While I am frequently critical of the coalition – don’t mention the Big Society for example – there is one thing of which I am pleased to see. The willingness to accept that an idea may not be all it is cut out to be. Consequently, the answer to the question is a U turn a sign of strength? The answer is “yes”.
We may argue that recent U turns are a consequence of getting the idea wrong in the first place. But surely that is the whole point about consultation – an idea is mooted and feedback sought. Had the last government done so, the appalling ID Cards act would never have got off the ground and many millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money wouldn’t have been wasted on a bloated, unworkable and totalitarian scheme.
Despite the protestations from Mr Potato face on the opposition benches, the decision to step back from a potentially disastrous policy is the right thing to do. The reasons Red Ed doesn’t like it is not because he thinks it makes the party opposite look weak and therefore an easy target, it is because it spikes his own guns.
So, yes, a readiness to say “we got it wrong” is far better than the entrenched dogmatic full steam ahead at all costs irrespective of the damage caused is a good thing, not a bad one. It suggests a degree of maturity lacking on the opposition benches. So, credit where credit is due. Normal service will resume shortly, I expect.
Fully agree.
Labour refused to listen, refused to back down, refused to change their minds on some of the most damaging decisions for our country.
Good to know the Coagulation CAN back down when the mood is against them.
CR.
Whilst I agree with your point it would probably be more helpful if the coalition tested their policy proposals *before* the fanfare announcements and subsequent U-turns as it still smacks of making policy based on tabloid opinion as the last lot were so keen on doing.
Listening to opinion and acting on it is a strength but does that still apply when the number of U-turns almost matches the number of floated policies?
From what I can see, it’s less a question of maturity and more to do with losing votes.
I think it’d curse the Tories if they brought in any great degree of competition into the NHS. The opposition, the unions and the BBC would endlessly attack them over it – regardless over whether it turned out to improve things or not.
We’ve already seen Panorama attack the private health sector. Which, quite rightly, resulted in arrests. But not a single thing was done to the people involved in murdering patients simply because they couldn’t be bothered to keep a hospital clean…
Fair points but I’d go further and prefer them not to do anything at all – except to repeal all of the illiberal laws enacted by their predecessors. It’s always about votes unfortunately, but I would rather they backed off and admitted they got it wrong when it does blow up in their faces.
It would be nice to think that these u-turns did represent wisdom of some sort. They reflect mainly on how stupid and useless the Co-alition is. Not doing stupid stuff=no need for u-turns. This mob are just as arrogant as the prev scum but their arrogant inflexibility is reserved for the EU/Green treason. They have to make u turns because none of them are on the same page and they literally can’t go in different directions at once.
Of course, when I talk of wisdom and maturity, the terms are relative. When compared to the morons on the opposition benches, the coagulation are paragons.
There would be less U turns if they didn’t lie about what they were going to do and then use flexibility and ‘We got it wrong’ when it was obvious on day 1 it was a load of rubbish.
At least labour stuc to their guns and screw us all. Cameron changes his mind all the time. He must be dizzy the amount of U turns he has made since he came to power yet there were very few while he was campaining.
I think on balance, I’ll take the Cameron approach. While he is busy U turning, he isn’t actually doing anything. 👿
A U-turn can be a sign of strength (and a willingness to admit you’re wrong). That doesn’t mean it is. It can just be a sign of fear and an unwillingness to do what is unpopular, even if it is right. The answer to the question is a U turn a sign of strength? is not ‘yes’, but ‘sometimes’.
As for CMDave’s flip-flopping, the prison sentence proposal were a joke and the U-turn is the right decision. On the NHS, there were problems with the proposals and changes were needed; a tweaking of direction could have been a sign of strength. However, the complete hand-waving, slam into reverse gear, turnaround in policy looks more like weakness, and has just invited the medical profession to demand more concessions.
Looking ahead, how the Coalition cope with any public sector strikes will be interesting, but I expect them to confirm that Cameron is more spineless Heathite, than Thatcherire reformer.