The news that Tom Harris has been sacked from the government - he was a junior Transport Minister - came as a bit of a shock last night. Regular readers will know that I like Tom and have been relentless in promoting his blog as a brilliant example of how an MP (and minister) should blog. But as he wends his way around Sainsbury's this afternoon, Tom may well be regretting setting foot in the world of blogging because it may well have cost him his job. Perhaps.He doesn't say if the Prime Minister gave a reason for his dismissal, but there has indeed been a perception that his blog has, on the odd occasion, strayed over the edge. Could it have been THIS blogpost on David Cairns that did it?
There is of course another, more machiavellian explanation. Mandelson was brought back to appease the Blairites - a high profile appointment which would be seen as very inclusive. But as the media concentrated on that, the new Chief Whip, Nick Brown, made his move against the remaining Blairites in the lower ranks. He wants to start as he means to go on. Although outwardly loyal to Brown, Tom Harris has made his Blairite sympathies fairly clear and that may well have done for him. Let's see if any other Blairite junior Ministers have been made to walk the plank to the backbenches with Tom.
The only other reason for his sacking can have been incompetence, and that certainly doesn't apply in Tom's case. THIS comment on his blog chimes with other feedback I have had, that he was one of the more competent transport ministers in recent years. His correspondent says...
Perhaps Nadine was right, when she said at the Tory Conference, that it is impossible to be an MP and to blog without consequences. As my friend Shane Greer continually points out, perception is more important than reality in politics, and if people perceive you as a maverick, or a trouble maker, you will never climb the greasy pole. Nadine is seriously contemplating abandoning her blog. Tom, on the other hand, will have more time for his. I wish it were not so.I’m not a Labour supporter and I won’t be voting Labour at the next election. However, I know that most politicians of any political persuasion genuinely want to do their best to help their constituents and the people of the UK. You exemplify this.
You have, from all the evidence available to me, been a conscienscious and hard-working Minister. You’ve handled a difficult portfolio extremely well and have built up a lot of respect on a personal level within the rail industry. I am sure that the industry’s journals will decry your treatment for weeks to come.
You have been courteous to and respectful of your officials. You ask intelligent questions at the right time and you have a remarkable talent to sense when you are being “fed a line”, be it by officials or by industry figures.
Your blog has opened up the political process to the average citizen more than any other. While Iain Dale and Guido write superb blogs, they don’t have the perspective that you do.
More than a few people have asked me over the years if I thought my blog is harming my political prospects. I would like to think not, but if I am honest I am sure it has created more than a few enemies I otherwise would not have had. So be it. People in politics cannot go round constantly thinking about the effects of every word they write or utter. That way lies stultifying boredom and political mediocrity. If the only way to get on is to grease up to your party's political establishment and parrot a party line at every opportunity then it is clear that it is pointless having a blog. Not only would it be pointless writing one, but no one would bother reading it.
I wouldn't blame Tom Harris for feeling rather angry today. It's a pity he hates football - a visit to Parkhead for a bit of shouting might do him good. When I was excluded from the first tranche of the 'A' List I don't mind admitting that I felt a bit angry too. I didn't write this at the time, but I knew why it had happened. I knew that someone who I had written something disobliging about in a newspaper column had exacted revenge and put the black spot on me. But instead of letting my anger win, I managed to exact something positive out of a potentially very damaging negative.
I hope that Tom manages to do the same.
23 comments:
Excellent post, Iain. The 'A' list is truly worse off without you.
ps- One small point though, as a Celtic fan I'd like to point out that 'Parkhead' is nothing more than an area of Glasgow. I think you may have been thinking of 'Celtic Park' or, indeed, 'Paradise' ;)
very preceptive that they should have Mandy back at the expense of a host of Blairite Junior ministers or ministers of state.
lets see if avowed Blairite Jane Kennedy survives as a minister of state at the treasury.
"perception is more important than reality in politics.."
Iain, in politics perception IS reality.
Hmm.. Having read through your earlier post again, I'm also of the view that the skills required to be a good blogger, and the skills required to be a good politician are diametrically opposed.
I am not saying it is impossible for an MP to blog, or for a blogger to be an MP, but they will have to make a big decision about what they want to be 'good at'.
Someone once said that the secret to a good political interview was to be able to talk for about an hour without saying anything too interesting...
Saying something interesting is often the 'kiss of death' for a politician. Never saying anything interesting would be the kiss of death for a blogger - as sadly Ms Dorries is no doubt finding out..
If he hates football, I'd say Celtic Park would be an ideal destination...
Tom has his shopping delivered by Tescos, Iain.
You see that's the thing about you. Tom and Nadine, we learn through their blogs that they are indeed human beings and not sleazy politicos.Reading those blogs day after day, a picture forms of their personal life and you regard them as friends not faceless entities.
I have a great respect for all three of you.
Tom must be a good bloke
As an SNP supporter I know a couple of our MPs hold him in high regard as a straight forward guy - who will be straight in public and private
clealry with mandy back on board there is no room for "Honest" Tom Harris
In response to James...
Some of us go and buy our shopping in person, and then lug it back home (about a twenty minute walk here) in re-used carrier bags/"bags for life".
It is interesting, on the issue itself, that the apparent requirements of successful blogging and being a successful politician (or, at least, an MP) are apparenly mutually exclusive. I suspect that, in practice, one needs to make a firm decision about which way one wishes to proceed and concentrate on that.
I can see Nadine's quandary, and wouldn't be surprised to see her 'blog come to an end. It is already a lesser organ than 'blogs are really supposed to be, as a two-way communication medium, so it is only one step away from cessation.
One wonders what the career prospects might be for other blogging politicians...
Richard S is so right. Of course it is such a pity that so many of the little people had to be let go. But let us be realistic about this. How else would Gordon have been able to afford my golden hello?
Blessings to you all, my children.
Possibly it was partly also the oddity of having a member for a Scottish constituency acting on a matter (railways) which is wholly devolved in Scotland. It that was the reason however he could have hoped for a translation to air transport.
Having had to S/S's for Transport in succession from Scottish constituencies (Alexander/Darling) I doubt we will have another.
Got to back up anon above. Haven't come across a Nat who knows him who has any personal grumble with Tom. They say he's a total Labour loyalist and will defend the party to the nth degree but he doesn't let it get in the way of normal human relations.
Why he's been bumped is a bit of a mystery since even the Nats thought he was quite effective in taking us on and I can't think of anything he has done that merits being sacked. No notable mistakes or cock-ups.
That Ann McKechin replaced David Cairns instead of Tom caused some wry smiles in SNP circles. That he's now out and she's still there is even more jaw dropping.
Strange one. Maybe there's something else to it. But with Mandelson's comeback it's just getting even more bizarre.
Completely agree apart from the comment that a "visit to Parkhead for a bit of shouting might do him good"
Not so Tom Harris is from Ayrshire and went to Garnock Acadamy. People from that background do NOT, repeat do NOT support Celtic FC. Albeit that, if you look at the schools most of the Glasgow City Labour Councillors went to, then they will be at Parkhead this afternoon. As it is, he would be more likely to go to Love Street, Paisley tomorrow afternoon.
Novertheless looking at where he came from, he is more likely to support Kilmarnock
You are a suberb blogger Ian- I always rush to see the latest piece of gossip. However could the reason why you were excluded from the A list not be attributable to two further reasons-
a) You lost the seat you contested at the 2005 elections with a very substantial swing against you(which was in itself against the national trend in Con/Lib Dem constituencies). You simply werent campaigning mp material- you had much better prospects as a member of the commentariat.
b) You were very closely associated with the recently defeated leadership canadidate David Davis and this may have made you an obvious ommision from waht was a very Cameroon list.
Hang down your head Brooon
Hang down your head and cry
Hang down your head Brooon
Nulabour's gonna die.
And honest men like Tom Harris will resurrect the Labour Party when you, Broon, are long gone and forgotten.
Private Eye seemed to under the impression that he's regarded by those within the industry as amiable but largely incompetent.
As one of those involved in Crossrail v2.0 (likely to be shelved in light of the credit crunch) his position was always going to be extremely tenuous at reshuffle time.
Unusually, I am going to post anonymously on this side issue of A list selection.
This is because I was an interviewer for this process, though not for you, Iain.
May I assure you that we were not looking for pro-Cameronites, nor were we susceptible to malicious digs from political enemies. (I speak from experience, having worked on a very contentious case).
I know that I upset some candidates because I could find nothing special in them. Particularly those quite clever, well-educated mid-30's who had nothing to offer than "well, I feel it is the next step on my career path".
Just wanting to be an MP is not enough. I had to be convinced that a candidate would be bringing something of great value to the House of Commons (and to the Party!). I certainly saw people who could have used their talents to far greater good by working for the voluntary Party, just as you contribute so much via this blog.
Politicians without character is what is doing for us. The march of the gray men or those that have the photographs is creating a sterile political landscape populated by far to many people who've done little, say too much and over achieve
It's tragic isn't it? In business I love to have maverick and creative thinkers working for me. Yes, they are hard work but invariably produce much the best results. Politics was once this way, so what's happened to it and the people in it?
The image you're using is linking to the wrong site. Harris is on Wordpress!!!
D'oh!
wellPlayed
Tom Harris's boss was Ruth Kelly. Harris was loyal to Kelly. That wouldn't have anything to do with it? He is also a committed Christian and tends to tell the truth. That wouldn't have anything to do with it, would it?
Harris is described as "loyal". It meant that his blog tediously spewed the party line. And he did regurgitate the stuff he was "fed". He gave the impression all was well in the Labour party, so from that point of view I don't sympathise. I think he is as well out of it because when the shit hits the fan, people will forget he was part of the problem.
Iain, as for your putative Parliamentary ambitions, you are far too dangerous to know, honest, and interesting and therefore unelectable. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
Well anyway, the Labour Party just got a whole lot nastier; the shits have taken over the bunker. Goebbels/Mandy, the spinmeister himself, is back. Expect Scorched Earth. Expect lies. Expect criminality and abuse of process.
"It's tragic isn't it? In business I love to have maverick and creative thinkers working for me. Yes, they are hard work but invariably produce much the best results. Politics was once this way, so what's happened to it and the people in it?"
Lola, that is as good a comment as I've seen on ANY blog for quite a while.
It well explains the turgid mess that politicians have landed us all in over the past 20 years by trying to out-manoeuvre each other instead of remembering the whole point of the job they were elected to perform.
The 'Westminster Bubble' is a truly apt term. They have quite simply forgotten that they are supposed to be our servants and as such inform, not hide their true intentions for fear of losing votes.
I think a collective noun for them begins with C.
I hate that Greer is so bloody young, it's simply not fair.
You are now linking to 'http://http//tomcharris.wordpress.com'
This is incorrect.
It should be: http://tomcharris.wordpress.com/
Mega D'oh!
wellPlayed
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