New Labour Denies Government is in “Meltdown”

There is a rule in politics that the strongest confirmation possible is an official denial. On Wednesday, John Hutton, Britain’s Work and Pensions Secretary, told the press, “It’s a massive exaggeration to say the Government is in meltdown.” After what has been dubbed “Black Wednesday,” the condition of the New Labour government seems to hinge on how one defines “massive exaggeration.” The Hewitt Heckling, Prescott Pecadillo and Clarke Controversy suggest that “meltdown” could be the exact term after all.

Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary, was shouted down on Wednesday when she tried to address 2,000 nurses at the Royal College of Nursing’s annual conference in Bournemouth. Sam Lister at The Times wrote, “Shouts of ‘resign’, ‘shame’ and ‘rubbish’, and chanting and foot-stamping from among the 2,000 nurses repeatedly disrupted Ms Hewitt as she attempted to explain the NHS’s problems.” Ms. Hewitt cut short her speech. While this isn’t terribly lethal to any government, it does show that the current Labour health policies don’t have the support of nurses, who have to live with them. Ms. Hewitt may simply have the wrong portfolio, or she may not be up to the job of defending government policy. Or government policy may be indefensible.

Also on Wednesday, the Deputy Prime Minister’s extra-marital affair came to light. John Prescott, a married man and Labour heavyweight, has had a two-year affair with Tracey Temple, a woman who works in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Mr. Prescott’s short statement said, “I did have a relationship with her [Ms. Temple] which I regret. It ended some time ago. I have discussed this fully with my wife Pauline, who is devastated by the news. I would be grateful if Pauline and I can now get on with our lives together.” Cheating on spouses happens in parliament as it does elsewhere, but what of the terms of Ms. Temple’s employment, sexual harassment in the workplace, and the possibility of blackmail (although no allegations of such have arisen yet). Sorry, Johnny, no pass on this one.

Of course, Mr. Prescott managed to put his statement out the very same day that Home Secretary Clarke took a beating in the House of Common over the release of convicted criminals from other nations who were released without being referred for deportation – more than 1,000 of them. The Home Office knew about the problem as early as 2003, but the Home Secretary only discovered this in July 2005; yet 288 foreign offenders have been freed since then without referral.

According to the BBC, “Among the offenders, three had been convicted of murder, nine of rape, five of sex offences against children, seven had served time for other sex offences, 57 for violent offences and two for manslaughter. There were also 41 burglars, 20 drug importers, 54 convicted of assault and 27 convicted of indecent assault among those freed.” Mr. Blair reportedly rejected Mr. Clarke’s offer of resignation – meaning that Mr. Clarke still understands ministerial responsibility even if the PM doesn’t.

© Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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