It would appear that on the ST logic you are unable to
perform a professional job for a charity if you previously worked for a labour
politician. So they castigate Justin Forsyth who is doing a tremendous job at
Save the Children in incredibly taxing times simply for his former role with
our last Prime Minister. No evidence is provided that somehow their work has
been subverted by improper political influence.
The reality is that many former advisors to Blair and
Brown are in jobs across the public, private and third sectors. That is because
they are talented and professional people who have significant experience to
bring to the job. Should the fact that Simon Stevens was a Blair advisor and
former Labour Lambeth Councillor rule him out of the top job in running our
NHS? Of course not and everyone
recognises the huge skill and talent which led the Government to appoint him.
The fact that people take jobs working in Government for
Ministers of whatever persuasion should not rule them out for running anything.
They should be appointed on merit and ability and they are. Its the outcomes
and delivery that matters in a top job not the colour of the tie you wear . The
ST failed to provide any evidence that there has been political bias in the
work they do; and that's because there isn't any.
It is always disappointing when senior politicians revert
to character assassination rather than tackling an argument on its merits or demerits.
A classic example of this was Chris Grayling's article to accompany the ST
piece. His attack on Frances Crook who leads the Howard League for Penal Reform
was particularly regrettable. A distinguished and ardent campaigner; I have
known her for years as an ACEVO member. She has been as fierce in attacking Blair
and brown as in attacking plans by this government depending on what she feels
to be right. According to Mr Grayling she is "one of the most prominent
labour supporting pressure group leaders". And the reason for this attack?
I reckon it is because The Howard League have criticised the introduction of
fixed bedtimes for teenagers. For the world's oldest and most respected penal
reform charity not to campaign on such issues would be a dereliction of their
charity duty and indeed I know Frances would have been as vehement about this
whether it was a coalition or labour policy. It is entirely respectable to
criticise such policies. Indeed a healthy democracy respects and encourages
such debate. I recommend Frances's excellent Blog on this subject. ( http://www.howardleague.org/francescrookblog/)
And I rather liked her pithy response to the ST story
". We would be shirking our duty if we did not (campaign). Sometimes it is
unpalatable to politicians and this is just tough". Amen to that.
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