That dreadfully 'umble looking bloke, Lord Howe, was seen to give a smile of satisfaction when he heard the compliments showered on him by obsequious Tory and LibDem peers. To us, Arturo and me, the grin resembled the tortured leering of a dried up lizard. But appearances aside, the faithless LibDem Lords and Baronesses, with one or two noble exceptions, trod the whipped path of ignominy quite blithely.
So - who is this Lord Howe on whom such sweet sickly words were heaped?
Earl Howe has been Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health since May 2010.http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/MinistersandDepartmentLeaders/Ministers/Ministersbiography/DH_116287
Born in 1951, he was educated at Rugby School and Christ Church, Oxford. After leaving University in 1973, he joined Barclays Bank and served in a number of managerial and senior managerial posts both overseas and in London. In 1987 he was appointed London director of Adam & Co. plc, the Scottish-based private bank, where he remained until 1990.
In 1991, Lord Howe became a government whip in the House of Lords with responsibilities, successively, for transport, employment, defence and environment. Following the General Election of 1992 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary (Lords) at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; and in 1995 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence, a post he relinquished at the 1997 General Election.
Between 1997 and 2010 he was opposition spokesman for Health and Social Services in the House of Lords. He is an elected hereditary peer under the provisions of the House of Lords Act 1999. Apart from his frontbench responsibilities, Earl Howe has previously been a member of the all-party groups on penal affairs, abuse investigations, pharmaceuticals, adoption, mental health and epilepsy.
Now, let's take a closer look at one section:
he joined Barclays Bank and served in a number of managerial and senior managerial posts both overseas and in London. In 1987 he was appointed London director of Adam & Co. plc, the Scottish-based private bank, where he remained until 1990.My my! What a wealth of experience in health matters! He's the sort of man who would know his clavicle from his clavichord. He's just the man you feel in your very bones would understand everything about health care - I jest, of course!
But this is the man who was not a male nurse; not a hospital doctor; not a general practitioner; not even a ward orderly! This is a man who was a former banker! Yes, that's right - a former banker! He was the man, carefully selected by the Tory Party, to best represent the Tory Party line on Health! That says it all, doesn't it? In the Tory mind health and money are one and the same!
Of course, being an ex-banker, he will never need the NHS! So, as Arturo said:
"It's a bloody shambles that this writhing self-satisfied little Toff, of an ex-banker, has ensured the people who rely on the NHS will now be in the hands of private health care companies when they need help!"
Arturo has still not got over the shock of watching late at night when the Bill finally went back to the Commons. Despite some valiant efforts to stall - the Blue LibDems, with a couple of notable exceptions, helped 'Silly Ass' Lansley get his obnoxious Bill through Parliament!
Twitter was awash with tear-jerking tweets of woe. However, a new political party is rising from the ashes of the 'Drop The Bill' campaign. It proposes to support doctors, at the next election, who are going to stand against LibDems and certain vulnerable Tories who supported the Bill.
If Arturo was human - he'd love to stand against 'Ridiculous Nicholas' Clegg. But he's an under stairs cat - so he can't! Clegg had better watch out, all the same, for his trouser legs when he next comes to No 10! I've caught Arturo practising the left-leg pounce - and - he's been sharpening his claws in readiness! I don't envy 'Ridiculous Nicholas' Clegg's future!
'Bye' from Arturo and me.
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