In my Bible reading yesterday (still keeping up with the One Year Bible Blog), my eye was caught by Proverbs 16:12:

Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation.

(The Message)

I think it was partly because, a day or two earlier, I’d seen another newspaper headline about John Prescott, which had reminded me of earlier revelations about an adulterous affair he had engaged in. In turn, that had made me think of the lines that are often trotted out at such times about how a politician’s private life is their own business.

That doesn’t ring true. If someone is able to betray and deceive those they know personally then what assurance is there that they will act responsibly with their public trust? When I consider casting my vote, gender, colour and creed are not issues; I do want evidence of faithfulness and moral fibre in the person who my ballot will potentially empower.

Tags: politics, john prescott, proverbs, faithfulness