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Tory apologises after saying 'recession can be good for us'
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor25 Nov 2008
A TOP Tory was forced to issue an apology today after he claimed that "recession can be good for us".
Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley withdrew his remarks after the Evening Standard revealed that he had claimed the downturn would help people "spend more time at home with their families".
Mr Lansley's remarks, posted on the Conservatives' own website on Friday, triggered a fresh PR headache for David Cameorn just a week after another senior Conservative insisted that "the recession has to take its course".
In an article for the Conservatives' official "Blue Blog", Mr Lansley stressed that he understood the "human misery" caused by the economic slump, particularly its impact on mental health.
But he went on to state that he had been studying the positive benefits of previous economic downturns on the public's health. "Interestingly, on many counts, recession can be good for us. People tend to smoke less, drink less alcohol, eat less rich food and spend more time at home with their families," he said.
Mr Lansley's comments were today seized on by Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman as Labour pounced on what it saw as proof that the Tories were still "uncaring" about unemployment.
Ms Harman said: "To say that the recession is good for people, because when people become unemployed they will 'spend more time at home with their families' is outrageous. There is no way a recession is 'good' for anyone. No wonder the Conservatives oppose Labour's plans to help families."
Today, within minutes of the Standard highlighting his remarks, the Tories removed the blog from the internet.
Mr Lansley issued a statement: "I'm very sorry for any offence caused and I totally withdraw my comments".
Deputy party chairman John Maples was forced by the Tory leader to make a full Commons apology for his comments last week. He said his comment "may have have caused offence to people who are the victims of recession".
Mr Cameron recently made clear that he disagreed with former Chancellor Norman Lamont that "unemployment was a price worth paying".
The Conservative leader is acutely aware of the party being seen as "uncaring" and has gone out of his way to back tax breaks to help firms take on the jobless.
Lord Lamont, to whom Mr Cameron was once an adviser at the Treasury, is one of four Tory former Chancellors advising the leader and George Osborne on the need to rein back Labour's "borrowing binge".
But when the Lamont "price worth paying" quote was put to Mr Cameron recently, he said that it was not a sentiment he agreed with or ever would.
Reader views (8)
He is so wrong - he probably feels immune from it by his wealth and position. cameron needs to apologise to the House for this remark
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 25/11/2008 22:05
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But he is, in a sense, right. Although recession is painful for the individual, as a society we have become self indulgent, self obsessed and expect self gratification as and when we demand it. Our society is a petulant, spoilt toddler, and being told 'no' could re-teach us responsibility and self restraint, two qualities society is consipcuously lacking.
- Claire, Londn, 25/11/2008 20:07
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O come on James, in a truly enterprising culture recession will give some people opportunities as any economist will tell you,as a example i will go out in 6 months time and buy a 3 bedroom house in Richmond for cash,i have been down oxford street this afternoon and taken advantage of the fallen prices,i would not have done that this time last year,my Farther in the recession of the 1920s bought a whole street of shops for not a lot.That's capitalism,and you don't need a economist to tell you you cant have continual growth,we have been here before several times in my life time,and it will educate the younger generation as to the reality's of life,it is not 100% negative,nothing is,and to expect anything else is simply fantasy land.So smile and be happy.
- Kev, London, 25/11/2008 18:59
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He's right, there are benefits in recession, we have a whole generation who have grown up in a time of plenty. Its good for humanity and society in general to experience the other side of things, it can be argued that it does no good for human beings to get all they want materially. But being a modern day politician he has no conviction and like the rest in the commons he is simply a career politician, no doubt his leader has told him to apologize and he has because to do other wise and defy his leader his career would be over. That's one of the reasons I and a lot of people have no respect for today's politicians.
- Kev, London, 25/11/2008 17:15
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There is no way a recession is 'good' for anyone - False!
We need people who understand economics in government.
- James Vickers, Oxford, England, 25/11/2008 16:37
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These tory toffs are so far removed from reality its frightening.
- James Hennessy, London England, 25/11/2008 16:25
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It's good for family life in the same way that being paralysed from the neck downwards is a good way of getting someone to look after you 24 hours a day.
- Keith, Kings Cross, London, UK, 25/11/2008 16:20
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Why should he apologise for telling the truth?
- Andrew, Cambridge, 25/11/2008 15:04
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