Where does the personal cross over into politics? Should a politician’s private life be brought into the public domain? Clearly when a politician is doing something illegal then it’s important, but I’ve usually been of the view that if what they do is legal and doesn’t interfere with their abilities to do their jobs then everybody has the absolute right to a private life.
Whilst I think that Gordon Brown has been a rather tragic figure as Prime Minister, proving that some people should never be given the job of their dreams, I was very uncomfortable this morning to see him having to explain the state of his eyesight and a question from some nasty rumours circulating about whether he used (or rather abused) painkillers. On the eyesight question, poor eyesight isn’t a disqualification for public office (just ask David Blunkett) and on the painkillers question, well it’s nobody’s business other than his own unless it affects how he does his job.
How he does his job is what is important. The fact that Britain is leaving recession more slowly than our EU neighbours, the fact that he after his years as Chancellor cannot evade his share of responsibility for turning our economy into a casino and the fact that he seems unable to run the Country effectively are far more important than the personal questions raised.
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