity and place the environmental agenda back on the top of the To Do list, says North Dorset Green Party’s Ken Huggins

I love rollercoasters, with their mash up of anticipation, exhilaration and anxiety. There’s something about their manic twists and turns, the grindingly slow climbs to a peak followed by the gut-wrenching drop into a trough. Some have a corkscrew, where briefly you don’t know which way is up. An appropriate metaphor for the present state of UK politics perhaps – but I’m also minded of another ride I remember. Called the Black Hole, in near total darkness it plummeted downwards at breakneck speed in a death spiral ... After the crashing end to Truss’s brief attempt at government, the hope was that Sunak would be a steadying influence as Prime Minister. That hope was rocked with the announcement of his new cabinet, which included the removal from cabinet meetings of Alok Sharma (the UK’s president of COP26) and climate minister Graham Stuart. In spite of his previous promise to prioritise the environment, Sunak also announced that he would not attend the COP27 summit because of ‘pressing domestic commitments’. And it was confirmed that King Charles would remain effectively banned from attending the summit. This all sent totally the wrong message – that the environmental crisis can wait – when the opposite is true. For decades politicians have delayed taking action to tackle environmental issues, including our reliance on fossil fuels. This is now costing us dearly, especially those who can least afford it. The longer we leave it the more it will cost, in lives and livelihoods as well as finance. Some argue that we can’t afford action, but inaction will cost vastly more. Plus we have a golden opportunity to rebuild the world economy in a truly sustainable way that focuses on quality of life, not on the accumulation of money and stuff. There has now thankfully been another screeching government U-turn, and Sunak will attend COP27 after all. Now the UK needs to lead international cooperation to take the actions needed to urgently address the environmental crisis. It is the most pressing issue of our time, and dealing with it properly can create a better life for us all. Let’s get that rollercoaster heading upwards !

Is it a lack of competence or integrity?

The ringmaster has changed, but it’s the same old Tory circus with a worrying downgrade of climate policies, says Labour’s Pat Osborne

It’s an unconvincing start for Rishi Sunak. His woeful decision to reappoint Suella Braverman just days after she was forced to resign for breaking ministerial rules has already backfired. Whether Braverman’s failure to sign off on measures which could have eased pressure at Manston migrant processing centre were deliberate and callous, or just clumsy and incompetent, remains to be seen. What is clear is that the decision to reappoint a home secretary who was only recently ousted for treading a very murky line between lack of competence and lack of integrity was Sunak’s alone. In attempting to win over the lunatic libertarian wing of the Conservative Party, Sunak has managed to create even more uncertainty at a time the country is crying out for safe and stable hands to guide us safely through an alreadypainful cost of living crisis. Instead, it would seem that the ringmaster has changed, but it’s the same old Tory circus which seems to feature a cast of clowns, an acrobat with his arm in a sling, and a fire-eater with no eyebrows. Sunak’s decision to snub COP27 while also stopping the King from attending is something that should be of huge concern to us too. Alongside his opposition to onshore wind and support for tax breaks for oil companies, his absence in Egypt signals a worrying political downgrading of the climate crisis. It’s as though he’s unable to make the obvious connection between climate action, energy sovereignty, cheaper fuel bills and economic growth that Labour have spelled out loud and clear in our green prosperity plan and plans for a Great British Energy company.

A general election could re-energise the tired parade of the same old faces and develop a national consensus, says North Dorset Lib Dems’ Mike Chapman

Normally, of course, we Liberal Democrats occupy the centreground of politics. This last week, though, I admit I took to the high ground. That is to say, a group of us, duly wearing our yellow Lib Dem hi-vis jackets, did a litterpick on the top of Bulbarrow! It is astonishing how much – and what – rubbish is just chucked out of car windows en passant. Nonetheless, we unashamedly enjoyed the walk, the view and the company. I recommend it. Equally unashamedly, the Liberal Democrats are calling for a general election. It won’t happen because those in power, in Mrs T’s memorable line, are frit. Our concern is that the country is being damaged, people are being hurt and enterprises are going under due to the instability. As the third Tory leader this year, Rishi Sunak has absolutely no mandate from the people and his parliamentary majority is owed to a discredited figure and the car crash of Brexit promises. Worse, they are about to embark on a further period of austerity. Axes will fall at the whim of a few mandarins and special advisers, tweaked by the dogmatic and factional interests of politicians. The people of this land will have absolutely no say. I am very concerned that investment in levelling-up, in radically improving social care and in protecting the environment will evaporate – or be pushed back onto resourcestrapped local government.

Ramparts not gateways

In the self-induced crisis this government finds itself in, the instant reaction is to reduce risk, back the popular, shore up support in the one-third of the population who voted for you. We used to be a classy sort of nation. We seem increasingly to be one where people and parties look out for number one rather than the national best interest; a nation becoming xenophobic, where borders are ramparts not gateways and where global issues become matters for others because we are too busy. We need to reset and re-energise. That is the real reason we need a general election. It might even lead us to develop a national consensus. For a consensus, policies and plans must be so inclusive that everyone can buy into them, get behind them. Engaging our combined understanding and experience can find a way ahead using the best people, not just the usual suspects. Management. It is how the best organisations work. Currently, however, we are heading for the alternative: action taken in favour of the few. Leading, in a couple of difficult years, to yet more seesaw, zig then zag, fragmentation of the Union and further diminution of our standing as a country. The Lib Dems will always be there to help pick up the pieces.