What is John Prescott For?

So John Prescott has been sent on a "pointless mission" to represent Britain in the Far East (Telegraph, 25th October).

The claimed cost of £10,000 is the least of our worries. We should be worrying more about what he is up to while he is there. The Far East is important for all kinds of strategic reasons. But is John Prescott really the person to represent us there? Or is it more a case of him having to justify his existence by finding things for himself to do.

John Prescott is an excellent example in microcosm of the problem with big government generally - they need to be able to justify their existence by doing things. It would not be so bad if what they did was simply irrelevant. The real problem is that most of what thge Government does is deeply damaging.

So it would be far better for all of us iif John Prescott took early retirement - togethe with most of the rest of government.