Clegg recently announced that we have one of the most unequal healthcare systems in the modern world. A quick glance over the pond and he would realise that to be a falsehood. Why would he say it?
Well I don’t mean to pick on the Liberal Democrat leader, all politicians are culpable, but it was just his comments on the NHS that prompted this blog. It is in the interest of new leaders who wish to increase their public profiles to fabricate crises so that they can be the enlightened ones who come up with the solutions. This does work, Clegg’s new policy ideas have been all the rage in the press this week and increasingly because of this approach he is better known amongst the general voting masses.
I disagree with this approach to politics and one I am glad David Cameron did not take. When Cameron became leader of the party he told the public it would have to wait for policy, wait for the party to think in depth and come up with real alternative policies. We accepted that labour had done a lot of good but identified huge room for improvement. We did not announce that the NHS was in crisis (which it isn’t). I hope the public respect him more for this approach than the crisis creationism of Clegg.
23/01/2008 at 15:09 |
The problem is that Clegg doesn’t have the same timescales as Cameron did, DC had four years to prepare, Clegg at the most has two, he needs to settle quicker, and come out with policies quicker.
Also is the Lib Dems have dithered for two years constantly, I dare say Clegg is trying to look strong and in command of his party.
This has the added benefit of him not just looking like the David Cameron of the Liberal Democrats
24/01/2008 at 10:11 |
I think you raise a good point about instances where politicians exaggerate issues so that they can then come up with the solutions.
Of course, regardless of timing, Clegg follows the Cameron mould. His problem, however, is that he’s a Lib Dem.