Good Riddance

Liam Donaldson finally disappears this week.

Professor Sir Liam Donaldson is starting his last week as England’s top doctor – the Chief Medical Officer.

Not a moment too soon, frankly.

He has served in the post for 12 years, offering advice to ministers and the public on some of the great health challenges of our times.

Sir Liam helped to shape policy on a range of issues including stem cell research, patient safety, and smoking.

Oh, he did that alright.

For many, the defining moment was in 2005 with his intervention in the debate over smoking.

As ministers fretted over plans for limited new restrictions, Sir Liam told MPs that he would considered resigning over their failure to back a full smoking ban in enclosed public spaces.

And being the spineless whimps that they were, instead of telling him to fuck off, they caved in and gave us the smoking ban – an egregious piece of legislation at the heart of the nanny state if ever there was one.

The Labour MP Kevin Barron, who was chairman of the health select committee, says Sir Liam’s role was crucial.

“If in 10 years time we look back at this one particular measure of public health that was taken that was effectively led by Liam, I think we’ll probably say it’s one of the best pieces of legislation, from a health point of view, that we’ve ever had in the UK.”

Bollocks. It has nothing to do with health and everything to do with control.

Sir Liam was prepared to challenge ministers on other issues, such as his call for presumed consent on organ donation, and his backing for a minimum price per unit of alcohol.

Ah, yes, the old state owns our bodies for use when we shuffle off the mortal coil thing, I do recall his grubby fingerprints all over that one as well as the stupid idea that minimum pricing of alcohol will have any effect on health whatsoever. As with the smoking ban, it has nothing to do with health and everything to do with puritanical control freakery. Liam Donaldson is an obsessive control freak totally unfit for his role who should have been sacked long ago and would have been had there been an ounce of decency in government at the time.

Alan Johnson, who served as health secretary for two years, came to value Sir Liam’s independence, describing him as: “A CMO who – despite what ever political wind is blowing – will take his own view and provide an independent voice for the public.”

I’m a member of the public and he didn’t provide an independent voice for me. He actively spoke for the state, not the individual. My health is nothing to do with the state, Liam Donaldson or anyone else for that matter.

The most urgent challenge Sir Liam faced as CMO was the swine flu pandemic.

Ah, yes, this arsehole’s crowning glory, the pandemic that never was.

He helped to develop elaborate – and expensive – response plans that swung into action as the virus spread.

The pandemic that never was.

For most people it proved harmless, but Alan Johnson says Sir Liam was right to play it safe.

There is a difference between playing it safe and running around like a headless chicken shouting “we’re all gonna die!”.

“The public would never have forgiven us if we hadn’t had that level of preparation in place and Liam Donaldson was central to that,” he says.

I will never forgive his intrusion into matters that are none of his concern. I will never forgive the fatuous, self-righteous hectoring and lecturing by this fat fuck who thought that he had the right to tell me how to live my life, with the threat of state force if I failed to fall into line.

Sir Liam’s willingness to take a stand, often on sensitive and controversial subjects, was bound to draw criticism. But few dispute his legacy is substantial.

Oh, yeah, it’s substantial alright…

And he has promised he will fight on for a minimum price for alcohol.

Kevin Barron says it is a battle he may yet win.

“I think this coalition government will have to look seriously at this when you look round at the problems we have with binge drinking in this country.”

“And I think that, he may not be in office of course, but he may yet see that minimum pricing of alcohol is something that will happen”.

I have a horrible feeling that Barron is right. Like a bad smell, Liam Donaldson may be gone from office but will lurk like a rotting mouse hidden by the cat behind a cupboard in the corner of the room, a malodorous presence hanging in the air, wafting into our nostrils as we pass by, a constant reminder of his malevolent legacy.

A deeply nasty man who represents the puritanical heart of the self-righteous New Labour Fabian control freakery.