Lord Sewel’s career is well and truly over. His alleged participation in illicit activities involving drugs and prostitutes, as reported by The Sun, has caused fatal damage to his little-known reputation. It’s hard to see how he could excuse the behaviour caught on camera, but Sewel will be all too aware that his actions have damaged public perceptions about the House of Lords and Westminster generally.
In an age where elected politicians are highly scrutinised, the public has little understanding of the House of Lords, who ends up in there and what it does. When a scandal such as this breaks, it only confirms their worst fears about politicians and peers. As well as these actions, Sewel has made matters worse with some choice remarks about changes to expenses:
‘It’s all changed and disappeared. People were making false claims.’
And some well-meaning thoughts about his colleagues:
‘Members of her Lordship’s House who are right thieves, rogues and bastards at times.
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