If you have no policy, no idea what you are trying to do, decisions have no rational basis. Some decisions will be wrong and lead to embarassing flip flops in policy.

Do the recent shenanigans in the House of Commons ring a bell?

'"Let me be clear .... I made a mistake", admits Des Browne'

The Defence Secretary, Des Browne is quoted in a front page headline in The Herald, Tuesday April 17 2007.

This was about the Navy personnel who were captured and held in Iran selling their stories.

First they could.

Then they couldn't

Let's have a look at the issue.

First, one of Ronnie Reagan's sound bites:-

"Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book."

By an ironic coincidence, page 4 of The Scotsman, Tuesday 17 April, 2007 has the story of Des Browne's grudging apology and a column on the latest version of the Register of Member's Interests. This lists how our MPs are making money on the side while they are bellied up to the public trough.

"It showed David Blunkett, the former home secretary, was on track to becoming a millionaire, earning £385,000 alone for his book on his time in the Cabinet."

So MPs can make money by selling their stories, serving members of the armed forces can't?

One rule for the rich, one for the poor?

We need another Flip. We need a Flip Flop Flip.

In an open democratic society, no one should be muzzled.

Anyone should be free to tell their story. Some of the stories will embarass the government.

So what!