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Lord Sewel and the consequences of tabloid exposés Lord Sewel and the consequences of tabloid exposés
(35 minutes later)
Though we are almost the same age, I don’t think I have ever met Lord Sewel, either in the House of Lords or in the Dolphin Square flat where the Sun on Sunday apparently photographed him snorting coke up fivers and much else with ladies of the night.Though we are almost the same age, I don’t think I have ever met Lord Sewel, either in the House of Lords or in the Dolphin Square flat where the Sun on Sunday apparently photographed him snorting coke up fivers and much else with ladies of the night.
It seems I am unlikely to meet him now that the former junior Labour minister has resigned his day job as deputy Lords speaker (in charge of good behaviour too). He is also being investigated by Scotland Yard. Some want the 68-year-old tearaway expelled from the legislature without further ado.It seems I am unlikely to meet him now that the former junior Labour minister has resigned his day job as deputy Lords speaker (in charge of good behaviour too). He is also being investigated by Scotland Yard. Some want the 68-year-old tearaway expelled from the legislature without further ado.
Fellow oldies who have not spent their working lives in the fleshpots of Aberdeen University or the local council chamber, as Sewel did pre-1996 peerage, may be surprised by such lively carrying-on at Ovaltine time.Fellow oldies who have not spent their working lives in the fleshpots of Aberdeen University or the local council chamber, as Sewel did pre-1996 peerage, may be surprised by such lively carrying-on at Ovaltine time.
But even more important issues are at stake.But even more important issues are at stake.
Related: Sewel's punishment in Lords may be delayed for a yearRelated: Sewel's punishment in Lords may be delayed for a year
Has the Sun on Sunday (the paper which emerged after Rupert Murdoch pulled the plug on the News of the World) done us all a favour? Was it right to expose a man whose parents burdened him with the upwardly mobile middle name of Buttifant by reveaing him to be a greedy hypocrite (not a crime) and worse? Has the Sun on Sunday (the paper which emerged after Rupert Murdoch pulled the plug on the News of the World) done us all a favour? Was it right to expose a man whose parents burdened him with the upwardly mobile middle name of Buttifant by revealing him to be a greedy hypocrite (not a crime) and worse?
The short answer must be yes, but it is not the whole answer. The (daily) Sun was never compromised by its Sunday sister’s illegal hacking activity and most of those staff, charged with bribing public officials after the Murdoch suits threw them to the wolves to save Rupert’s corporate skin, successfully pleaded a public interest defence and were acquitted.The short answer must be yes, but it is not the whole answer. The (daily) Sun was never compromised by its Sunday sister’s illegal hacking activity and most of those staff, charged with bribing public officials after the Murdoch suits threw them to the wolves to save Rupert’s corporate skin, successfully pleaded a public interest defence and were acquitted.
Good for them. Why should the infantry bleed while the generals swig champagne far from frontline danger? That said, the tabloid definition of the public interest is often shaky, unable or unwilling to distinguish between a footballer’s willy and a cabinet secret. A lot of innocent peoples private lives get cruelly trashed in the process. Good for them. Why should the infantry bleed while the generals swig champagne far from frontline danger? That said, the tabloid definition of the public interest is often shaky, unable or unwilling to distinguish between a footballer’s willy and a cabinet secret. A lot of innocent people’s private lives get cruelly trashed in the process.
In this case the paper seems to have its target bang to rights. There is video and audio footage (can’t go far wrong with that) and the peer has resigned, not denied. Less fastidious than Guardian Towers, Fleet Sreet is having a field day ahead of the silly season. Class-A drugs seem to be in the frame.In this case the paper seems to have its target bang to rights. There is video and audio footage (can’t go far wrong with that) and the peer has resigned, not denied. Less fastidious than Guardian Towers, Fleet Sreet is having a field day ahead of the silly season. Class-A drugs seem to be in the frame.
The over-sized upper house will stagger on without Sewel, though it may feel moved to rename the Sewel Convention, which governs Westminster’s right to legislate on devolved matters. There are plenty of middling, competent peers who can fill his £84,525 shoes.The over-sized upper house will stagger on without Sewel, though it may feel moved to rename the Sewel Convention, which governs Westminster’s right to legislate on devolved matters. There are plenty of middling, competent peers who can fill his £84,525 shoes.
So is the public better off for knowing about Sewel’s off-duty habits? And does his exposure render it less likely that talented men and women, some of them wholly pure in thought, word and deed, will put themselves forward for public office in these difficult times? That is trickier. In Britain, as elsewhere (Donald Trump, anyone?) , it leaves us vulnerable to charlatans and worse.So is the public better off for knowing about Sewel’s off-duty habits? And does his exposure render it less likely that talented men and women, some of them wholly pure in thought, word and deed, will put themselves forward for public office in these difficult times? That is trickier. In Britain, as elsewhere (Donald Trump, anyone?) , it leaves us vulnerable to charlatans and worse.
It so happens that I have been reading for review purposes Michael Bloch’s new book, Closet Queens (Little,Brown £25), which, as the unkind title aggressively asserts, examines the private and public lives of gay or bisexual male politicians in Britain of the past 100 years or so.It so happens that I have been reading for review purposes Michael Bloch’s new book, Closet Queens (Little,Brown £25), which, as the unkind title aggressively asserts, examines the private and public lives of gay or bisexual male politicians in Britain of the past 100 years or so.
Even the heterosexual Sewel might raise a worldly eyebrow at some of the stories therein, particularly from the pre-60s 20th century, when sexual high jinks were sometimes known about within the upper classes and governing elite, but rarely reported to voters via the media of the day.Even the heterosexual Sewel might raise a worldly eyebrow at some of the stories therein, particularly from the pre-60s 20th century, when sexual high jinks were sometimes known about within the upper classes and governing elite, but rarely reported to voters via the media of the day.
For example, did you know that Lord Rosebery, briefly and disastrously Liberal PM after Gladstone in the 1890s, narrowly escaped being mixed up in the great Oscar Wilde scandal because Lord Queensberry, Wilde’s nemesis, also suspected Rosebery of seducing another of his sons?For example, did you know that Lord Rosebery, briefly and disastrously Liberal PM after Gladstone in the 1890s, narrowly escaped being mixed up in the great Oscar Wilde scandal because Lord Queensberry, Wilde’s nemesis, also suspected Rosebery of seducing another of his sons?
Or that Lord Esher (a serious army reformer after the Boer war fiasco) led a shadowy romantic life, albeit with more discretion than some? His disgrace might have jeopardised the army’s chances in 1914.Or that Lord Esher (a serious army reformer after the Boer war fiasco) led a shadowy romantic life, albeit with more discretion than some? His disgrace might have jeopardised the army’s chances in 1914.
We know now about Jeremy Thorpe’s double life (he was tried for conspiracy to murder an ex-boyfriend), about Lord Boothby’s colourful bisexuality, a popular TV pundit in old age (and the long-time lover of Harold Macmillan’s wife), about the promiscuous Labour MP and peer Tom Driberg. As with Edward VIII’s affair with Mrs Simpson, most of us did not know much at the time.We know now about Jeremy Thorpe’s double life (he was tried for conspiracy to murder an ex-boyfriend), about Lord Boothby’s colourful bisexuality, a popular TV pundit in old age (and the long-time lover of Harold Macmillan’s wife), about the promiscuous Labour MP and peer Tom Driberg. As with Edward VIII’s affair with Mrs Simpson, most of us did not know much at the time.
Does people’s private sexual tastes and habits matter, do they affect their careers? Until 1967 gay sex was illegal, yet some – like Wilde himself – loved the danger of “feasting with panthers”. The Sunday Sun’s revelations remind us that risk-taking is part of what attracts people to politics. Do people’s private sexual tastes and habits matter, do they affect their careers? Until 1967 gay sex was illegal, yet some – like Wilde himself – loved the danger of “feasting with panthers”. The Sunday Sun’s revelations remind us that risk-taking is part of what attracts people to politics.
So Bloch argues that a capacity for discretion and secrecy, like a capacity for flamboyance, may help a career at the top as well as colour attitudes and behaviour for good and bad.So Bloch argues that a capacity for discretion and secrecy, like a capacity for flamboyance, may help a career at the top as well as colour attitudes and behaviour for good and bad.
Thus Lord “Lou Lou” Harcourt, a Liberal cabinet grandee before the first world war, was both vehemently opposed to women’s suffrage and to Britain’s entry into the war – one a reactionary stance, the other arguably progressive. Winston Churchill (“Was Winston Secretly Gay?” asked the Mail) was also an anti-suffragist and misogynist who thrived best in the company of handsome young men, Bloch tells us.Thus Lord “Lou Lou” Harcourt, a Liberal cabinet grandee before the first world war, was both vehemently opposed to women’s suffrage and to Britain’s entry into the war – one a reactionary stance, the other arguably progressive. Winston Churchill (“Was Winston Secretly Gay?” asked the Mail) was also an anti-suffragist and misogynist who thrived best in the company of handsome young men, Bloch tells us.
Churchill suppressed whatever sexual drive he may have had in any direction for the furtherance of his career, as many did, possibly including Edward Heath. Others were discreet or brazen. Norman St John-Stevas, a Thatcher cabinet minister and parliamentary reformer (we owe modern select committees to him) combined a publicly camp and very witty style with a discreet private life.Churchill suppressed whatever sexual drive he may have had in any direction for the furtherance of his career, as many did, possibly including Edward Heath. Others were discreet or brazen. Norman St John-Stevas, a Thatcher cabinet minister and parliamentary reformer (we owe modern select committees to him) combined a publicly camp and very witty style with a discreet private life.
Sewel has come a cropper, as sexually indiscreet politicians often do nowadays when the press has abandoned the discretion it deployed when Lord Beaverbrook (no saint in this department) called the shots. He protected Driberg, a protege, among others.Sewel has come a cropper, as sexually indiscreet politicians often do nowadays when the press has abandoned the discretion it deployed when Lord Beaverbrook (no saint in this department) called the shots. He protected Driberg, a protege, among others.
The indiscreet did not always survive in more discreet times. Harcourt, whose pursuit of young people of both sexes (including friends’ children) had been notorious for decades finally fell in 1922 after exposing himself to a 13-year-old Etonian visitor whose wealthy mother spread the story throughout society. He was found dead beside an empty bottle of pills. Others quietly retired, went to jail or abroad.The indiscreet did not always survive in more discreet times. Harcourt, whose pursuit of young people of both sexes (including friends’ children) had been notorious for decades finally fell in 1922 after exposing himself to a 13-year-old Etonian visitor whose wealthy mother spread the story throughout society. He was found dead beside an empty bottle of pills. Others quietly retired, went to jail or abroad.
In the process there was some serious loss of talent to public life. That must surely be part of the calculation, offsetting whatever satisfaction comes from the fall of the mighty or, in Sewel’s case, the slightly mighty.In the process there was some serious loss of talent to public life. That must surely be part of the calculation, offsetting whatever satisfaction comes from the fall of the mighty or, in Sewel’s case, the slightly mighty.
Before the first world war David Lloyd George, the great reforming chancellor of the exchequer, lied to a court in his libel case against the Mirror which had alleged adultery. Britain would have missed his demonic drive in 1916, as it would have missed Churchill’s in 1940. Privately virtuous people are not always the best leaders Before the first world war, David Lloyd George, the great reforming chancellor of the exchequer, lied to a court in his libel case against the Mirror which had alleged adultery. Britain would have missed his demonic drive in 1916, as it would have missed Churchill’s in 1940. Privately virtuous people are not always the best leaders
Other counter-factuals we may never know about. They steered clear of the limelight. History is full of mysteries and might-have-beens. In our own recent time the most obvious such is surely Dominque Strauss-Kahn, the former French finance minister and ex-head of the IMF. Other counter-factuals we may never know about. They steered clear of the limelight. History is full of mysteries and might-have-beens. In our own recent time the most obvious is surely Dominque Strauss-Kahn, the former French finance minister and ex-head of the IMF. A man of powerful intellect and commanding personality, DSK was set to become the French left’s candidate for president when he was forced to resign (2011) in disgrace over allegations of sexual assault by a chambermaid in his New York hotel. Worse was to follow at home with the pimping trial in Lille. Though he was acquitted he was also ruined.
A man of powerful intellect and commanding personality, DSK was set to become the French left’s candidate for president when he was forced to resign (2011) in disgrace over allegations of sexual assault by a chambermaid in his New York hotel. Worse was to follow at home, the pimping trial in Lille. Though he was acquitted he was also ruined.
Not a nice man by the sound of it, and a brute towards women. But as a direct result of his unbridled pursuit of his sexual appetite France is now led by François Hollande, a man who has yet to show at home or abroad the leadership qualities which tough times demand. Even his own love life has a comic ineptitude about it.Not a nice man by the sound of it, and a brute towards women. But as a direct result of his unbridled pursuit of his sexual appetite France is now led by François Hollande, a man who has yet to show at home or abroad the leadership qualities which tough times demand. Even his own love life has a comic ineptitude about it.
Would President Strauss-Kahn have made a better fist of the Greek crisis for example? We will never know, only that the eurozone’s leadership has been poor. Would President Strauss-Kahn have made a better fist of the Greek crisis, for example? We will never know, only that the eurozone’s leadership has been poor.
John Buttifant Sewel is no DSK, but we sometimes pay a price for virtue in public office, as we do for the loss of trust in public officials which accompanies scandals like this one. Openness has a price tag too.John Buttifant Sewel is no DSK, but we sometimes pay a price for virtue in public office, as we do for the loss of trust in public officials which accompanies scandals like this one. Openness has a price tag too.
It’s worth bearing in mind.It’s worth bearing in mind.