Frank Field joining the lib dem tory coalition as anti poverty czar

Well, well, well, it’s a fast moving political scene in the United Kingdom these days. We’ve had the formation of the tory liberal alliance in the last few days and now they are firming up the arrangements. Jobs have been decided Nick Clegg is the deputy PM, David Cameron of course is our new Prime Minister.

(Thought I’d write that, still seems an odd thing to be saying).

Developments follow, one after another and today there has been a defection… Well that is to say, there has not been a defection but Frank Field, the respected member for Birkenhead has joined the coalition…

I’ll pause for a moment.

Frank is 66 years old, he has been in the Commons since 1979, he’s been around a long time. I have a lot of respect for this man.

He was sent by Tony Blair to ‘think the unthinkable’ on Welfare Reform. He did.. and came back with his findings but he was just too, too radical and his proposals were not taken up.

Frank Field had a short but fiery spell in government, just a little over a year before resigning and he has acted as a back-bench MP ever since. There has always been something of the maverick about Frank but he is a deep thinker about social welfare issues and has a better understanding of the details of ordinary folks’ lives than any other politician I’ve bumped into.

Now it appears he has taken the Queen’s shilling, he is joining the coalition although he remains a Labour MP he will now act as anti-poverty czar for David Cameron and personally I respect his decision to do this.

Clearly, he will be subject to criticism for this development but I don’t think that will bother Frank Field too much since his relationship with the Labour party at large has been to say the least a mixed bag. I have heard many Labour folk talking about Frank with ill disguised contempt and it surprises me that somebody with his record gets so much flak. That’s a cross the Labour party will have to bear of course.

For me, a leftie from the old school the last days have held little comfort but there have been positives. The lib dems have embarked on a risky venture with the tories, it may lead to their eventual extinction as a party, but for the next 5 years the worst excesses the tories are capable of will be modified by the gentler influence of the Liberals.

In a similar way this appointment will modify the tory policies.

I agree with a lot of what Frank Field has said over the years in terms of welfare reform. We have allowed benefits dependency to grow up as a lifestyle option in this country, generations of families are workless, they have no motivation or aspiration to work. That’s not especially their fault but the systems need changing so that UK plc is not wasting its human resources whiling its time away on the dole.

So, good luck Frank Field. You will need a thick skin in the times to come but I am sure you are more than capable of making a very positive contribution to affairs

You have my vote at least!