Richard Barker, Reform UK parliamentary candidate for Woking, believes the blame game rarely gets to the root of the problem and says politicians should admit their mistakes. Here he explains why:
In my last article, I touched on the issue of blame, knowing it would inevitably come to the fore during this campaign in Woking.
Those watching the hustings event at the United Reformed Church on Friday, June 14 may wonder to what extent the blame game helps address the root cause of how past decisions can lead to failure; the effective bankruptcy of Woking Borough Council was the case in point.
Most who go into politics do so with good intent; none of us candidates on that stage would have intentionally made decisions leading to the current predicament. It is, however, important to own one’s decisions, to ensure public trust and to enable open and honest discourse, thus ensuring we learn from mistakes to avoid repetition.
Sunshine is the best disinfectant, they say, and shining a light on events leading up to a failure is essential.
The safety critical nature of the offshore oil and gas industry, with its history of tragic loss of life when things go badly wrong, led many years ago to recognition of the importance of a “no-blame culture”.
It is an approach that recognises the possibility of errors and encourages their reporting, so that often minor failures can be corrected before they can contribute to triggering a major catastrophe.
The cultural shift required in government, both local and central, is daunting. Public inquiries are effectively admissions of failure; politicians are typically on the losing side from having the spotlight focus on previous mistakes so such a shift is perceived not to be in their favour. It will take bold leadership from the highest levels, for the culture of any organisation is set by the person at the top.
Nevertheless, I believe it should be attempted. Furthermore, I believe the people of Britain are more welcoming of a bit of humility in public life than most politicians realise, for it is recognised as an attribute of true leadership.
Other public institutions would hugely benefit from such a change, particularly the NHS. It often appears more focused on protecting itself than on improving patient outcomes through lessons learnt.