Blog: Alan Johnson for PM? Silly season arrives early...
I sometimes wonder who writes leader columns for quality newspapers in the UK these days. Probably kids of 25. The Times, once considered the most prestigious daily in the country but which now employs stand-up comic Frank Skinner as one of its star columnists, is now urging Alan Johnson to "seize the mantle" and be ready to assume the Labour leadership and, er, coincidentally, become prime minister. (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6355300.ece) Ha ha...nice one...
Sometimes one wonders if the people who write this stuff have nothing better to do. Given the state of Britain – economic crisis, declining morality, a plague of drunkenness, escalating street crime and general hooliganism, appalling displays of corruption and greed on the part of MP's – you would have thought this would be enough to keep leader writers busy. But, if in doubt, as they say, focus on the personalities instead.
Back in the old days to be prime minister required a certain statesmanlike quality – that indefinable 'gravitas' so often alluded to in the circles of Westminster. But also – and I know this may sound incredibly old- fashioned – you had to have experience of high office, notably experience either as foreign secretary or chancellor OR at least a long portfolio of shadowing these great offices OR a healthy stint as leader of the opposition. James Callaghan held all four 'great' offices of state. Margaret Thatcher was education secretary but then spent four years as opposition leader, so had plenty of time to shadow both Harold Wilson and Callaghan. Besides, nobody doubted she was exceptionally skilled whatever view one took of her politics.
The rot set in with John Major – the belief that a jumped up Johnny can somehow be parachuted into Number 10 and dramaticaly reinvigorate not only his party's fortunes but also fill the boots of his predecessor. Major was, of course, dramatically over-promoted. The Conservatives should have lost the April 1992 election and it was only the public's lack of faith in his rival Neil Kinnock that granted Major a stay of execution.
I have met Alan Johnson once – the current health secretary stood smoking a succession of cigarettes outside a tourism conference in Faro, Portugal in 2002. I have nothing against him but somehow I doubt that he is really suited to holding the highest office in the land. To his credit I suspect he knows that too. So let's wait until August before we start indulging in silly season.
Of course, Brown must go, but it should now be up to the people to decide. We can't just jettison a prime minister a few months before an election and insert Johnson. That would make Britain even more of a laughing stock throughout the world than it already is. Let the voters decide. Robbing them of their right to deliver their judgement on Brown's period in office (remember that he too was unelected) just wouldn't be cricket...
Sometimes one wonders if the people who write this stuff have nothing better to do. Given the state of Britain – economic crisis, declining morality, a plague of drunkenness, escalating street crime and general hooliganism, appalling displays of corruption and greed on the part of MP's – you would have thought this would be enough to keep leader writers busy. But, if in doubt, as they say, focus on the personalities instead.
Back in the old days to be prime minister required a certain statesmanlike quality – that indefinable 'gravitas' so often alluded to in the circles of Westminster. But also – and I know this may sound incredibly old- fashioned – you had to have experience of high office, notably experience either as foreign secretary or chancellor OR at least a long portfolio of shadowing these great offices OR a healthy stint as leader of the opposition. James Callaghan held all four 'great' offices of state. Margaret Thatcher was education secretary but then spent four years as opposition leader, so had plenty of time to shadow both Harold Wilson and Callaghan. Besides, nobody doubted she was exceptionally skilled whatever view one took of her politics.
The rot set in with John Major – the belief that a jumped up Johnny can somehow be parachuted into Number 10 and dramaticaly reinvigorate not only his party's fortunes but also fill the boots of his predecessor. Major was, of course, dramatically over-promoted. The Conservatives should have lost the April 1992 election and it was only the public's lack of faith in his rival Neil Kinnock that granted Major a stay of execution.
I have met Alan Johnson once – the current health secretary stood smoking a succession of cigarettes outside a tourism conference in Faro, Portugal in 2002. I have nothing against him but somehow I doubt that he is really suited to holding the highest office in the land. To his credit I suspect he knows that too. So let's wait until August before we start indulging in silly season.
Of course, Brown must go, but it should now be up to the people to decide. We can't just jettison a prime minister a few months before an election and insert Johnson. That would make Britain even more of a laughing stock throughout the world than it already is. Let the voters decide. Robbing them of their right to deliver their judgement on Brown's period in office (remember that he too was unelected) just wouldn't be cricket...