Horace Monsoon is here to help SomersetClive readers with their trials and tribulations. This week a reader needs help with that age-old question which has troubled BeFuddleds for some time – Which side of the fence should they be on?
Dear Horace,
I have been reading the advice you’ve been giving out recently and although I’m not one for asking for advice, I thought I would check with you that I am planning to do the right thing.
I am a member of a political party and a local political group. I am extremely dissatisfied with the way our local party leader conducts himself and his inability to make a proper decision.
Take this current problem, which has been rumbling on for almost a year. One of our members was accused of inappropriate behaviour and should have been punished. Unfortunately, our local group leader is unable to see quite how damaging this person’s behaviour has been to the party and has refused to make the decision to ban him from our group.
I feel very close to issuing an ultimatum – it’s him or me.
Fortunately I get on very well with the leader of the local opposition party, we see eye to eye on many things, including the publicity value to both of us of promoting a local failing landmark. Sometimes our eyes meet across the empty Council Chamber just before a vote and he winks at me as I follow his lead and vote the same way he does.
I feel he would welcome me with open arms if I quit my party and joined his, so I just wanted to see if you agree that this would be a good move. I don’t care if you don’t agree, because I don’t listen to anyone.
Best wishes
ThinkingOfBecomingATurnCoat
Dear ThinkingOfBecomingATurncoat,
I am sorry. But I simply cannot condone this idea, in my long career as a politician I have quit many things because it wasn’t going my way, but I have NEVER quit my party.
I think you may have let the idea of power go to your head and whilst you may have the desirable traits of not listening, riding roughshod over other people’s emotions and having no empathy whatsoever, I also think that you have allowed this opposition leader to turn your head. You really won’t find that the sea is any bluer in his party, no matter what he says.
Regards
Horace.
P. S. You do realise that if you do swap sides you may have to give up your title and gold necklace?