Robin Cook - Stimulating Politician

The death of Robin Cook came as a great shock. Sudden death is always something of a blow to the system. The brain slightly disengages on hearing the news. Now, with 24 hour rolling news, it is a subject that is reported literally minutes after the event.

So one heard of the brilliant political animal, the loner in Parliament, the incisive mind, and passion for horse racing. John McCririck, pictured here with Robin Cook, has spoken of Cook's love of the sport of kings. McCririck would not be seen anywhere with a prissy prickly stuffed shirt as a companion, and his comments have laid to rest any suggestion that Robin Cook was not fun. McCririck said "He was so intellectually stimulating and your brain came alive when you were with him." Great tribute indeed! Any politician who can go to the races, then look through a huge tome on the Scott Report in just two hours, and then make mincemeat of the Government as was, will earn the respect of his peers. Robin Cook did that!

Now it has also been said that Robin Cook decided against standing as a leadership candidate after John Smith died. Frank Dobson MP confirmed today that Cook felt he was not telegenic enough. Interesting that! Robin Cook once said that he thought Tony Blair got a high out of taking political events to the wire. If Cook was intellectually stimulating, then Blair would have had little impact on the stimuli.

Blair was elected leader on the fact that he looked good. I think we all know now that that is a very weak premise for leadership ability. If Robin Cook had been leader would we be in Iraq now? Would we be having ID cards? Would fox hunting be banned? Would Alistair Campbell have bossed the Prime Minister around? Would the sleazy business men have got through the door of Number 10? Would Peter Mandelson being oiling the works in Brussels? Who knows?

Robin Cook never made Prime Minister and maybe we should all reflect on whether it's looks or ability we want in political leadership!

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