Apparently Boris Johnson made at least 50 U turns, from the "windfall tax" to "partygate" while he was PM. Rishi Sunak hasn't been in power as long, but has learnt from his predecessor - https://www.bigissue.com/news/politics/rishi-sunak-u-turn-house-building-nhs-fines/ Johnson was PM for just over 3 years. Sunak has been PM for coming up to a year. They both seem to be very comfortable with changing their minds on important pledges to the nation & even international pledges.
Vacillation isn't confined to the Conservatives. Keir Starmer has a track record too https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jul/04/u-turns-labour-keir-starmer-tuition-fees-income-tax
The important question is, should we be concerned, or should we welcome the fact that these men adapt policy to supposed changing circumstances?
Changing your thinking can lead to changing your attitudes & behaviour for the better. There can be benefits;_
- Avoiding rigidity in your thoughts.
- Learning new things.
- Keeping your brain healthy by choosing to think differently.
- Variety can avoid staleness of ideas and mental paucity.
- Actively questioning your decisions helps you refine systems and processes consistently.
- Changing your mind often is not necessarily a sign of indecision or impulsiveness. It shows flexibility, empathy, and a willingness to learn.
I would argue that there is a difference between an individual changing their mind & breaking promises & a politician doing it when it was part of a public manifesto, a treaty or an agreement. Those sort of pledges are how the public, in a democracy, decides who to put into power to carry out the will of the majority. Those commitments are the basis for co-operation between countries & governments.
A government that goes back on its word is not a government that can be trusted not to go back on any agreement reached in the future. Other governments cannot afford to take the vacillating government seriously. Trust is lost.
When the reversals & failures in policy are as important as the Sunak ones I think we have to be concerned. In January he made 5 pledges to the British people - to halve inflation this year; to grow the economy and create better-paid jobs across the country; to see national debt fall; to shorten NHS waiting lists; and to pass new laws to stop small migrant boats crossing the Channel. He said “We will either have achieved them, or not. No tricks, no ambiguity; we’re either delivering for you or we’re not. We will rebuild trust in politics through action, or not at all. I ask you to judge us on the effort that we put in and the results that we achieve.”
Last week Sunak announced a major U-turn on the government’s climate commitments as he promised to put his party on a more radical path. Climate scientists & environmentlists were in despair. Now we are waiting for confirmation that he will cancel the Northern link of HS2. These are not unimportant U turns. They are not a simple change of mind. They are broken promises to the world & to the UK.
Those last two paragraphs are linked in my opinion. The conservatives have made a "pigs ear" of government over 13 years, but very notably through the Johnson & Truss premierships. Sunak inherited a "poison chalice" & a party at war. Now he faces an election next year & he wants to hold on to power. He thinks his U turns will create a dividing line between Labour, who are doing far better in the polls, & the Conservatives. In September the Stats were - Labour 44% (-1) Conservatives 24% (-4) Liberal Democrats 12% (nc) Green Party 8% (+2) Reform 4% (+1) Others 7% (+1)
Who knows if the strategy will work? Its a dangerous game to be playing when New York is suffering unprecidented flooding & a state of emergency. Extreme climate events are now the norm https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/extreme-weather-events-2023-storms-floods-wildfires-b1105866.html
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