Saturday, August 20, 2005
Mo Mowlem. R.I.P.
First Robin Cook, now Mo Mowlem has gone too. Mo was a moral giant amongst her political peers; in the sense that people and principles mattered more than the party line and poodle politics.
Dr. Mowlem carried out a difficult task as Northern Ireland Secretary, using humour and empathy to make progress on the Good Friday Agreement against obdurate and entrenched partisan views. Arguably, we would not be where we are today with the IRA and Sinn Fein trying to lay old ghosts to rest in the name of Peace and Unity in Ireland, but for Mo's personal charm, energy and commitment to the Peace process.
In my view, the Good Friday Agreement may well be Mo Mowlem's legacy in politics; which makes even more shameful the smears and spin against her by Labour's Central Office and No.10 Downing Street, when she was weakened by her ultimately fatal brain tumour.
Mo was a people's politician. She had courage, principles and humility - and deserved better from Tony Blair than when she was suddenly replaced as N. Ireland Sec. with Peter Mandelson - (probably to settle an old score) or because she was more popular than Princess Tony. She was treated badly.
I hope Tony Blair does not trumpet false eulogies at her funeral. She deserves better than that. Especially from a *rent-a-quote-here* and *drop-a-principle-there* Mr. Blair.
I reflect at this point on the old saying "what goes around - comes around".
Mo Mowlem passed away 19th. August 2005 aged 55yrs.
First Robin Cook, now Mo Mowlem has gone too. Mo was a moral giant amongst her political peers; in the sense that people and principles mattered more than the party line and poodle politics.
Dr. Mowlem carried out a difficult task as Northern Ireland Secretary, using humour and empathy to make progress on the Good Friday Agreement against obdurate and entrenched partisan views. Arguably, we would not be where we are today with the IRA and Sinn Fein trying to lay old ghosts to rest in the name of Peace and Unity in Ireland, but for Mo's personal charm, energy and commitment to the Peace process.
In my view, the Good Friday Agreement may well be Mo Mowlem's legacy in politics; which makes even more shameful the smears and spin against her by Labour's Central Office and No.10 Downing Street, when she was weakened by her ultimately fatal brain tumour.
Mo was a people's politician. She had courage, principles and humility - and deserved better from Tony Blair than when she was suddenly replaced as N. Ireland Sec. with Peter Mandelson - (probably to settle an old score) or because she was more popular than Princess Tony. She was treated badly.
I hope Tony Blair does not trumpet false eulogies at her funeral. She deserves better than that. Especially from a *rent-a-quote-here* and *drop-a-principle-there* Mr. Blair.
I reflect at this point on the old saying "what goes around - comes around".
Mo Mowlem passed away 19th. August 2005 aged 55yrs.
