‘It has to do with nothing less, I would argue, than our survival as a democracy.’ Photo: by Luke Stackpoole on Unsplash
Amazed: Jacqui Poole looks for truth and integrity in parliament
‘We seem, as a society, to have wandered into the moral maze and lost our way.’
So our prime minister broke the law, and parliament heard him say things that were not true. Does that matter? As I listen in bewilderment to the news, and the reactions of politicians and the public, it appears that, as a nation, we’re not entirely sure.
Certainly, there’s anger, particularly from the majority of ordinary people who did obey the rules. They feel they’ve been taken for fools, or worse. But the breaking of the law and the untruths… ‘We all do that sometimes, don’t we? Come on, let those who are without sin throw the first stone…’
We seem, as a society, to have wandered into the moral maze and lost our way. We’ve dropped the bit of string that could help lead us out, and the people in charge of the group have thrown away the map.
There was a map though, or, at least, rules for creating one. It comes down to guidelines for living in community, doesn’t it? Something about the need to have grounds for trusting those who are leading us.
This is not the first time our politicians have been ‘economical with the actualité’. But until recently the consensus has been that, once discovered, resignation was a requirement. Boris Johnson’s actions, however, seem to say he hasn’t quite grasped what all the fuss is about. It’s up to his party now.
Why does all this matter? It has to do with nothing less, I would argue, than our survival as a democracy. A consensus about ‘the good life’ – about what rules to abide by – is the glue that holds us together. And the value of truth-telling is fundamental.
Trust is central to all good relationships. I trust you because you haven’t given me reason not to. As time goes on, I admire and respect you for being straight with me, even when it’s not in your best interests. If, however, I discover that you’ve misled me, perhaps to protect yourself from my disapproval, I begin to lose respect for you. I no longer feel sure I can rely on you.
Back in the moral maze, politicians seem to be feeling around in the dark for that bit of string to lead them to higher ground. So far, they are not finding it.
I write with a plea to our representatives in parliament – particularly the ones who have the power to intervene – to stand back from their personal and party interests. They are being called upon to find the courage and wisdom. In this age of relative values and extreme individualism, they are being challenged to recognise that the values of truth-telling, honesty, integrity and moral courage are knit into the fabric of any successful democracy. The silent majority is depending on them to make us proud, and to enable us once more to hold our heads up high as members of a nation that can be respected on the international stage.
