Memories are a funny thing. Or should I say memoirs.

Back at the Labour conference in 2008, Alistair Darling said on the economic situation and pending crisis; “One thing I am certain about is that we have the right prime minister, the right team and the right policies.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7628545.stm

How his memories now seem hazy. Is it concerning, how little truth is evidently said within the party political system of Labour, Conservative and the Lib Dems? Alistair Darling is not alone in writing his memoirs, but in writing them so close to the events, they don’t come across as historical, but rather an attempt to get ‘one’s own back’ after the event. The “selling out”, with the aid of a couple of scandalous tales, just to try and sell out the book!

If politicians expect the country to gain a moral backbone, maybe they either need to put up (at the time) or shut up. Why do politicians need to get on? They don’t. They are human after all. But, if some of the Alistair Darling book is to be believed, Gordon Brown was not fit to lead a small business, never mind a country. In my mind, it is Alistair Darling, whose integrity has now been lost. If there was one thing that he was certain of (back in 2008), it was that we had the right Prime Minister in place. Was he lying? Was he just following the party line? In that case, why did no one else say anything either? It is not like there was not ample opportunity to tell us. Back in 2008 & 2009, if memory serves me correct, there were continuous stories, spinning and tales about the two men anyhow.

Spin is a powerful tool in politics, as it is in business. Working in a commercial environment, you are told month after month, that the economy is picking up, that such and such figures, equal improvement. How often are you told the business is leading the way, when you feel you are carrying the weight of the world? You also don’t always get on with everyone you work with, and who you are managed by. However, like anything, diplomacy and professionalism is required. Spin is everywhere and we all use it for our own means. However, there is no point crying about it, in a book. Say it at the time (diplomatically of course) or say little afterwards.

Surely what we want from our politicians, is for them to get on with their jobs, and create jobs, social cohesion, and moral fruit and fibre. If party politics means that the truth is rarely told, or the party line is followed without fail, then maybe its time that free votes are compulsory and not a rarity. For, if we are to get on with being told what to do, surely we should start with hoping that they have the ‘ed balls’ to say what they really believe!