THROUGHOUT 50 years of voting, it has become increasingly evident that for the ruling London political elite, of both Labour, but particularly Conservative persuasion, from Margaret Thatcher and the poll tax in 1990 to Tony Blair and his invasion of Iraq 13yearslater have proved, in the words of the emotive Elton John/Bernie Taupin song, for politicians, Sorry seems to be the hardest word. They are fundamentally incapable of uttering any authentic, sincere apology for any policy or action, past or present.
The song goes “What have I got to do to make you love me; What have I got to do to make you care; What do I do when lightning strikes me; And I wake to find that you're not there?”
It continues, “What do I say when it's all over? And sorry seems to be the hardest word; It's a sad, sad situation; And it's getting more and more absurd.”
I include the repugnant recent mea culpa offered-up by Home Secretary Priti Patel, whose verbal gymnastics in offering an embarrassing non-apology, should immediately have offered, or been instructed to proffer a sincere, humble apology.
Fast forward to last weekend, and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove, who had been sent out to play the government’s latest lockdown parlour game, Defend the Indefensible.
Taking a leaf out of the Donald Trump playbook, Mr Gove came out fighting, over an excoriating story in the Sunday Times – a traditionally Tory-leaning publication – cataloguing the lamentable efforts this Government has mustered in response to the Coronavirus crisis.
He described the failures of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, of whom he had said during last year’s Tory leadership contest, “Boris cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead” as “grotesque,” subsequently calling his boss’s handling of the crisis “strong, and, at times, inspirational”.
It seems that politicians face a fundamental paradox, that they crave our love and respect, yet appear genetically incapable of demonstrating any key values like honesty and humility necessary to earn those emotions from us, the Great British public.
Said Great British public is, in the main, neither daft, gullible nor stupid and if French President Emmanuel Macron can admit he initially got coronavirus-related things wrong and apologise, why not those hucksters down Westminster way?
In real life, saying sorry, as and when required can, in context, be seen as a sign of strength, confidence and authenticity, so what’s different on Planet Politics?
Mike Wilson, Longniddry.
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