Breathtaking hypocrisy

Phillip makes some interesting points about the post office. But what really intrigues me is how these days it appears that Ministers seem perfectly willing to campaign against a policy that their own Government supports.

Even more perverse is that they think it is perfectly compatible for them to do so, as they use the argument that they also have a role as a constituency MP to consider.

Hang on a minute? Isn’t that total crap, or was I misled when studying A level British Government. If for example you are in the Cabinet and sign up to a policy under collective responsibility, you sign up to that policy lock stock on barrel. Surely you can’t then say,that in your role as a constituency MP you can campaign against it.

Can you honestly say the Minister in charge of Post Offices, whose Government has tasked the Post Office to close 2,500, should really be able to campaign against closures in their constituency? Wouldn’t this be breathtaking hypocrisy of the highest order? I have no problem in having a Labour MP campaigning against Post Office closures – but if that’s what you want to do, don’t support Government policy, and if you are a Minister who is asked to sign up to such a policy, do the honourable think and resign.

It is the same as the debate about recent changes to hospital services. The Government brings in a policy and Government Ministers then campaign against the outcome of the policy in their own constituency!

And then come an election they wonder why turnout goes down.

Jonathan Sheppard