A Freudian slip ...

I don't support the idea of not paying disabled people the minimum wage, and it was right that Lord Freud apologised for some unfortunate remarks on the subject.

But there have been some interesting reactions to the ambush against him which the Labour party pulled at PMQs yesterday with the aid of someone's covert recording..

On the BBC Radio 4 "PM" program this afternoon today there was a debate on the subject of parties making covert recordings of one anothers' gatherings to try to embarrass people who were discussing ideas too far outside the box. You can hear the debate 40 minutes into the broadcast here.

It is not really healthy for democracy or debate if people cannot try to discuss the issues in what is supposed to be an informal debate without some amateur witchfinder-general clutching a recording device and looking for any opportunity to twist something you say into a PR disaster. And sadly people on all sides of the political spectrum are far too ready to do just that.

Guido meanwhile points out here that some of the charities which attacked Lord Freud today were supporting very similar proposals not long ago ...

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