Originally Posted by DanaC

I think you've struck on the core problem there Spexxvet.

During the early 90's the Conservative party in the UK was embroiled in a series of sex-scandals which damaged them heavily. The reason the damage was so great was not because people were so shocked about sex, but rather that the Conservative government had based its election campaign on a 'Back to basics', family values ticket. The politicians involved in the scandal were invariably family men who'd been photographed heavily in the media with said families.

Several of these politicians had made their reputation with right-wing, anti-gay stances and then were discovered to have had homosexual experiences.

People were shocked because of the hypocrisy involved. These were politicians who actively campaigned against the 'assault on family values', haranguing 'dole dosser single mums' and 'liberal ideas of modern family structures'. Yet in their private lives they did not practice what they preached.

Sex scandals didn't damage the Labour politicians so much...but the financial scandals have damaged it greatly...why? because Labour campaigned partially on financial probity after the conservative's 'cash for questions' scandal.

What you do in your private life doesn't matter as long as you represent your constituents. But...and its a big but...if you are engaged in the world of politics your words can affect the way society runs and the lives of your fellow citizens. The higher up in politics that you get the molre that is the case. If you are voicing opinions about how your fellow citizens should live their lives, you have no right not to apply those strictures to yourself.