How often it is that the inspiring so often meets with the utterly degrading in political life. This morning came news of a series of events later this month celebrating the life of Mary Wollstonecraft and particularly her associations with the religious and political dissenters of this part of London. Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the great radical protagonists of her time, fervently espousing the equality of women in society, in her own tragic and tragically short life helping to nourish the roots of that political tradition that eventually produced the modern Liberal and Labour Parties.
And then the reality of the present-day Labour Party in power! The despicable poisonous smears of political opponents orchestrated by one of Gordon Brown's senior lackeys at the heart of the government machine. Haven't we seen it all before on "a good day to bury bad news"? Will they ever learn that their tribal viciousness degrades and discredits the whole political process? But, of course, they can never comprehend the basic decencies of civilised political debate. Can anyone doubt that we'll see this muck again, whether nationally or locally, just as soon as another election looms that New Labour fears losing.
Incidentally, where would the likes of Damian McBride have been carrying out their nefarious trade in the age of Mary Wollstonecraft? Probably amongst the dregs of Soho's pot-houses fomenting spurious charges of sedition and moral corruption for the benefit of Lord Eldon's hired informers, I guess. Nothing changes much. At least it puts the personal courage of the defenders of liberty and civil rights of that time into so much sharper relief.
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