Interview
can raise people’s aspirations as a possi- for those that vote for you. Show them
bility and you can get them away on that that your priority will be people who
growth circuit that you want them to be probably will never vote for you because
on.” that shows you are reasonable and
Does he feel bitter that despite his decent and ready for government. It’s
own early realisation that fixing Britain right to do it and often, the right things
might be the Conservatives route to elec- are often beneficial to you. Do what is
toral success, it took David Cameron’s right in politics ultimately and no matter
election as leader to convert the party what else happens, you will be surprised
faithful? how the public respond. Often the pub-
“Politics is hugely about luck,” he says. lic won’t agree with you but they will give
“I came in and we had just had the strike you credit for doing what you believe to
on the Twin Towers which meant we could be right. If they sense you don’t believe
not get any coverage as opposition, every- in something but you are just doing it to
thing was about the war, Blair was riding get their vote, they will see through that
unbelievably high and had come away and they won’t like it and they will, quite
from this huge second victory and for the rightly, crucify you.”
first two years of my time, really, Blair was Four years after being ousted as
dominant and it was very difficult. The leader and with his party now adopting
fact is that the time wasn’t right, the public a reforming social justice agenda, he says
wasn’t interested in what we had to say. he genuinely does not feel bitterness, and
“I don’t look back with regrets, you resists the temptation to tell his party, ‘I
do what you do. I am a great believer told you so’.
in looking forward and not back and if Why does he think that after more
you asked me if I would do it again with than ten years in government, Labour
everything that I now know, my answer has been unable to fix the social ills they
would be yes, I would do it all again. I came in to tackle and in some cases,
think I did do things that were important exacerbated them?
that remain, in terms of helping to shape “I know some really great Labour
the party so it was worth doing even with MPs and I know that sounds stupid com-
a bit of pain. ing from a Conservative but there are
“I am doing what I want to be doing people I admire hugely on the other side
now. For me, it is the biggest mission of of the House – I have just done some
all to try and get society reshaped and great work with Graham Allen (Labour
change itself so it is able to exist in this MP for Nottingham North) who is a
new century, competing against China good friend and one of the best politi-
and South-east Asia. cians in the House of Commons and
“To be fair to David, he has backed there is Frank Field, who has focused on
this from the word go and there’s no rea- these things. All politicians should come
son why he should, we were never par- with one great intention and that’s to
ticularly close when I was leader. We had make things better but Labour has come
met at Prime Minister’s Questions and to believe that its historic role is to rep-
I got to know him but he came to see resent people at the bottom end and it
me as soon as he was elected and he said has come to take that for granted. When
to me that he felt the party got it wrong they do something, and they have done
about the social issue agenda and it was some good things, they now do it in an
time to put it straight. He asked me what almost patronising way and I don’t mean
I could do and I said that I would do to be rude because lots of politicians are
what I was going to do anyway, which patronising, but they sort of do it expect-
was a state-of-the-nation report and then ing gratitude and there is a lot of peculiar
look at how we could put it right. I said anger among these government minis-
he could have that only on the basis that ters that makes me wonder whether they
I would be allowed to publish it and if have actually figured out the problems
the Labour Party did it first then I would they are trying to deal with.”
support it. Sitting in Duncan Smith’s extremely
“The challenge to me was can I make shabby constituency office, I am struck
social justice the biggest thing in British by the contrast in his talk now, compared
politics again and from a party political with his rhetoric when he was elected
point of view, my view has always been Tory leader. He admits he has made a
that if you want to persuade people that long journey, but insists “my party will
you are fit to govern then you must show not return to power unless it makes this
that you govern for everyone and not just journey with me”.
18
| 15 December 2008 | Holyrood magazine | www.holyrood.com |
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