The Lady is for Turning: how should we respond when politicians change their mind?

Everyone is speculating about more U-turns in the new Government’s economic policy and the country is reeling at Kwasi Kwarteng's sacking as Chancellor. How should we respond to politicians who change course?

Ever since I can remember, it has been a commonly held belief that a political U-turn leads to a political, if not economic, disaster. Whether Prime Minister Truss’ decision to sack her Chancellor after only a month and any further reversals in financial policy become further evidence of this ‘self-evident political truth’ remains to be seen.

Yet, if as expected, further changes to last week’s mini-budget are announced in the coming days, how should we react? One thing is clear: it must be as citizens of God’s kingdom, faithful to His good design, not partisan affiliations or ideological dogmatism. We seek the welfare of the nation and the flourishing of every person, above preserving pride or power. It means praying for our leaders to make good decisions, while also being able to critique with positive alternatives where we believe a course of action leads to harm.

The 'U-turn' (as a phrase) probably entered political popular consciousness after Margaret Thatcher’s famous conference speech in 1980. The fact that the “lady was not for turning” showed her strength of conviction and became the foundation of her political success in stark contrast to the turmoil and electoral failure of her U-turning predecessor Ted Heath. More recently Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats' U-turn on tuition fees was blamed for the party’s disastrous results in 2015, and so U-turns strike fear into politicians’ hearts.

But why is a U-turn bad? In most other spheres of life changing course when things go wrong is a sign of admirable flexibility, agility and responsiveness.

But politics is different because politicians are our elected leaders. Especially in times of danger, difficulty and need, we crave certainty and security. We want to believe that our political leaders will save us from disaster. The media play into our longing for leaders who offer simple solutions (even if presented as difficult or unpopular choices) to complex problems, and love to build the conflict that comes from being for or against a person, Party or policy.

Many politicians are happy to play along with our yearning for a saviour. They have the plan that will bring security and prosperity.

But only one person in history has been able to back that claim up.

A U-turn is an admission that plan A was not the answer and that a leader is fallible. They did not have the plan that would save us. They are not omniscient nor omnipotent.

But most politicians are trying to do a good job for us and the nation. The vast majority of politicians are there because they want to serve others and improve our lives. And for those who trust in God’s providence, we believe that Prime Ministers and Chancellors, as well as MPs, Peers, MSPs, AMs and councillors are appointed by God through our system of government.

Therefore, I will pray for the Prime Minster to make good choices and for the new Chancellor’s policies to bring prosperity to the nation and protection to the vulnerable. But Christians can pray for policies to succeed and be able to critique and even criticise policies and tactics where they believe them to be wrong. Christians can and should challenge a Government where we believe they oppose or undermine God’s good plan for our lives, not because we want them to fail but because we care for everyone in our nation as people precious and dearly loved by God.

Our responsibility is to pray for our leaders and engage as thoughtful, faithful, followers of Jesus with truth and grace, conviction and compassion.

If our identity is in Jesus not a party affiliation, and our primary citizenship is in God’s kingdom not an economic or political ideology, then we must encourage faithfulness to measures that promote a biblical ethic, and support changes. We do not want our leaders to fail but to succeed by doing what is good in God’s sight.

And so we do not buy into the narrative we are often fed that U-turns are inherently bad. Where a course of action leads to harm it is strength and wisdom to put people before pride, and our duty to encourage and support the politician brave enough to do so. Today I pray for our Government, and our Opposition, to have supernatural wisdom to navigate these times, and the Spirit’s courage and strength to stay the course or change direction where and when required.