Mark's regrets
AS speculation abounds on the Internet just what exactly Mark Oaten was up to with two rent boys, revelations which forced him to pull out of the Liberal Democrat leadership race, the disgraced MP said today he wished to continue serving his constituency.
In an interview with his local newspaper, the Winchester MP said his immediate priority was looking after his family. But the 41 year-old said he was determined to regain the confidence of his constituents.
He told the Hampshire Chronicle: "I think my priority in the next week is my family - my wife Belinda and the children - and really to focus very much on them, and also Winchester, my constituency."
Mr Oaten said he did not intend to return to the Lib Dem front bench but had not ruled out standing again to be an MP at the next election.
He did not regret standing in the party leadership contest but added: "I do have regrets and apologise about what has appeared in the media since and I'm very sorry for the things I've done wrong so I've got regrets, of course, about that."
Mr Oaten added that it was a joint decision between him and his wife to promote an image of himself as a family man in the contest - he invited ITN into his dining room to watch Belinda serving tea.
Just why do politicians, who get exposed in the media, either try to tough it out or go into a state of denial? Of course he has regrets about what appeared in the media. But when he says he has "no intention" of returning to a prominent role in his party in Parliament, who does he think would ever ask him to?
Will he ever regain the respect of the voters of Winchester? That largely depends on whether they ever find out just what he was up to. Presumably, having paid one of the rent boys for the story, the News of the World knows, but I very much doubt if they will ever put in print.
If he stands as for Parliament at the next again, the story will be dredged up all over again.
Better to go quietly into obscurity Mark, for the sakes of your family and the party.
A