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.
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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. 4: Effort is admirable. Achievement is valuable.
Gordon Brown has announced a £1 billion package to help people with struggling fuel bills. The plan includes half-price insulation for all households and a freeze on this year’s bills for the poorest families. However, as even the BBC points out, the measures have been criticised as “flimsy” and “disappointing”. Indeed, as Guido points out, the National Insulation Association says that Brown’s insulating plans will take 10 years. This is hardly much help to those who are already choosing between heating and eating. Brown has also been mocked for offering energy saving tips such as “draw your curtains” and “put a balloon up your chimney.” Perhaps this is just the Scotsman in him…
The point of all this is that whilst effort is admirable, it is achievement that’s valuable. Of course, effort can cease to be admirable when it’s done for the wrong reasons – and this further compounds Brown’s problems. Not only is his recovery package not much more than ‘an effort’ but that effort is to win himself good headlines and favourable poll ratings – and not to govern the country well.
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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. 3: Don’t get angry, except on purpose.
Anyone witnessing Alistair Darling trying to fumble his way out of the hole he dug himself into will notice that his lips starts to shake uncontrollably at about 30 seconds in. OK, maybe it was nerves rather than anger, but he certainly seemed to lose patience with the interview. One of the most famous clips of a politician getting angry features Darling’s boss – G Brown Esq. See this video and look out for Brown’s hand shaking in anger.
The point is this; showing anger is essentially losing control – and if a politician loses control he is a sitting duck. Controlled anger on the other hand, is a marvellous thing. There is no greater force in politics than moral indignation – that’s rule No. 44.
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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.
Law No. 2: Don’t fire all your ammunition at once.
This is sound advice to the Tory Party, and is worth pointing out to all those that call for the Conservatives to outline their full manifesto immediately. Just ask yourself this: if you were an embattled, unpopular and stale government, what would you do if the Opposition announced an extremely popular policy? Ignore it on the grounds that they got there first? No. You’d do exactly what the Government have been doing since last Party Conference – you’d pinch the idea and call it your own. (Does inheritance tax ring a bell?).
The point is that the Conservatives need to ‘striptease’ policies between now and the next election. They need to reveal just enough to keep people interested, but not so much that they have nothing new to say during the election campaign. The same principle applies in any electoral battle – whether it’s in a student union, for a local authority or at a national election. Keep a few tasty policies/revelations under your belt, ready to whip out and wow people with just before they vote.
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