Will Mark Oaten's RENT-BOY scandal damage local Lib Dem MPs at the General Election? Mark Oaten stood as the Liberal Democrat leadership candidate in 2006. He dropped out after it was shown he had an affair with a rent-boy. He was the Liberal Democrats Home Affairs Spokesman. Simon Hughes also standing for leader was discovered to be gay after having won his seat in 1983 on an anti-gay campaign. [IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/w2ooee.jpg[/IMG] Will Mark Oaten's rent-boy scandal damage local Liberal Democrat Members of Parliament at the General Election? (Remember when the story broke out the Liberal Democrats poll rating plummeted) Yes a lot Yes a bit Hard to say Very little Not at all
chrisb wrote:why on earth do you suppose that people who vote for a LibDem MP in Norfolk would be put off because another LibDem was accused of things by the News of the World 3 years ago?
I judge your motives for asking to be entirely different from those you claim.
I say again - why should anyone's voting intentions be affected by the "scandal" about Mark Oaten years ago? Unless some mischievous people decide to resurrect it for their own grubby ends.
All political parties - even the BNP I dare say - have a representation of gay people in their ranks. Some are openly so, others choose to keep their sexuality private. Either way it is of no consequence to the electorate. Most people have got beyond that sort of homophobia.
chrisb wrote: I judge your motives for asking to be entirely different from those you claim. I say again - why should anyone's voting intentions be affected by the "scandal" about Mark Oaten years ago? Unless some mischievous people decide to resurrect it for their own grubby ends. All political parties - even the BNP I dare say - have a representation of gay people in their ranks. Some are openly so, others choose to keep their sexuality private. Either way it is of no consequence to the electorate. Most people have got beyond that sort of homophobia.
A lot of constituents in North Norfolk could not vote for Iain Dale in 2005 because he was gay.
Is the issue not that Mark Oaten was the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman and had an affair with a male prostitute. Prostitutes are illegal.
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