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Andy Burnham’s new government, barely 24 hours in power, is in danger of collectively losing its marbles. The fault lies largely with the new PM who appears unable to shake off the habit of a lifetime of being all things to all people, and eager for cheap applause whenever the opportunity presents itself. How else to make sense of the unseemly haste with which he reprimanded two senior cabinet ministers for a poor joke about the early prisoner release scheme? A public and humiliating rebuke handed out for the ‘crime’ of a joke in poor taste. Stupid and insensitive, maybe, but nothing more. What is politics coming to?
Is this a free country or is it a place where any public misstep deemed inappropriate must result in immediate public recantation of the most demeaning kind?
The comments – what passes for banter in the largely humourless world of our rulers – by Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, and Wes Streeting, the Defence Secretary, were caught on a ‘hot mic’ as ministers mingled in the Downing Street garden. Apparently unaware of the presence of live microphones, Mahmood, a former justice secretary, approached Alex Norris, who was given the role in Burnham’s cabinet reshuffle. The exchange went as follows:‘Can I be like a proud mum?’ Mahmood said, approaching Norris for a hug. Streeting interjected to say: ‘You know he’s the enemy now.’ Although Mahmood replied ‘no, he’s not’, Streeting added ‘he wants to let them all out!’ before the pair laughed. Cue a bizarrely over-the top response from Burnham when asked whether the comments were acceptable: ‘No, it’s not, and certainly that’s been acknowledged, and apologies have been made.’ It is enough to make one weep. Hasn’t the new PM got more important issues to focus on? What exactly was the great offence here, beyond a risible attempt at humour by a couple of bored politicians?Streeting was the first out of the blocks when it came to eating humble pie on social media: ‘I hope everyone can see there was no ill intent behind this ribbing of the Justice Secretary… But I appreciate these are very serious issues and a sorry for any offence inadvertently caused by this moment of levity.’ We get it, Wes, you appreciate these are serious issues and levity of any kind is forbidden. How humiliating.Mahmood too was all apology, writing on X: ‘I appreciate this is an extremely serious issue and do not want anyone to mistake this moment of levity for a lack of serious intent.’ So, there we have it, two of the most senior ministers in the government on their hands and knees over a joke, a moment of ‘levity’ that in no way meant they did not take these ‘extremely serious issues’, well, seriously.
