Farce distracting MPS at worst possible time

Readers must look at Westminster and wonder what on Earth is going on. The Government’s behaviour defies common sense. At the moment that it is engaged in Brexit negotiations described as “more complicated than the moon landing,” the Secretary of State for Defence has resigned over the allegation that, 15 years ago, he touched a journalist’s knee. Even the journalist has called it ridiculous. Bedevilled by a redacted list of alleged sexual impropriety on the part of her MPS, Theresa May could have picked a woman to fill the defence post. Instead, she gave the job to her chief whip, a political ally, best known for owning a pet tarantula. His old job – one of the most important given the Government’s minority status – also went to a man. Other MPS are said to be furious. More revelations may follow.

This farcical situation doesn’t reflect the seriousness of this particular moment in British history. The Harvey Weinstein revelations have triggered a profound reflection upon the nature of sexual abuse and harassment in professional life. Some of the stories now being told are horrific. A young Labour activist alleges that she was raped and that a party official discouraged her from reporting it lest it damage her career. This is unacceptable and, if there is evidence of a systematic problem in Parliament, it must be addressed. But it does not compare to touching a knee – and many of the alleged “sins” on the redacted list of Tory MPS are consensual or insubstantial. To place these in the context of sexual assault is deeply inappropriate.

It is also a distraction from the serious business of government. Yesterday, interest rates were raised for the first time in a decade to curb rising inflation. Savers might breathe a sigh of relief, but it drove the pound downwards and will be a headache for anyone paying off a substantial mortgage. Regardless of the merits of the decision, it ought to be at the forefront of the Government’s mind as part of a concrete economic strategy. A Budget will be delivered later this month. It needs to ally Treasury policy with Brexit, to plan ahead for deregulation, tax cuts, savings, investment in infrastructure and all the measures necessary to power the country through what is undeniably a complicated, fraught period in our history. This demands serious leadership. It needs a Government of all the talents and the sense of purpose that, history shows, pushes administrations through difficult waters.

Instead, the Prime Minister risks being cast as the least lucky leader for a generation. First, her election gamble backfired, leaving her with the reduced number of MPS that makes her position so precarious. Then there was the Grenfell tragedy. Then her disastrous conference speech. Now a woman who has spent her entire political career working to open up opportunities for women – and embodying that spirit herself – faces an oncoming wave of chauvinist sleaze. The attention, too, is largely on the Tories because they happen to be in government. This deflects from Labour’s own, awful problems: accusations of harassment, of rape, of a culture of turning a blind-eye and of the use of rhetoric that demeans women. It was the Labour shadow chancellor who quoted a demand to “lynch” a female Tory MP – the new deputy chief whip, no less. And Jared O’mara, the MP accused of using misogynistic and homophobic language, was initially backed for office by Momentum, which also supports Jeremy Corbyn.

There is something odd about the Government’s troubles. Strange lists that happen to make it into the hands of journalists. Ministers resigning over something that one party apologised for and the other doesn’t care about. Relative unknowns suddenly leaping up the ministerial ladder, now touted for future leader of a party that is in turmoil. It has the makings of a good political thriller, but for the fact that the public is actually living through it – and, given the scale of the country’s challenges, would probably prefer a return to decisive leadership. It is time to clean up Parliament, restore authority in government, kick-start the economy and get Brexit done.

It has the makings of a good political thriller, but for the fact that we are actually living it