There are many things I have no intention of learning how to do in life. Owning a house with a garden is one. I neither want the responsibility nor want to pay someone else to tend to the garden (and that’s before you consider the affordability). House plants will suit my horticultural needs fine. Another is learn to drive. While many who have lived in the countryside find the experience liberating, I find owning and driving a ton of metal around at many miles per hour frankly terrifying, expensive and unnecessary.
There are, however, some valuable lessons that driving can teach all of us. One of those is making a u-turn. Thanks to the brilliance of sat navs, it is clear to see whether an individual has taken an incorrect turning. A change can quickly be made, the reverse takes place and disaster is averted. Having gone down the wrong path, an individual readjusted to complete their desired journey. U-turns in politics, however, are regarded rather differently. Far from being a virtue to making a new change, they are almost universally dismissed. To u-turn is to face extreme embarrassment as a party. A leader, government or department may have embarked upon a specific policy. Upon learning that is hasn’t worked, they are forced to change their decision. This causes the upmost humiliation and condemnation. It’s usually viewed as most effective if a minister is forced to resign as a result of some media expose. A scoop only becomes a scalp when a u-turn is forced. Why is there such a negative perception towards u-turns? I think they go against the idea of the government being in control. If individuals have all these powers, I think we like to believe they know what they are doing. We assume that, whether in relation to coronavirus or any other policy, people know something we don’t. This is of course incorrect. Time and time again government has proven itself to be inept at dealing with key political issues. Judgements that are made in the corners of Whitehall are proven not to work in reality. Part of understanding what forces a u-turn is demonstrating what shapes government policy in the first place. One would like to think a variety of think tanks, pressure groups and individuals affected by a specific policy change would be consulted. I am unaware of whether this is really the case. But it wouldn’t surprise me if a large proportion of policy advisers were infected not by coronavirus but by group think. This is not too belittle those who do work hard in government, but there is no doubt a uniformity in how individuals decide to consider certain issues within governing. Often, there will be a focus on what is likely to benefit the party. It is important to remember those making the decisions are more than just elected. They are members of political parties who want to retain power. An election is only ever five years away, a tiny period of time in the grand scheme of politics. Parties will no doubt consult internal polling to see what drives the agenda and remains popular among voters. Thus a certain policy might be followed, even if it brings much humiliation and doesn’t benefit individuals. Surely then, the best path is to change course. If a policy has proven itself not to deliver, the best answer is surely to change the action that is taken. A party may sometimes do this, but rarely. Often the admission of an error, even if it one everyone knew, is more humiliating than ploughing on with a policy, regardless of the consequences. We have come to view u-turns, a change of mind, as a weakness. Flip flopping is normally a demonstration of when a government has lost complete credibility. The political bubble then needs a transformation of new ideas. To change one’s mind, whether as a party, government or organisation, is to be aware of differing circumstances that shape how best to live. Judgements can sometimes be wrong and governments must admit that. But at the same time as admitting that, the media must be less quick to call for a resignation or see the change as a humiliation. It is important that the justification for changes is explained. But these alone do not need to present reversals in such a negative manner. To do is to denigrate the possibility and idealism of ministers recognising their errors and thereby needing to switch path. In an age where politics is more tribal then ever, some humility would be welcome. Just as holiday makers have had to alter their changes, so a government change should be recognised as normal and, just sometimes, welcomed.
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