The only surprise in the outcry over Patricia Hewitt's bizarre claim that the NHS has just had its best ever year is that it didn't happen earlier. After all, she made exactly the same claim weeks previously (in the interview I mentioned here) without the media at large seeming to pick up on it.
Maybe someone should point that out to Charles Clarke: it might salve his fears of a liberal media conspiracy to bring down New Labour. Of course if his department managed to avoid stupid mistakes like releasing foreign criminals recommended for deportation, maybe he wouldn't have such a problem.
Meanwhile, over on the other side of the house, David Cameron, while not boasting of his green credentials, is getting himself embroiled in spats with the BNP. A change from the campaign strategy of his party at the last election certainly, but apparently poorly timed for the English local elections.
The Lib Dems face a potential financial crisis as a prominent backer is charged with fraud, which makes a change from the personal pecadilloes of MPs being their biggest problem. And after the cynical hatchet job on Charles Kennedy, the party seems to be deciding that the new leader is a bit rubbish after all...
So with all the main parties seemingly trying their very hardest to alienate their core voters, what is the politically aware UK citizen to do? Well, if nothing else, we can always count our blessings that we don't live in the USA...
No comments:
Post a Comment