Honesty or efficiency?

The Labour Party, like the LibDems, are very good at claiming credit where it does not belong to them or does not belong entirely. We have only to think of sayings such as "50 quarters of economic growth", The Health service in the best condition ever", "School results improving annually".

The public seems to have swallowed statements that are repeated unchallenged so often that it becomes almost a kind of brain washing.

But let us give them their assertions, and ask a different question, "How far are we prepared to tolerate a government based on spin, lies and deceit, so long as it is successful ?" To judge from recent polling results, for many people the answer is "A long way". How else can we explain the proportion of people who think Bottler Brown is the best prime minister, or the strongest.

Do personal failings, including dishonesty no longer matter?

Fifty years ago if a minister were found out in some sexual immorality demotion or resignation would be expected. In the past twenty years two party leaders committed adultery, but continued as leaders.

Fifteen years ago two Conservative MPs were hounded out because they had taken money from a member of the public to ask questions in the House of Commons. For one at least, his parliamentary career is over. In the past ten years one minister gained a large mortgage by lying on his application form that he was borrowing no money anywhere else, when he was. He left the cabinet, but within months was back. More recently another minister misused his rights as a minister, resigned, but was back in the cabinet within six months. These two “offences” would probably have resulted in prosecution for ordinary members of the public, certainly exclusion for local councillors, unless they too had powerful friends. We do not mention a prime minister who misled parliament and who apparently performed favours for donors to his party funds.

Does it matter if our politicians profit from their positions? Should lying or abuse of power no longer require our elected representatives to stand down, so long as enough people think they’re doing a good job? Is there any place for honesty or honour?