A word about Iris Robinson

I have to say that I've never really had any time for Iris Robinson. The vile homoophobic poison she's spouted saw to that. I will always stand up against that sort of bigoted hatred, wherever I find it.

Tonight, though, I feel saddened by some of the reaction to the revelations about her affair. I'd always said that people's personal lives should stay out of politics unless there was obvious hypocrisy eg someone who'd banged on about the family being exposed as having an affair. I should rather shamefacedly admit to having a good laugh at the Tories who were caught out in this way as a result of Major's ill advised Back to Basics thing but maybe I've mellowed a little in my middle age.

I think that if you hold a view of the world that involves respect for other people, tolerance and compassion, then you have to stick by those values. It's clear that the Robinsons have both had a horrendous time and I suspect that Iris in particular is going to get an absolute hammering in the press. I have a feeling as well that she will be isolated in her rather puritanical party who will no doubt be much more condemnatory of her because she's a woman. No doubt the tabloid press will take the same view. Never ones for equality, them.

I think the Robinsons should be left in peace to get on with their lives because that's just the right thing to do.