FROM BMA TO BMX

It would appear that honour and accountability still does exist at some levels of British professions. Mr James Johnson, chair of the British Medical Association, today resigned over his response to the fiasco that is the Medical Training Application Service (MTAS). A letter he sent out has been considered by his colleagues to be “insufficiently sensitive” and Johnson, aware the his no longer has his fellow board members confidence, has done the decent thing and fallen on his own sword.

Not so however, Patricia Hewitt. Despite ducking the issue and sending out a written statement rather than present herself to Parliament, the Health Secretary continues to defend her case despite the fact that correspondence has emerged showing that she was aware of the system problems long before she rang its death knell. Hewitt’s attitude of disdain to the parliamentary process and her sheer brazen lack of accountability are a reflection of Blair’s time in control where arrogance reigned supreme to the determent of any degree of self respect. When Brown dishes out the Ministries on his taking control at No 10, he would do well to remind himself about his promise to bring transparency and accountability back to government, with the first victim of this new approach being Ms Hewitt herself.

Talking of transparency, David Maclean, the MP who introduced the amendment to the Freedom of Information Act covered yesterday, has run over his own foot in his haste to cover his tracks. The Telegraph reveals today that Maclean purchased a “quad bike” for £3300 on expenses in order to get round his constituency. “I can see the headlines now” he said, “Maclean who once had an affair, using quad bike to ride round his constituency with his mistress on his back”. Perhaps this wouldn’t have been the first thing to come to mind, but thank you David for reminding us about your other little misdemeanour. Whilst claiming £15167 for accommodation, £6969 for motoring and £8561 for rail travel, no wonder Mr Maclean wants public access to expenses claims restricted. Personally, I think the headline “two faced schemer covers his own back!” is more appropriate.

Lets just hope that the Lords adopt the same degree of accountability as James Johnson, and either throw the amendment back to the Commons or at least try to embarrass MP’s enough to force a rethink.