Nothing in politics is ever as it seems, which is one of its great joys. For the last twenty four hours I have read and heard snide comments about Harriet Harman. Ho, ho, ho...she was a buffoon to wear a police flak jacket when she went out with a group of community officers in her constituency. Ho,ho,ho...she would be slaughtered at Prime Minster's Question Time when she stood in for Gordon Brown. But step back from the mockery of the Daily Mail/John Humphrys alliance and take a closer look.
On the first point Harman was taking part in an exercise organised by the police and not the other way around. It was not a colossal gaffe to wear the uniform as she participated in their operation. As for PMQs, here was someone who had been seen as the lightweight of the deputy leadership contest and had won. Here was someone who was unfairly sacked as Social Security Secretary in Labour's first term and went on in a dignified manner to campaign on specific issues from the backbenches. Unusually for someone who was sacked she has returned to the cabinet. With the record of deft stamina she was always going to give as good as she got from the formulaic stand up comedian, William Hague. And if you think I am being wise after the event I predicted to my colleagues Andrew Grice and Ben Russell in advance that she would hold her own.
Remember- what is conveyed as the objective truth in politics is never really what is there in front of our eyes.
I was in Peckham on that memorable day. It was truly dangerous out there - like running under sniper fire in Bosnia. I asked a passer-by what was happening. "Dunno, dear," she said. "But there's more rozzers here than we see in a year." I asked her who the civilian lady in the flak jacket was. "No idea, dear. What do you think I am? A bleedin' library?" So I left her and approached a person carrying a briefcase and a mobile phone and walking behind the group of policemen and the mysterious lady. I asked him what was going on? "It's an exercise," he replied. "And could you move on, please?" "Are you a plain-clothes policeman?" I asked. "Look, shove off or I'll call one," he snarled. "I'm from the media," I said. "Oh. Right. Here's a statement, then." And he shoved a piece of paper at me. I read the first few words. 'The Government is committed to protecting the public from terrorist activity.....' Wow! So that's how it's done. 5 policemen and a Minister. We may rest safe in our beds.
Posted by: john problem | Thursday, 03 April 2008 at 09:55 AM
Maybe it's a sign of the times, that a "New" Labour cabinet minister, is aware of public feeling, and sees fit to don a flak jacket before going walkabout on the streets of the capital. Perhaps it was a practise run for when she visits the Green zone in Baghdad.
Posted by: AndyUK | Thursday, 03 April 2008 at 03:47 PM