The well-worn path from Liberty to being a Labour hack

When I was a teenager and had already decided I was a Liberal, two of the big names in civil liberties campaigning were Patricia Hewitt and Harriet Harman of Liberty - or the National Council for Civil Liberties as it then was.

Twenty years later they were both impeccably on-message New Labour ministers, sharing Tony Blair's exasperation with "libertarian nonsense".

Another 20 years on and I find Shami Chakrabarti is set on the same path. As one viewer put it last night:

It's incredibly sad to see Shami Chakrabarti the former head of Liberty, whose aim is to protect rights, actively supporting the removal of people's Freedom of Movement. Such a disappointment. #bbcqt #PeoplesVote

— You Broke It Mate (@YouBrokeItMate) December 6, 2018

The moral, I suppose, is that you should be wary of having heroes - or heroines.

Harriet Harman, the NCCL and PIE

People’s incredulity that Harriet Harman might have something to explain or apologise for over relations between the National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) arose from hatred for the Daily Mail and a willingness to accept Harman at her own high estimation.

Another factor, though, was that some younger people did not realise just how different social attitudes were on the left in the 1970s.

It happened that I discussed this era in a book chapter that I published in 2005.

This is an era in which books with titles like Escape from Childhood were written. John Holt’s work contains chapters on, among other subjects, ‘The right to vote.’ ‘The right to work’ and ‘The right to drive’. Reading him today it is hard to resist the idea that Holt was not so much calling for a change in our attitude towards children as calling for the abolition of the very concept of childhood. See for evidence his rather stern chapter on ‘How children exploit cuteness’. 

The chapter that reads most strangely today is the one entitled ‘The law, the young, and sex’. One would not, I think, come across a passage like the following in any current book:

Some people have voiced to me the fear that if it were legal for an adult to have sex with a consulting child, many young people would be exploited by unscrupulous older ones. The image here is of the innocent young girl and the dirty old man; few worry about the young boy having sex with an older woman. Here, too, we are caught with the remains of old myths – in this case that only men were sexual, that women were pure and above it – from which it follows that any young girl having sex with an older man must necessarily be his victim.

This is not a simplistic call for the ‘sexual liberation’ of children; if anything, it is an anguished examination of Holt’s own internal conflicts on the idea. But such ideas were in the air in the 1970s. When I worked in Birmingham, which dates it as late as 1981 or 1982, pamphlets from the Paedophile Information Exchange [PIE] could still be found among a tableful of literature from other municipally approved good causes in the Central Library. 

There is some coverage of this period in Christian Wolmar’s book on childcare scandals, Forgotten Children, but he treats it largely as a plot by a few paedophiles to infiltrate more respectable movements. This approach tends to underestimate the extent to which a broader strand of educated opinion was prepared at least to entertain the idea of something like the sexual liberation of children.

Patricia Hewitt and Harriet Harman were the public face of the NCCL in the 1970s, but ultimately they were its employees , so it is not clear how far they were responsible for the organisation’s policies. (Jack Dromey flew beneath my political radar in those days.)

But I note that Patricia Hewitt has broken her silence and apologised for the NCCL’s stance in those days. I find this preferable to Harriet Harman’s self-righteousness - however much she hates the Daily Mail.

Times have moved on, thank goodness. As I concluded with something of a rhetorical flourish in that chapter, the problem with abolishing the concept of childhood is that you also abolish that of child abuse.

Not that everything has improved over the past 30 years or so. We have made parents nervous of photographing their own children at sports days, but the most vulnerable children of all - those in public care - do not seem to be much better protected.

Remember when Tony Blair was a Womble

From a Calder's Comfort Farm, the column I used to write for the New Statesman website, published on 24 June 2008.

A couple of summers ago the excitement over Cash for Honours was at its height. There was even speculation that Lord Levy’s troubles might see the end of Tony Blair.

What would we have made in 1973, I wonder, of the thought that the arrest of Alvin Stardust’s manager might one day bring down the government?

But in those days the link between politics and pop music was closer than most voters realised. One of the most popular bands of the era was The Wombles, who always appeared on stage in large furry costumes.

The advantage of this was that anyone could be a Womble, and a shifting cast of session musicians used to share the gigs between them. But, thanks to the good offices of Michael Levy, on occasion a Womble costume would be worn by a hungry young Labour politico.

Levy’s recent memoirs are disappointingly sketchy on the subject, but it is known that Jack Straw, Patricia Hewitt and Dr John Reid all appeared as Wombles at one time or another.

Fascinatingly, a young lawyer named Anthony Blair would also pull on a costume when the briefs were slow coming in.

Alastair Campbell has ruthlessly expunged this episode from the Blair CV -- I feel a little nervous telling you about it even now -- but was he right to do so?

The Roman Emperors used to keep a slave to whisper “remember thou art mortal” when they got above themselves. Tony Blair would have done well to have an aide close at hand to say “remember you’re a Womble” now and then.

And if he was being particularly messianic, that aide could have added: “Re-member-member-member what a Womble Womble Womble you are.”

Remember who was in the Wombles

Remembering the 1970s on the New Statesman website, I once wrote:

One of the most popular bands of the era was The Wombles, who always appeared on stage in large furry costumes.

The advantage of this was that anyone could be a Womble, and a shifting cast of session musicians used to share the gigs between them. But, thanks to the good offices of Michael Levy, on occasion a Womble costume would be worn by a hungry young Labour politico.

Levy’s recent memoirs are disappointingly sketchy on the subject, but it is known that Jack Straw, Patricia Hewitt and Dr John Reid all appeared as Wombles at one time or another.

Fascinatingly, a young lawyer named Anthony Blair would also pull on a costume when the briefs were slow coming in.

Alastair Campbell has ruthlessly expunged this episode from the Blair CV - I feel a little nervous telling you about it even now - but was he right to do so?

The Roman Emperors used to keep a slave to whisper “remember thou art mortal” when they got above themselves. Tony Blair would have done well to have an aide close at hand to say “remember you’re a Womble” now and then.

And if he was being particularly messianic, that aide could have added: “Re-member-member-member what a Womble Womble Womble you are.”

A nice conceit, but who was really inside those Womble costumes?

Orinoco was usually Mike Batt, who wrote the band's songs. And very successful he was. According to Wikipedia, The Wombles were the most successful act of 1974, with albums in the UK charts for more weeks than any other act. (If you can remember some of the other bands in the charts in 1974 this does not seem so strange.)

Wikipedia goes on to say that on one occasion the costumes were filled by members of Steeleye Span, and on other occasions such respected musicians as Chris Spedding and Clem Cattini could be found inside them.

But the most interesting Womble was the guitarist Robin Le Mesurier, the son of John Le Mesurier from Dad's Army and Hattie Jacques.

As a profile in the Daily Express recalls:

He first hit the big-time as a member of The Wombles, Mike Batt’s chart-topping band bedecked in furry outfits inspired by Elisabeth Beresford’s children’s books. But he lost that job when a joint owned by his brother was discovered in a police raid on the family home.

Robin recalls: “I came home after shooting a TV show to find six police officers tearing the place apart. They dug up the garden, took carpets up, emptied drawers out and even searched my mother. All they found was one joint that my brother had. They said to me ‘You’re coming too.’ The solicitor told us to plead guilty. Mike Batt called to say Elisabeth Beresford had said what I’d done was politically incorrect so I had to go.”

I think Le Mesurier should have said that he found the joint in the street and had tidied it up.

Stephen Byers, Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt suspended from Parliamentary Labour Party

This story is breaking on the BBC News site at the moment.

It follows the Channel 4 Dispatches programme earlier this evening.

Liveblogging Dispatches: Politicians for Hire

"MPs offer political favours in return for thousands of pounds a day."

Tony Blair has made millions since leaving Downing Street.

Sir Alistair Graham: "The first principle for MPs is selflessness". Ho ho.

The programme approached more than 20 MPs. Ten agreed to meet the "company" -Anderson Perry.

Sir John Butterfill offered company his CV at the start of the meeting.

The programme quotes David Cameron saying lobbying is the next big scandal waiting to happen.

Butterfill: "I can organise a meeting in a minister's office or possibly ... he could come to you."

Said he could arrange a meeting with David Cameron.

Asks for more than £30,000 per year for sitting on the company's board.

Margaret Moran, for it is she. Keen to take paid work from "Anderson Perry".

Boasts of her contacts with special advisers.

Ready to start at once: "I'm free now."

She has not voted in Parliament in May and has not been seeing her constituents because of bad health. The programme was told by her office that she was too ill to see constituents.

So she is a liar.

Stephen Byers coming up. "I'm a bit like a cab for hire."

Since resigning from the cabinet he has developed a high-flying business career.

Already working as a consultant while an MP.

"I do a bit of work for Rio Tinto." Neither that interest nor the one with National Express is registered.

How much would he expect? "Between three and five thousand a day." "Sometimes I can charge more."

Tony Blair's earnings since leaving government have reached an estimated £20m.

Byers says he may be able to get Blair along for a drink.

Ooh look, it's Robert Maclennan.

Since the last election 46 minsters have been approved to work in private sector. Almost half work in areas they used to be responsible for.

Patricia Hewitt works for BT, Boots, Barclays and BUPA.

"I'm interested in taking on another major board position."

Robert Maclennan was against her being allowed to take up certain posts as a former minister. He is on the body that oversees such matters - The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.

How easy is it to arrange meetings with ministers and civil servants? "It is very doable."

The ways:

1. Hospitality
2. Use a think tank - sponsor a seminar "and for your money you get to sit next to the minister".
3. Sponsoring events at a party conference
4. Straightforward invitation
5. Meet them via your presence in the constituency.

Persuaded review of mental health in prisons to talk to the private sector. Got a private sector representative on the task force. "I've kind of got them into the system."

Back to Stephen Byers. The general election is a great time to see civil servants.

Boasts that he helped National Express get out of its East Coast Mainline franchise without high penalties or losing its other franchises. He spoke to Andrew Adonis ("you have to keep this very confidential") on their behalf.

They agreed Adonis would talk tough in public but National Express would get off lightly - i.e. the would not abide by the contract they signed.

Now Tesco. Hilary Benn wanted to chose food labelling. Tesco rang Byers to get it stopped. He rang Peter Mandelson to complain about it. Mandelson got it delayed then amended.

Byers later emailed to say he had not spoken to either Mandelson or Adonis. Tesco and the Department of Transport both also said no such exchanges had taken place.

It seems his defence was that he was lying.

Coming next: Byers on defence.

Looking forward to translating his contacts into a way of making money.

Now Baroness Sally Morgan.

Gets £135,000 for jobs outside politics.

The programme had hired offices where Tony Blair first hired them after leaving No, 10.

Sally Morgan asks £5,000 per day.

She knows lots of senior civil servants because they worked at No. 10 when they were younger.

She can have conversations with people and push the direction of policy travel without lobbying.

Offers to put the company in touch with ministers. "I do anything as long as I am reasonably transparent about it."

She has interested in diabetes treatment but did not declare them when asking a Lords question.
She helped an educational charity win a £50m government contract.

Back to Sir John Butterfill.

"It is quite likely that I will go to the Lords." Perhaps less likely now.

"It gives me another string to my bow, as far as you are concerned."

That got that wrong. Geoff Hoon does not have a constituency home. His seat is in Nottinghamshire and he lives in Derby. Southern journalists do not understand Midland geography.

"I do not want to be seen to leave politics and then go back as some sort of lobbyist."

Still has Ministry of Defence contacts that might prove useful to clients.

He is helping American firms take over European companies.

£3000 a day "seems about right". After parliament is dissolved, "I am yours." Offers to chair the board.

All very depressing. As far as what the MPs doing is unobjectionable, that should be part of the job they are paid to do.

Byers' only defence is that he lied to the TV people. And can't Margaret Moran be prosecuted for something?

News of the World: "Former Cabinet ministers embroiled in cash-for-access row"

This story, which reports on tomorrow night's Dispatches - "Politicians for Hire" - on Channel 4, has just gone up on the News of the World Politics blog.

Twenty senior MPs and peers were offered payments of up to £35,000 a year for helping a fake firm forge lucrative links with the government.

Six of them demanded between £3,000 and £5,000 A DAY to sit on a make-believe advisory board.

And several are said to have exaggerated their influence in the hope of cashing in.

Ex-Transport Secretary Stephen Byers even claimed he was like a “cab for hire” to the tricksters as he boasted about how he still has a direct line to the heart of government.

Others caught up in the sting include ex-Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, ex-Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and former whip Margaret Moran.

To see how fair is we will have to watch Dispatches tomorrow.

NHS up the creek

NHS Blog Doctor has a nice parable about a rowing race between the NHS and Marks & Spencer:

Patricia Hewitt was discouraged and depressed about the crushing defeat. She appointed a team of senior managers to investigate and to recommend appropriate action.

Their conclusion was that the Marks & Spencer team had eight people rowing and one person steering, whilst the NHS team had eight people steering and one person rowing. Patricia did not like the report, so she hired a private management consultancy company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion.

The consultants opined that too many people were indeed steering the boat, whilst not enough people were rowing and that, in order to prevent another defeat, the NHS rowing team's management structure should be reorganized to four steering supervisors, three area steering superintendents and one assistant superintendent steering manager.

They also recommended a new performance system, involving pre-determined targets that would give the one person rowing the boat greater incentive to work hard. The performance system was called the "Rowing Team Quality First Program" and the rower was required to attend twice weekly meetings throughout the year at which he ate bourbon biscuits, was given free pens and listened to presentations from consultant rowing specialists who, thought they had never rowed themselves, were very knowledgeable.

Read it all here.

Patricia Hewitt and the nurses

In many ways Patricia Hewitt deserves everything that happened to her at the Royal College of Nursing conference yesterday and more.

This is a woman who served as director of the National Council for Civil Liberties (the old name for Liberty) and now sits in a cabinet that has brought in detention without trial and is planning to bring in compulsory identity cards.

This is the woman who excoriated Jim Callaghan at the 1979 Labour Conference - apparently he lost the election to Mrs Thatcher because the British people were disgusted at his failure to bring in true socialist policies - and condemned Labour MPs who did not vote for Tony Benn as deputy leader in 1981. Today she is at the heart of New Labour.

When someone has a record like that, the natural reaction is to sit back and laugh at any political misfortune that befalls them. But two things give me pause.

Firstly, over recent years government spending on health has increased enormously. As Polly Toynbee and David Walker write:

In 2000, an anxious Tony Blair made a promise to raise UK health spending as a proportion of GDP to the EU average. Soon after the 2001 election, Gordon Brown laid his plans by commissioning Derek Wanless, formerly of NatWest, to review the long-term needs of the NHS in time for Brown's three-year forward spending plan in 2002. 

So it was only in the second term that NHS spending, £67.4bn in 2004-2005, geared up. There was so little dissent that the Conservatives were soon obliged to promise that they would match the largesse. 

At the time of Blair's 2000 pledge, UK health was 6.8% of GDP and the EU average was 8%. Blair had said that the UK would get to the EU average by 2006. Scotland was there in 2004. The following year, UK health spending was to rise to more than £100bn a year, or some 9% of GDP.

If such levels of spending leave members of the Royal College apoplectic with rage, one has to ask just what levels they do want to see.

As a good Liberal Democrat I believe that the nurses' anger in the face of this largesse is a sign that the National Health Service is far too centralised. But it is silly to pretend that any government is going to spend much more on health than this one has.

Secondly, Hewitt was ridiculed for her statement that the NHS has just enjoyed its best year ever. Those who criticise her for saying it should say when they believe the NHS's best year was.

Patricia Hewitt and principle

Patricia Hewitt on Jonathan Dimbleby's programme today:

"We were elected on a manifesto. It includes identity cards and yes we will go ahead with that."

Fact: Patricia Hewitt was General Secretary of the National Council for Civil Liberties between 1974 and 1983.