Cognitive Dissonance

Battle has been joined on the Guardian comments pages. Stephen Pollard gets his turn today. It is hardly surprising that I disagree with his normative claims, although the extent to which he agrees with Glenda Jackson about the way Blair has governed from outside the party is interesting. The one thing I do find puzzling though, is that it is very difficult to understand how someone can claim this:

I believe that the state has no business running schools or hospitals. I trust competition and the efficacy of markets more than any politician or bureaucrat

and have done this:

joined Labour in 1986.

Stephen Pollard, what on earth were you doing?

I should also say that Robin Cook's piece is much more sensible.