Report to the People
Attitude to Public Figures
The past couple of weeks have, I believe, forced us re-examine our attitude towards high profile public figures.
On Tuesday of last week a friend and colleague, Michael Martin, was elected as Speaker of the House of Commons. But, before he had even sat in his new chair, arguments and recriminations over the arcane election process were overshadowing his victory.
Before he had taken a single decision, an unholy alliance of a cynical press & snobbish political opponents were intent on sneering and attacking him.
We had lost sight of the fact that this man who grew up in a Glasgow tenement had become the most elevated commoner in the land and should now rightly be regarded as a role model by young working class men and women.
The same was true last week, when Henry McLeish was elected as Scotland’s new First Minister.
He was under fire from the cynics before he even became First Minister. His vision for Scotland - one where everyone has a job and poverty is eradicated - was sidelined.
Some, on the other hand, would argue that this form of daily attack equals scrutiny and is healthy for democracy. But the consequence of this short-sighted view is clear when we look at what happened to Donald Dewar.
Before his death, the unholy alliance criticised his actions on a daily basis. After he died, of course, some of the same people were falling over themselves to praise his achievements. The real tragedy is that we did not step back and recognise his true contribution to Scotland until he was dead.
Leaders have plans which they are elected to deliver. We should judge them on the basis of whether and how they implement their plans as a whole. Evaluating our senior politicians from this perspective would reveal more about their true qualities than daily criticism and gossip.
Both Henry and Michael are decent men and will respond to the challenges of their new high profile roles. Of course they will make mistakes and it is right that we judge them firmly. But to pre-judge and harry them does not truly serve democracy.
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