Why Paddy Ashdown should be in government

The former Lib Dem leader has the energy of a teenager, but all the wisdom of his 70 years.

By Olly Grender Published 09 March 2011 15:34

Ever worked for someone whom you want to garrote on a weekly basis, but to whom you are so dedicated you would happily follow them into battle with nothing more than a Swiss army knife? I think this description probably rings bells for several former employees of Paddy Ashdown. I know it does for me.

It puzzles me that Cameron and Clegg have not put Lord Ashdown, with the energetic enthusiasm of a teenager and the wisdom these days of an (only just) 70-year-old, in government.

When the decision was taken to send in a helicopter with SAS and MI6 officers to the port of Benghazi, William Hague could have asked someone who had done it. When the Prime Minister last week ramped up the issue of no-fly zones in Libya, it was Ashdown who went on the radio and urged the use of the UN. When it comes to helping nations to rebuild after war-torn turbulence and religious division, he ran Bosnia and Herzegovina as the UN high representative. When it comes to understanding the legacy of mismanagement of defence expenditure, his insight and strategic thinking provide clarity.

There is no doubt there will be some challenging thinking in his review into humanitarian emergency response for the Department for International Development, which he is due to deliver shortly. He will be at spring party conference this weekend, talking to activists in the bar and supporting the coalition government. People will trust him on that, because his own roller-coaster journey into the coalition in May reflected that of many in the party.

Ashdown's background is not solely in the field of foreign affairs and defence. He first made a name for himself as a young MP on the education brief. As party leader, his book Beyond Westminster proved he was prepared to spend time listening to and working alongside miners, dustmen, farmers and fishermen – all well before Iain Duncan Smith had even become leader.

So why, when even Gordon Brown was planning to put him in defence, according to the updated version of the Peter Mandelson memoirs, did Cameron hesitate? Was it because it took Paddy 24 hours longer than others to conclude that going into coalition was the right thing to do? Is it because he has been a little more hawkish than Clegg and Cameron over Afghanistan? In the face of the current, relative inexperience at both Foreign and Defence, these reasons now seem rather trivial.

There is another reason Cameron and Clegg should put him in government. I confessed to Paddy recently that, having read his autobiography, A Fortunate Life, I was a little ashamed that while working with him I only knew the half of it. It was described by Rod Liddle as:

Less a political autobiography than a real-life Dangerous Book for Boys, and all the better for it. This is more than anything else an adventure story. Fascinating and uplifting and genuinely, without irony, heroic, the sort of book you should read to your kids, just to let them know what can be done.

Paddy was not born into money – far from it. He has known tough times as a child and an adult; he has served his country; he has run another country; he was a mature student. He ignored the jeers in parliament and campaigned tirelessly for intervention in former Yugoslavia, having wept at the sight of the prison camps there. He has had different experiences from those at the heart of this government.

For Clegg and Cameron, the lure of the world stage is almost irresistible – it happens to every leader. But they both have an obligation to resist, and instead deliver for people at home on the economy, education, health, crime, taxation and welfare. Delivering for people from whom they have, necessarily, asked a great deal to pay down the deficit.

So, why not leave some of these duties to someone else? Someone perhaps with the energy of a teenager and the wisdom of a 70-year-old?

More from Olly Grender

31 comments

Sat, 2011-03-12 02:41 — Alcord (not verified)

@Terry

Really? You're really going to start the "who made the recession" debate? Come on. Reagan and Thatcher did it when they got the neoliberal ball rolling and everything after is a matter of power transference from states to private capital.

Paddy is right on one account for certain. Use the UN. Anything else is neo-realist colonial pomposity.

Fri, 2011-03-25 12:48 — Clem the Gem

Hmm, on current evidence Olly, Ashdown has the wisdom of a teenager, and the energy of a stoat.
http://clemthegem.wordpress.com/

Thu, 2011-03-10 01:11 — John W. (not verified)

Paddy, ex-MI6 and ex-SBS, with a long and complex international life behind him, is surely one of the best possible choices. A man who understands the concept of diplomacy and balancing foreign interests, but a politician? A rarity.

Thu, 2011-03-10 01:21 — Terry (not verified)

Ang, you say the Tories blame the good people of Britain, for the economic recession? News to me. I thought they and LibDem, SNP, et al, quite reasonably point their respective fingers at the Labour party. Inheriting a treasury surplus in 1997, from the Tories then selling off gold reserves, (at a cheap price too), accelerated the depletion of our North Sea oil reserves, Channel Tunnel, and still handover to the Coalition the mother of all a debt ridden economy after 13 spectacularly financially incompetent years should be a cause to damn Labour for a very, very long time.

Fri, 2011-03-11 05:36 — Oh F*** (not verified)

If supporting the destruction of your party and the total alienation of huge swathes of your voters is a pre-requisite to be a LibDem Minister -hold on, so it is.

Its a shame a party that seemed to have some real talent and principle in it (Mr Ashdown included), now has almost no one left who one can vote for (unless you like Torry's with a yellow Rosette -which some do).
To use another military metaphor, like the rest Paddy Ashdown is just another collaborator. The last hope seems to be with Charles Kennedy. I give them to the day after the AV vote (regardless of outcome) to cross the floor and at least save some integrity and our country before its too late.

Thu, 2011-03-10 05:22 — Mr Woogy (not verified)

Paddy pants down made a pot from the Balkans lot!

Fri, 2011-03-11 06:07 — Clam (not verified)

Paddy Ashdown is the only politician I have ever met who consistently answered questions without evasion.He has enormous personal mental strength and thinks logically. The last attribute, no doubt, disqualifies him from politics.
The willy-wobblers above who don't want ex-military MPs are quite happy to have lawyers and accountants putting British soldiers in harms way. At least Paddy knows what he is doing in that respect.

Thu, 2011-03-10 05:48 — Mr Woogy (not verified)

@Oily Paddy Grinder
At least we know Paddy is on the make! Maybe he will supervise the forthcoming Irish Famine.

Sat, 2011-03-12 10:56 — swatantra nandanwar

Why? What job could he do? Not Defence or Home Office or FO. You have to remember that the Lib Dems are junior partners in this Coalition and should remember their place. The Tories could if they wished continue as a minority Govt from now on. The Lib Dems wouldn't dare challenge or bring them down because they know they'd be slaughtered at the GE.

Sun, 2011-03-20 00:14 — Gareth Hughes (not verified)

Do we not remember how cuddly all Lib Dem politicians look when they're not in government? I'm sure that a year ago so many 'progressives' yearned for Vince Cable in government. When will you stop voting for politicians as if it were Pop Idol?

Fri, 2011-03-11 10:15 — martybee (not verified)

@Clam
"willy wobblers"...Ashdown..Classic..LMAO

Thu, 2011-03-10 09:10 — Reginald-Fah-fah

I'm a Tory but I think Paddy Ashdown is really great and been outspoken about the Coalition Government!

In my opinion, doing a better job than Nick Clegg DPM! I think we all should stop 'Clegg Bashing' and join the 'Big Society'!!!!

Thu, 2011-03-10 10:12 — martybee (not verified)

Paddy Ashdown...a man who betrayed his wife, his party..and his now country. If I can see through the buffoon anyone can.

Fri, 2011-03-11 13:17 — Mark Edwards (not verified)

Do we really want any more of the Liberal Quislings in government? I think not. At least you know where you are with the Tories,but Liberals say what they think you want to hear and then once they get a sniff of power they roll over and die. And if they get AV, they'll be in government forever. No thank you.

Sat, 2011-03-26 19:38 — Redndead (not verified)

Two constant comments keep being repeated.

1. Lib Dems will be annihilated because of being in coalition when nasty things had to be done

2. AV will put Lib Dems permanently in Government as kingmakers

Both comments can't be true; an "annihilated" party will have no kingmaking power

Regardless of current difficulties, I think the public actually quite like no party having totally unfettered power which is why I am still hopeful that the AV result will be positive

Sat, 2011-10-01 18:20 — Federico

To use another military metaphor, like the rest Paddy Ashdown is just another collaborator. The last hope seems to be with Charles Kennedy. I give them to the day after the AV vote (regardless of outcome) to cross the floor and at least save some integrity and our country before its too late.
http://www.easyhomeprojects.org/

Thu, 2011-03-10 12:13 — willoyen

marty> Paddy Ashdown...a man who betrayed his wife, his party..and his now country. If I can see through the buffoon anyone can

this is pure cheap nasty simple-minded mob-mentality tabloidry

Wed, 2011-03-09 15:49 — Tanino (not verified)

He has no depth whatsoever, not dissimilarly to Nick Clegg.

Wed, 2011-03-09 16:01 — Tony Cascarino (not verified)

Of course Tanino. I’m sure he will reflect bitterly on the shallowness of his years of service in the armed forces, experience living overseas developing Chinese language skills, 18 years in parliament, decade as a party leader and four years administering Bosnia and Herzegovina – particularly when compared to the depth of your own no doubt extraordinary experience.

Wed, 2011-03-09 16:07 — Lou (not verified)

Olly, I actually agree with you - shock, horror.

I was tempted to write of my dismay at his backing of the coalition and some of his rhetoric since but, on the whole, I think Paddy has much wisdom and experience to offer and should have a more prominent role.

Wed, 2011-03-09 16:16 — writeoff (not verified)

Tony, Tony. Who gives a shtt if he was in the army? We have enough military types in power as it is, we don't need another enthusiast for interventionism sticking his oar in.

Wed, 2011-03-09 17:27 — willoyen

It somehow spoils the fine impression of wisdom that he was
"a little hawkish on Afghanistan". He was the most hated man in the Balkans when high representative to Bosnia, but even they, (I live in Croatia) recognize that he brought some order to the administration there. As for his age, well, "age will not wither him, nor custom stale his infinite variety...."
By the time he reaches 74, he'll surely still have at least as much energy as Berlusconi.

Wed, 2011-03-09 17:32 — Tanino (not verified)

Tony Cascarino - your fallacy is that of confusing experience with depth. Two different things. Paddy Ashdown is, like any other Lib Dem, accomplished in the art of opposition. His is the natural party of opposition because it is utterly unacquainted with the difficult decisions and realities of government.

Wed, 2011-03-09 17:57 — Mark (not verified)

er, ok writeoff, who are all these military types then?

Tarnino - the point of the article and the argument is that he has experience in conflict and administering countries in confrontations.
Your 'difficult decisions and realities of government' are worries about how to make party decisions look like national interest.
Ashdown has strong principles, has worked from them his entire life, and would bring a clear, strong vision for our national interest.

Wed, 2011-03-09 17:45 — willoyen

I don't think that Paddy has any less "depth" (whatever that is) than people like Blair, for all of the latter's acquaintanceship with the "difficult decisions.."(he used the pressure of decision as an excuse for his hollowness) As for Major, depth? Gordon? well Gordon had so much, no one could make anything out through the murk.

Wed, 2011-03-09 18:19 — writeoff (not verified)

Er, as you put it. A significant number of old codgers in the Lords. People like Colonel Jim Morris. All the lovely people on that plane to Kuwait with Cameron - these square heads have gained their 'life experience' in the most arcane, authoritarian and myopic of government departments (yet because so many are right wing hierarchy loving simpletons they're the only civil servants the Tories don't despise) and are the last people we should let even lobby government, let alone be part of it or go partying on the same junkets. Blair had a strong vision of our national interest, that's hardly a qualification. I'd prefer someone with experience of avoiding conflict and diffusing confrontations, not someone still warm from being stuck up the a-hole of his NATO chums.

Wed, 2011-03-09 18:49 — Peter (not verified)

The last thing we need is another Lib Dem in government. For a party that believes so strongly in proportional representation, they are more than happy to have a completely disproportionate representation in government given the paucity of their support and mandate.

Wed, 2011-03-09 19:10 — matthew fox (not verified)

Is Ashdown, the only talent the Libdems have on the bench.

With retail sales down in Feb, record fuel prices, and more tax increases on the way, what could Ashdown possible do.

Thu, 2011-03-10 19:46 — martybee (not verified)

@willoyen.
Hold his hand and dance merrily up the garden path.
Some of us still believe that morality and ethics are req'd in public figures.
PS thanks for the echo..

Wed, 2011-03-09 19:38 — willoyen

In Bosnia, Paddy showed Homeric qualities of steadfastness and grit, combined with Machiavellian craft and cunning in a country where everything was sensitive and explosive, from car registration plates, to internal boundaries and ethnic loyalties. If he could manage that with at least some success, surely he could do something in a coalition, even alongside such great talents as William 'Winston' Hague. It's just his military instincts must give us pause.

Wed, 2011-03-09 19:40 — ang (not verified)

I don't believe any Lib dems should be in govt, as they are just allowing a Tory govt to blame the good people of Britain, for a global economic recession!! Go away Olly.