Why I salute this Hero
© Margaret Cook; author and free-lance journalist, retired doctor.
First published in The Mail, 7 April 2005
I let out a whoop of joy when I heard that Reg Keys, a founder member of Military Families against the War, is planning to stand against Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, in his own constituency of Sedgefield at the forthcoming general election. He has my whole-hearted good wishes, admiration, support and sympathy. If there is any way my determination can find its way by remote control into his campaign, I'll make it happen. I'll will him to succeed.
Independent candidates, who like Reg have often not been previous political animals at all, but who enter the ring with visceral passion on a single moral issue, often carry the voters with them to an astonishing degree. They have the conviction that can move mountains and demolish solid majorities. They are seen to have a non-selfish agenda, to mean what they say, to be politically naive in that they do not adopt the hypocrisies and half-truths that are the usual currency of hardened hacks. They have the power to persuade because they shine with honour, like Martin Bell in his white suit at Tatton, carrying the banner against greed and self-interest. Or like Richard Taylor, campaigning on a "keep-our hospital-open" issue in Wyre Forest. Remember that both these men won their contests and a seat in Parliament. Reg Keys is in my imagination a knight in white armour, an appropriate image because the issue he is centring his campaign on is that of the misconceived and illegitimate Iraqi war.
How wholly fitting, to carry his battle to the very heart of the issue, the Prime Minister's voting base. By contrast to this determined man of noble aim, how shallow and opportunistic Tony seems. Just imagine the chaos in the Labour ranks, if they were to be decapitated! Their leader outwitted in the joust, knocked off his parliamentary seat, his entry ticket to the Palace of Westminster, Number 10 and all that goes with it! So improbable an outcome it seems, one fears some dust-laden mediaeval law might be dredged up to say, a sitting Prime Ministers cannot lose his seat to an outsider. Reg Keys has much heavy-weight stacked against him, for there is an inertia ingrained into the human psyche which almost forces us to bow the knee to someone in power. Deference is part of our make-up, and probably in times past it meant survival for the underdog. But in a democracy it is a thoroughly inappropriate reaction, one we should recognise and overcome. The voters of Sedgefield must not be cowed into thinking they are somehow duty-bound to return Blair because he is PM, nor should they vote out of a false pride in having a Big Cheese for their MP.
Keys describes himself as an introvert with a Midlands accent, no natural orator, a retired 52 year old; not what you'd expect of a novice politician. In these days of disillusionment, many will see this as a welcoming breath of fresh air. His considerable authority comes from the fact that his son, Lance Corporal Tom Keys, served in the British military police in Iraq, and was killed. Like many another young man, believing he was serving the defence of his country, he gave his life for what had turned out to be a false premise. There were no weapons of mass destruction, no imminent threat to the country. It should never cease to horrify all of us that such sacrifices have been made on the basis of paranoia in high places. And with barely an apology for faulty interpretation of intelligence, and enunciating trivial substitute motivations, our leader wriggled his way out of falling on his own sword, resigning, the only honourable response to the havoc for which he is responsible.
All right-thinking women in particular should find inspiration in Keys' crusade. 80% of women were against the war even before it began, intuiting that the reasons fed to us were unreal, and many, like myself, marched and demonstrated against it. No-one can be in any doubt now that this is a war that should never have taken place. And we must not forget. We must not "move on" or "draw a line under it," as Labour supporters urge. The war MUST be an election issue. We must not appear to endorse the deplorable behaviour of the PM, simply by thinking there is no alternative, or they are all the same, or my vote won't make a difference, or any of the other supine, despairing reasons given for not making a moral stand.
The Spanish people turned out a leader who supported the war, in a surprising election result last year. I hope with all my heart that we can show the same democratic determination and rectitude. It is my view that the longer a leader holds the reins of power, the worse the degree of misguided thinking and egomania that directs his actions. If Blair is given a third term, I dread the consequences, what further militaristic or provocative adventures he will be inspired to lead us into. The first priority in casting our votes must be to dislodge him, to show we do not sanction him to represent the British people. Maybe that is always the way we should think, in using our franchise. Never let any one man stay in too long, make sure his authority is checked at every turn. If every woman voted to get rid of the broker of the Iraqi war, first and foremost, voting tactically against the Labour candidate - as long as this leader is in place - we would be home and dry. A hung parliament, for the people, would be a good thing. Less likelihood of extreme ideologically driven adventures, and a bit more listening to the will of the voters would result.
But the voters of Sedgefield will be the crucial ones, women - and men too - who love fairness and freedom; freedom from fear, wantonly provoked, above all. Even in the twenty first century, women's voices are not heard as they should be. This time, women's votes could topple a Prime Minister and his tired, macho regime.
- ©Reg Keys, 2005 -
