Quote of the day 3rd October 2014
"Power without responsibility never ends well"
(Eric Pickles, speaking at Conservative conference this week)
(Eric Pickles, speaking at Conservative conference this week)
Nick Herbert on his visit to flood hit areas of Cumbria
Please note that the post below was published more than ten year ago on 21st November 2009 Nick Herbert MP, shadow cabinet member for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, was in Cumbria this morning to see the areas affected by the flooding. He writes on Conservative Home about his visit. Here is an extract. I’ve been in Cumbria today to see the areas affected by the floods. I arrived early in Keswick where I met officials from the Environment Agency. Although the river levels had fallen considerably and homes were no longer flooded, the damage to homes had been done. And the water which had got into houses wasn’t just from the river – it was foul water which had risen from the drains. I talked to fire crews who were pumping flood water back into the river, and discovered that they were from Tyne & Wear and Lancashire. They had been called in at an hours’ notice and had been working on the scene ever since, staying at a local hotel. You cannot fail to be impressed by the
Comments
But then my aim is not for you to have more responsibility, oh no, the aim of Harrogate is for you to have less power.
Your party as well as all the others, have proven time after time, you dont have the responsibilty to hold it. And fair play it is not an easy task. so less power is quite obviously the answer, isn't it.
Eric was talking about English Votes for English laws.
He pointed out that when matters are discussed affecting just England, or England and Wales, which in Scotland have been devolved to the Scottish Parliament, Westminster MPs representing Scottish constituencies have power without responsibility.
The point is valid in other contexts and I think Eric would almost certainly agree that he wants all politicians to have less power.