The triumph of politics over policy
17th Jun 2011
"This week, politics has focused on government U-turns and the supposed triumph of the Liberal Democrats in changing government policy. For example, the Liberal Democrats have claimed a great victory over the forthcoming changes to the Health and Social Care Bill.
Those of us who work closely with the Department of Health and with ministers making these changes know that portraying these changes as a Liberal Democrat victory only tells a small part of the story. However, does that really matter?
Sometimes, for political parties it is more important to be seen to win an argument than actually win it. All too often, politics trumps policy. As the events of this week show, even being four years away from the next general election isn't enough to put the political fight aside.
For those of us working in public affairs this is important to remember. We often advocate well-reasoned and evidenced-based arguments. We use research and detailed statistics to prove that we are right. In a debate over policy this is enough, however in a political fight these details are woefully insufficient.
In the current climate of political battles and sudden changes, it's not enough to be right, you have to seen to be right as well."
Mihir Magudia - Account Manager