The Laws of the Public Policy Process. No. 5:
A couple of years ago Donal Blaney ran a weekly column on ConservativeHome entitled “The Laws of the Public Policy Process”. These 45 rules were devised by Morton Blackwell – the Godfather of the American conservative movement – and they come from his decades of experience in the policy process. Every Saturday YBF will discuss one of these laws in the context of some current political news.
Rule No. 5: In politics, you have your word and your friends; go back on either and you’re dead.
This is a lesson that Gordon Brown and the Labour Party are learning the hard way. The Labour Party has gone back on its word time and time again (Lisbon referendum anyone?) and the electorate will not forgive them for it. This will effect the Party’s long term health, but far more serious to its short term health are the effects of going back on their friends. The Cabinet is in disarray. Kelly quits, Miliiband worried about his ‘Heseltine moment’ and a desperate reshuffle on the cards. There is no unity, because they’re beginning to turn on each other. The public won’t forgive a Government that goes back on their words, and Cabinet ministers are no more likely to forgive a ‘friend’ for going back on them.