Why can't the guys be as gracious as Sturgeon and Goldie?

Could a senior male politician have made an apology as convincing as that of Nicola Sturgeon?  And could a male opposition spokesman have been as gracious as Annabel Goldie when she questioned the deputy first minister afterwards? I doubt it. As Sturgeon herself said at the end of her ministerial statement today, all politicians should reflect on how they debate these issues, even if that's difficult in the run up to an election.  It was legitimate to raise the issue of Sturgeon's letter on behalf of a constituent convicted of fraud. It had been put in the public domain in a court of law after all. She openly and honestly admitted that, with reflection, she would have worded the letter differently. Her statement certainly addressed concerned I raised in my column about the exact nature of that constituent's approach. 

Iain Gray's refusal to accept and recognise her humility just looked petty. Why, when we need to be talking about solutions to the world's worse financial crisis in almost a century, do were prefer to pick over side issues that really have no bearing on how the country is run? How would it have benefitted Scotland to lose an excellent secretary of state for health because she went a bit too far in her assistance to one of her constituents? Politicians moan about how the press never talk about "the issues" But politicians like Gray follow the same personalised and highly adversarial agenda.  I would apply a similar critique to the riduclous row over whether or not Gordon Brown is a bully. It's a distraction, but easier to understand than whether more quantitative easing is good or bad.

I particularly enjoyed the assessment from Caron who contrasted the dignity of Sturgeon, the Lib Dems (naturally) and Conservatives with Labour's relentless negativity. Caron does not, however, draw the conclusion that female politicans are better behaved. She expressed sympathy for the constituents of Johann Lamont MSP who, suggests Caron, is only willing to represent the blameless - after background checks have been carried out..then again you could argue that Ms Lamont is at the extreme macho end of the political spectrum.

Comments

[Lallands Peat Worrier]

You suspect a spot of willy-waving Joan? Without conjuring up an image we'll all repent me mentioning, the primary dangling appendage on public display is the People's Bruxist, Iain Gray. That said, I'm less impatient with gendered reflection on politics than Richard. In this particular, however, that session didn't strike me as dividing along gendered lines. Rather, it was the usual ballyhoo from the vile rabble of ruddy grog blossom that pustulate on the red benches.

On Johann Lamont, however ... dearie me. I'd certainly not enter into an arm-wrestling match with her. We fey, sensitive men have to jealously guard whatever squirt of masculinity God was cruel enough to instil in us.

[Richard Thomson]

"Could a senior male politician have made an apology as convincing as that of Nicola Sturgeon? And could a male opposition spokesman have been as gracious as Annabel Goldie when she questioned the deputy first minister afterwards?"

Of course they could, Joan. Surely you'd concede that Robert Brown was every bit as emollient and gracious as was Annabel Goldie?

The fact that politicians tend not to go in for 'mea clupas', or only apologise for things which they can't be blamed for themselves isn't a gender issue - it's an issue about the infallibility our politicos of both sexes seem to think we demand of them, and the superhuman attributes which we as electors quite frequently, and unreasonably, expect of them.

Just as not all male politicians are like Iain Gray, not all female politicians are like Nicola.

Regards,

Richard