Sorry really is the hardest word
The simplest thing is often the hardest one to do, especially if it involves admitting defeat, or saying sorry.
Right now, I would have faith in a politician prepared to give this simple message:
“We listened to you. We heard what the majority of you said they wanted. We thought it was our job as your elected representatives to do this for you.
We omitted telling you that what you asked us to do was so complex and difficult that even we did not understand the implications for you. We admit that we have spent £50 million of your money a week trying to do what you asked us to do, that’s over 5 billion by the end of the project.
We realise we were doing this at a time when the services you need were cash strapped in real terms. We were asking you to step from the frying pan into the fire, while we were playing with your lives at a safe distance.
We go it wrong, and we are sorry. This can’t be a project that is too expensive to fail. It needs to stop now. We realise many of you will be disappointed; especially those who believed that the project would change your lives and give you back control. It won’t. We are the ones who are really in control, and we have let you down.
So today, we are calling a halt to the project. We’ve learned a painful lesson. We must do better.”
Right now, I would have faith in a politician prepared to give this simple message:
“We listened to you. We heard what the majority of you said they wanted. We thought it was our job as your elected representatives to do this for you.
We omitted telling you that what you asked us to do was so complex and difficult that even we did not understand the implications for you. We admit that we have spent £50 million of your money a week trying to do what you asked us to do, that’s over 5 billion by the end of the project.
We realise we were doing this at a time when the services you need were cash strapped in real terms. We were asking you to step from the frying pan into the fire, while we were playing with your lives at a safe distance.
We go it wrong, and we are sorry. This can’t be a project that is too expensive to fail. It needs to stop now. We realise many of you will be disappointed; especially those who believed that the project would change your lives and give you back control. It won’t. We are the ones who are really in control, and we have let you down.
So today, we are calling a halt to the project. We’ve learned a painful lesson. We must do better.”