Sarah Teather MP throws in the towel

[zoomy]

No - it was not an error of judgement - she thought she could get promotion by voting for tuition fees so she did - no error of judgement on her part, she was putting promotion before principle.

[amateur51]

No - it was not an error of judgement - she thought she could get promotion by voting for tuition fees so she did - no error of judgement on her part, she was putting promotion before principle.

And I'm saying that putting promotion before principle is an error of judgment.

[ahinton]

And I'm saying that putting promotion before principle is an error of judgment.

Indeed. It would either be an error of judgement or not such and, as you say, it is such. What's to quibble about? I have no idea.

[zoomy]

In a euphemistic sort of way I suppose it is.

[ahinton]

In a euphemistic sort of way I suppose it is.

Well, one might "suppose" that this is a start - but why and in what particular sense "euphemistic" as distinct from "literal"? - and why only a supposition? To err is human, as we all know - and that includes errors of judgement.

[Mr Pee]

And I'm saying that putting promotion before principle is an error of judgment.

So that was an error of judgement, was it, rather than ST abandoning her principles to further her career? I think most neutral observers would disagree profoundly with your conclusion.

I'll bet my bottom dollar that if a Conservative had performed a similar career-driven U-turn on the issue of, shall we say, Gay Marriage, you'd be roundly lambasting them for abandoning their principles on these very boards.

Funny how forgiving you can be when it suits you.

[zoomy]

Because she did not make an error, her judgement was correct.

[agingjb]

I think that anyone who enters parliament with good intentions and as a partisan MP will learn,sooner or later, that the two things, goodwill and partisan loyalty, are incompatible - there are better ways of helping people.

It's clear that Sarah Teather has learnt that, perhaps too late.

She will, of course attract the loathing of some and the sympathy of others. I'm for sympathy, but I have some hope that will use her year of so of freedom to say this and that about, well what? The plight of the Chagos Islanders, or some equivalent injustice closer to home?

[zoomy]

but unprincipled.

[amateur51]

So that was an error of judgement, was it, rather than ST abandoning her principles to further her career? I think most neutral observers would disagree profoundly with your conclusion.

I'll bet my bottom dollar that if a Conservative had performed a similar career-driven U-turn on the issue of, shall we say, Gay Marriage, you'd be roundly lambasting them for abandoning their principles on these very boards.

Funny how forgiving you can be when it suits you.

Quite.

If you recall, I did lambast Sarah Teather for her last-minute volte-face on equal marriage on this very Board.

[amateur51]

I think that anyone who enters parliament with good intentions and as a partisan MP will learn,sooner or later, that the two things, goodwill and partisan loyalty, are incompatible - there are better ways of helping people.

It's clear that Sarah Teather has learnt that, perhaps too late.

She will, of course attract the loathing of some and the sympathy of others. I'm for sympathy, but I have some hope that will use her year of so of freedom to say this and that about, well what? The plight of the Chagos Islanders, or some equivalent injustice closer to home?

She's currently Chair of the all-party parliamentary group on refugees and I hope that she'll be allowed to continue doing this.

[zoomy]

It was a bit of a dead sheep lambast 51. I think you should try to put it stronger than that - she is an MP and MPs are there to vote, you know pass laws that affect the rest of us.

[zoomy]

She's currently Chair of the all-party parliamentary group on refugees and I hope that she'll be allowed to continue doing this.

Pity the refugees.

[amateur51]

Pity the refugees.

I certainly pity anyone who has to flee in the face of terror, oppression, persecution etc.

[zoomy]

... and then have Sarah Teather as Chair of the all-party parliamentary group on refugees looking after them. Absolutely.