Puddles and Swamps

The furore about Angela Rayners mistake of under paying stamp duty tax on a ‘second’ home is understandable and it was right that she resigned from her government post.

It’s a very high bar for a very high public office.

I suspect that unless she gets offered or finds a role in life beyond being ‘just’ an MP that she falls in love with, she will be back in a government position before its current term ends.

I don’t have a problem with that. But I do have a problem that there is no framework or shared/ common understanding/ established principles by which that should or can happen.

Putting partisanship to one side, I think most reasonable people would agree that Rayner made a mistake. She didn’t set out to cheat or knowingly act to defraud. So beyond the high price she has paid how is her future determined? Do we expect our politicians to never make mistakes – personal or public. If we accept that they may should that determine their entire future in future government positions ? If not, how do we determine when the further price about future opportunities gets paid?

But we must be thankful. Trump’s promise before being elected in the USA was to ‘clear the swamp’. Everything we read and hear suggests that it’s now a cesspit. Our slightly muddy puddle is much preferred.