Pendle Labour Party Blog

It is unusual for me to turn to ‘The Telegraph’ for political solace, but an article written by Christopher Booker on 15 October 2011 is a timely lesson for anyone who performs on the political stage.

The item is entitled:

The day Liam Fox chose power over sense of outrage

I don’t wish to dwell on Dr Fox’s fall from grace; I think most people recognise that he has been incredibly silly and naïve.

Booker writes: “People become motivated to take an interest in politics, the writer Paul Johnson shrewdly observed many years ago, either by a love of power or by a sense of outrage.”

He then continues to describe how in his view Fox moved from the path of outrage to the love of power.

I think this offers a reality check for all of us when we reach certain crossroads in our lives.

Perhaps our local MPs in both Pendle and Burnley who electioneered on maintaining hospital facilities prior to the General Election and who are now incredibly quiet on the subject should consider which road they have gone down and ask themselves ‘is it too late to turn back?’

If they wish to turn back, they could make a start by campaigning to retain the existing services at Pendle Community Hospital.

Alternatively they could hide behind the future provisions of the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care Bill 2011.

We will have to wait and see the answer, but I suspect they will carry on down the road of “the love of power”.