Labour MP Estelle Morris became a minister in the Department for Education and Employment in 1997 and was promoted to Secretary of State for Education and Skills in 2001. She was the first former comprehensive school teacher to have the position. She suddenly resigned her post in October 2002, explaining that she did not feel up to the job. She had made a commitment to the then Conservative Shadow Education Secretary, David Willetts to resign if the literacy and numeracy targets were not met.[
The bigger the rogue the more likely he/ she is to stay put, simply because they've already developed the brass-neck to do so. It goes for anyone in high places really.
It used to be the case in this country that a minister who had not lived up to the job would "do the honourable thing" and resign.
Now doesn't matter how scandalous their behaviour or disastrously incompetent or corrupt they are, not even one of our dreadful band of ministers seems willing to resign, let alone a whole government.
I would like to think this is ethics and not political manoeuvring, but with only a couple of months to go before the election I rather doubt it. It may just be an attempt to prevent further digging into this and maybe other scandals.
I'd like to say I was surprised, but politicians... It would be more unusual if they WERE ethical.
I would like to think this is ethics and not political manoeuvring, but with only a couple of months to go before the election I rather doubt it. It may just be an attempt to prevent further digging into this and maybe other scandals.
Rutte has changed his stance, previously being against this move. I wonder if his and his party's strong performance in the polls before the March elections has helped.