Can politicians admit they’ve changed their mind?

On The Wright Stuff on Thursday we were discussing whether there was merit in broadcasting the new pictures of the torture by Americans in Iraq. These were more of the same and those responsible had already been prosecuted. I argued it was right as we learned more than we knew before and it helped educate us as there was a substantive difference.

When doing the programme one has to take a view and a line, and you make the decision quickly. Much like a politician does, you simply have to make a call and argue it.

Yet afterwards, when mulling it over, I realised I’d changed my mind. There is still a war on and our troops are still out there. It does them no good to have these published and as justice has been served (I am still in favour of their original publishing) it’s best to protect our troops in Iraq.

So I’ve changed my mind. I’m not a politician. I can admit it. Yet can they ever? Wouldn’t it then be called a U-turn? It’s a shame we do this. Surely we should welcome mind changing? It actually means things have been considered!

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