A Postie Delivers

Last week, while noting the progress made by Nick Clegg in getting himself heard, I also said that, for the Tories, the Gurkha issue was an act of shameless opportunism. That observation has been made elsewhere, as Alan Johnson’s appearance on today’s Andy Marr Show confirmed.

Johnson – perhaps sent on to the show to make a “good guy” defence of Pa Broon – made sure he got across that the last Tory Government, with David Cameron an advisor to then Home Secretary Michael Howard, did nothing to change the status of Gurkha veterans. He also echoed my point about Cameron getting his photo opportunity with Joanna Lumley.

Further, the point was made – and expect to see a lot more of this in the coming months – that being in opposition is one thing, but having to be in Government and therefore sorting issues such as this is of a different magnitude.

Of course, such an approach depends on one more thing: that the issues being debated are actually being identified, addressed and sorted.

And then delivered.