I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Bob Ainsworth, a loyal member of the last Government for 13 years, harboured a secret. We learn this week of his “long held view” that criminalising drugs is a mistake.

As others have observed, it is unfortunate he felt unable to speak out before now.

Why is this?

As Bob moved seamlessly through the Whip’s Office and on to DEFRA and then on to the Home Office and then back to the Whip’s Office and then up again to the Ministry of Defence, we were all blissfully unaware of his explosive views on drugs.

I turn to Blair’s Journey to see what the man had to say about Bob. Did Blair suspect anything untoward?

Curiously, not a single mention.

Throughout his long ministerial career, Bob was, of course, bound by collective decision making, the ministerial code of omerta.

He could have resigned – but how many politicians do that these days?

Bob’s candour has not gone down well with the new Labour leader. More’s the pity.

Here is an opportunity to look again at the constricting rules that stifle debate and reinforce the myth that Government is monolithic with a single view of the world.

It is time for a bit more flexibility. If ministers can take different positions in public on the merits of AV and first-past-the-post why can’t they be given latitude on other issues?

The Cabinet Draft Manual, published earlier this week, has countless references to collective responsibility.

It pulls together the laws and existing conventions of Government. But does not seek to re-write them.

But surely now, after Bob’s confession, we need a re-think on the old rules on collective responsibility and how they can be re-fashioned.

For those, like Bob, who feel strongly about a major plank of policy but not so strongly as to resign – why not a less painful alternative?

Let them speak.

Even if sotto voce.

Expensive Senators

I see that Canadian Senators are up in arms over recommendations that they should not sign off their own expenses but should have them cleared by someone else.

Apparently, this would be an affront to their dignity.

The Canadian Senate is a bit like the House of Lords. Its unelected members are products of prime ministerial patronage though, unlike peers, they get a salary and have to retire at 75.

Canadians have been debating for decades what on earth to do with the Senate.

The arguments are all eerily familiar.

Rob “Did you call me a fat fuck?” Ford

The independently wealthy Rob Ford, the new populist Mayor of Toronto, is already making waves.

On Thursday, at the first City Council meeting since his controversial election as Mayor, he cajoled councillors into slashing their own office budgets by 40%.

In an act of lunacy, they went on to scrap the car-registration tax that brings in to the cash-strapped City over $64 million every year.

And they voted to make Toronto’s public transport system an essential service where strikes would become unlawful.

This needs the approval of the province of Ontario.

No chance.

Attachments:

cabinet-draft-manual.pdf

[Cabinet Manual]

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