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What I always find saddening is that when people get caught, they always say how much they regretted their action, pity they didn't think about that before embarking upon their actions. Mr Prescott's disgraceful behaviour reflects badly on politicians as a whole and not just on him and his party, but he is coming up to retirement so maybe he just doesn't care anymore.

After skimming through the Mail on Sunday's revelations, dressing gowns at the ready et al, surely a case for "Wham Bam! Thank you Maam!!" What was that blog of yesterday about rough around the edges uber sex?? I rest my case! And undoubted abuse of ministerial lodgings, cars, ?office desks or at the least, sofas? The man must go.

"The man must go". Agreed. But then what?

"Voters seem to be more in tune with ConservativeHome's belief that private vices are of (limited) public interest."

That's what I suspected, and I thought it rather dismaying that we have every single politician now chiming as one that this affair is just a "private matter".

What we also need to know is how much Prescott's (and I dare say others) outrageous behaviour is going to cost us?

Although government may turn a blind eye to such pecadillos, molesting junior employees is quite rightly a sacking offence in most large British companies. What made companies take it seriously was not PC-dom but the risk of getting sued for zillions.

In government they don't seem to give a toss about that, so to speak....but it's not actually their money.

Oh dear. Against my express instructions, Mrs T's gone out to buy a copy of MOS.

I suppose I'll HAVE to read it.

John Hustings: "That's what I suspected, and I thought it rather dismaying that we have every single politician now chiming as one that this affair is just a "private matter"."

All political parties have skeltons in cupboards I guess, John, and all fear the press opening the doors to them...

I thought it rather dismaying that we have every single politician now chiming as one that this affair is just a "private matter".

Though that's perhaps not surprising given our party's experience in the 90s. Doubtless there are a few Conservatives out there who aren't whiter than white in this regard, and there remains the nagging fear that kicking up a fuss about Prescott's indiscretions would give the press carte blanche to turn the lights on them...

"All political parties have skeltons in cupboards I guess, John, and all fear the press opening the doors to them..."

Yes, but it is very sad that it has come to that. And I think you're right, they all fear the "hypocrisy" charge. Nicholas Clegg even said on 'Any Questions' that he could only foresee one circumstance in which a politician should lose their job over an affair, and that's when they've advocated "family values". Thus we have 'de facto' a ruling doctrine of amorality: There's nothing wrong with cheating on your wife and breaking up other people's marriages (causing tremendous misery to respective spouses and children), but espousing "morality" is the far greater sin.

I don't expect politicians to preach to the nation -- preaching is the job of churches, not politicians -- but that's not to say that they shouldn't uphold moral standards. And there is a difference in my mind.

If our politicians behave no better than yobbish footballers, then why should anyone respect them? Perhaps politicians don't want respect anymore, they just want free reign to indulge their desires.

I don't expect politicians to preach to the nation

Unless they're preaching about compost heaps, recycling and driving your car less often, obviously.

I love the picture the BBC are using when they have his quotes in text.

A poll in the Sunday Times shows 52% upholding the opinion that Prescott is a buffoon unfit for high office.

I have personally held this view for many years ever since I saw him crash that solar-powered Honda car to the dismay of onlooking Japanese officials. The stupid grin on his face said it all.

It's usually hard to feel any sympathy for Pauline Prescott but, in this instance, my heart goes out to her.

>>>>A poll in the Sunday Times shows 52% upholding the opinion that Prescott is a buffoon unfit for high office.<<<<
Everybody with any sense had already come to this opinion within a short time of Labour coming to power in 1997, when the successor to Tony Blair is elected he's going too so he's going within the next 2.5 years and given that there probably will be maybe 6 months between the new Labour leader taking over as Prime Minister then probably it's actually closer to 2 years now.

The aspect of John Prescott's stupid behaviour that I think should be emphasized over and over (and many more times) again, is that having made much mileage in a sarcastic, not say vicious way about Tory MP's doing similar things when he was in opposition, he has been STUPID enough or arrogant enough to do the same thing himself. Somehow I think it is unlikely that he sees it in quite that light!!

"Everybody with any sense had already come to this opinion within a short time of Labour coming to power in 1997"

I probably did think lowly of him around then but the Honda incident in 1998 is the earliest I can remember wanting to hurl a brick at him.

I hate to EVER be any way defensive of the buffoon that is Prescott, but one does have to ask about the motives of this woman.

She knew he was married. She knew his wife. She is in her 40's for heaven's sake, not some young niaive teenager. What did she expect. Maybe she expected the 100K that she has got for the story via that slimeball Max Clifford.

I'm not defending the oaf from Hull, far from it. He has NEVER been fit for office. But really, one has to paraphrase Mrs Merton:

"So Tracy, what first attracted you to the overweight, married, O A P, Deputy Prime-Minister?"

"I work for a bookies and I'm very tempted to have a bet"

Conflict of interest, much?

Good one Mr White.I'd quite forgotten the Mrs Merton parallel.I'd agree with the sentiments of your post too.I hope Prescott refuses to resign and keeps his face in front of the public as a fine sympol of this tawdry,sleazy and incompetent government.

The thing is that if he DOES resign then according to the Labour party constitution the Labour party will have to have an National party election for a new deputy leader. As they are having to repay how much was it of the loans? £3.5million i think it was, they are cash strapped. If they were to sell Labour Party Central Office, they have the quite large problem that they only own about £500k in it as it is mortgaged up to the hilt.

This now presents a problem for Blair as it is going round that the Leftie backbencers are going to field a candidate against Blair to start a leadership contest on the basis that the party is cash strapped and they want him out at this point so they dont have to pay for another election 6 - 12 months down the line. This is all fine as long as Brown throws his hat in the ring and gets Blair to stand aside, I somehow do not think that this will happen though I somehow suspect that there will either be a scrap between the Blairites and the Brownites or Brown just wont stand.

If the latter happens Blair would do his usual come-back-kid routine, cling to power and the Labour party is faced with yet another Leadership election costing a pretty penny a few monthes down the road.

This could well end up being the most expensive affair any cabinet Minister in History has ever had. Thanks John!

Dan, that would be no problem for them. I think about 10 peerages should fund it nicely.

Prezzer has started reminding me irresistably of Homer Simpson. Doh!!

Prezzer's love is Chinese food Annabel, not doughnuts. But then, Pauline's hairdo does have more than a passing resemblance to Marge's.

The thing is that if he DOES resign then according to the Labour party constitution the Labour party will have to have an National party election for a new deputy leader.

The front-page story in the Sunday Telegraph today suggested (for what it's worth) that there was already a plan afoot to have Prescott relinquish the ODPM but remain as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party to avoid a potentially divisive internal election.

Who here would expect the sack if:

1. your jobs were behind schedule
2. and your jobs are over budget
3. and your customers are complaining
4. and you're caught shagging in the office on company time?

I would (and I work for myself)!

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