Lib Dems Get Rocked by Series of Scandals

In the vacuum left by the sudden resignation of Charles Kennedy after admissions of episodic alcohol abuse, the Lib Dems were shocked again by the immediate resignation from the leadership race of Mark Oaten, who was challenging for the leadership role vacated by Kennedy.

Oaten is a married father with two daughters who admitted having a relationship with a 23 year old male prostitute he had become enamoured with after an online relationship. The six month relationship was characterized by Oaten as a mistake in judgement. Indeed it was.

The Lib Dems hit a real rough patch in 2006/2007 as scandal after scandal hit. Kennedy’s alcohol issue dragged the party down and Oaten’s sexual indiscretion can be viewed as major damage. Although they are considered sexually tolerant, this was too much for even the Lib Dems and they quickly accepted his stepping down from any leadership in the party. It is believed that he will remain as MP.

Most of Oaten’s peers believe his performance as a Minister of Parliament is not in question but do believe that he did the right thing in stepping down from leadership in the party.

Party leaders did order other Liberal Democrat MPs not to discuss the allegations with the media as they attempted damage control. Particularly damaging were the details the males prostitutes went into when discussing the episodes with Oaten. Although the statements are obviously difficult to prove, just the allegations themselves are damaging enough.