A book that is changing my (political) life - for the
better!
Peter Draper
I never expected that Peter Oborne's The Rise of Political Lying
would change my political life - but it is beginning to. Really! The main
reasons are that it tackles an ugly problem of our time, political lying.
almost forensically. And - surprisingly - it gives hope. Somehow Oborne, the
politics editor of The Spectator, managed to get the help of two researchers
and the book shows it - throughout it is impressively and usefully referenced.
It also reprints in the appendix a pair of powerful, historic editorials, one
from the Independent (November, 1992) and the other from the Observer (March,
1994).
While Oborne concentrates on New Labour deception, he fully
acknowledges and discusses misrepresentation and lying in the Thatcher and
Major governments. I expected Oborne to be strongly tilted to the Right - he
isn't - indeed, his judgements are strikingly even-handed.
The Rise of Political Lying is in three parts. The first examines
what Oborne calls the origin of contemporary political lying from Tory
duplicity 1979-1990, deceitfulness by Labour when it was in opposition, and
then the growth of mendacity since New Labour was in power.
The second part of the book examines why politicians lie and the
construction of a culture of deceit including that surrounding the Iraq war.
The last part is short and contains a singularly useful chapter on rebuilding
'public truth'. The discussion covers fact checking by wholly or functionally
independent groups such as the website FactCheck.org, which in 2004, for the
first time, covered a US presidential election. The National Audit Office in
Britain is also briefly discussed. Similar, disinterested and fact-based
analysis of political coverage in the media is advocated - a kind of Media
Check.
Oborne discusses the use and misuse of national statistics and
praises a suggestion Jack Straw made (in opposition) for an independent
National Statistical Service with similarities to Gordon Brown's Monetary
Policy Committee. Sadly, it was never set up - but it could be. Oborne also
advocates rebuilding the distinction between Party and State. Profoundly
important.
I treasure his observation that until recently "there was a
well-established mechanism to deal with politicians who failed to tell the
truth. It was called parliament". Causes of the rot, especially the growth in
media power, are considered and what might be done to strengthen parliament.
Finally, there is the wonderful suggestion of making political lying a crime.
If business laws have been significantly tightened, why not laws about
politics? I guess we would all have our favourite nominations for prosecution.
Oborne identifies a contemporary social cancer and suggests useful
remedies. He writes realistically - and soberly gives purpose. Coming to accept
that we are living under a lot of organised deceit doesn't solve the problem
but it does give an awareness of outstanding baddies, corrupt processes and
healthier directions to head.
Postscript
In my professional life as an academic in health policy, I have
written a fair number of book reviews and editorials. I have, however, never
before written what I realise is a 'rave review'. On reflection, I take back
not a single word. Peter Oborne's book is about a singularly important aspect
of our once proud but now manifestly sick and forlorn democracy. Vaguely, and
reluctantly, we recognise the capture of key parts of our government by a gang
of extremely clever and committed exponents of periodic, serious deceit. Think
only of what we now know about the origins of the Iraq war or of the current
NHS privatisations and other significant commercialisation presented
disingenuously merely as 'reform' or 'choice'.
Oborne writes superbly because he thinks clearly, does his
homework (with skilled helpers) and in the course of which he analyses key
political structures and processes. And he does it, though a journalist, as
competently as a first-class, jargon-free sociologist. (I realise that unlike,
say, the French or US cultures, the British culture astonishingly still rots in
ignorance, misunderstanding and even hatred of social science. Margaret
Thatcher's attacks on sociology, however ill-informed, were damaging. No such
thing as society indeed!) As for journalists, though often despised - and no
distinction made between writers with integrity and word-whores - journalists
still pour out words almost wholly unchallenged and unenlightened by systematic
study, by careful social research. Little wonder that big government and big
corporations get away with so much.
I suspect that if you buy and read this book you will lend it to
a friend. Don't worry, you will get it back because your friend will want to
buy his or her own copy.
The book is published by Free Press at £7.99.
peter.draper@btinternet.com
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The NHS Consultants' Association
