by Atul Hatwal
In politics, you’re either on the way up or headed down. Chuka, unfortunately, is headed down.
After the shock at his withdrawal and the sympathy at what politicians have to put up with in terms of intrusion, one view will linger: he has suspect judgement.
And that will blight him for the rest of his career.
If there is a scandal about to break, of sufficient scale to force him out of the running, the question will be why he ran at all?
If there is no scandal, then in a way, it will be worse. To have jumped in, and then out, within days hardly suggests decisive leadership.
Chuka has a point about the difference between expecting and experiencing greater scrutiny, but the job he was running for was not some minor office, ultimately it was to be the prime minister of Britain. It’s right that there should be scrutiny and lots of it.
Chuka’s team are briefing that he might seek the leadership again one day, but this is fanciful. Despite his many skills and his ability as a communicator, questions over his judgement will hang silently unanswered, over all that he does from now on.
Many things are forgivable in politics. Bad judgement is not one of them.
Atul Hatwal is editor of Uncut