Mark Oaten

[Zen]

Another triumph for the News of the World ? Any comments folks ?

[surfer mike]

No

[Zen]

Brief and to the point.
27 minutes what kept you ?

[noxlumos]

Oh definately a triumph, and exactly what we have all come to expect from this shining beacon of important information.In the same edition they also regale us with with fascinating insights into "My Big Bruvver sex pest hell" by Jodie and "Jade Goody's 18 year old Toy Boy Shocker".

What I find particularly nauseating and ironic about this particular "publication" is that they are spearheading an anti-bullying campaign whilst at the same time showing us how we can gather information against people about their private lives and blackmail them into doing what we want them to with it, causing them untold personal misery! Poor Mark Oaten and his family.

It's a disgusting rag, only useful when you run out of toilet roll.

[rojash]

Errm.. Who's Mark Oaten?

[noxlumos]

Liberal whose just been "exposed" by the NOTW as having been involved with a "rent boy" for a long time. They generously gave him the opportunity to resign before they publish it tomorrow which he has done.

[rojash]

Right, now I know who he is. I visited the News of the World website.

I think noxlumos said it all, really....

[Dom Tuk]

Dont just pooh pooh the story. He was standing for the liberal democrats leadership until recently. He is in the shadow cabinet. Now all that means for something in the corridors of power. He was a married man and used rent boys in london. I dont want a potential leader to be of such dubious morality. Bravo to News of the world for bringing out the truth and exposing it to the world.Dont see the broad sheets doing this kind of service do you?? IF you still want him as an MP and possible leader of the lib dems then by all means write to the lib dems and express your wishes and start a Save Oaten campaign.

[jno]

DT, I don't believe being in the Lib Dems' shadow cabinet amounts to much. And my opinion of Tony Blair wouldn't be any lower, really, if it turned out he had a relationship with a rent boy; for all my dislike of him, I find myself responding to him on purely political grounds rather than sexual ones. I know Americans are much more outraged by their leaders' sex lives (Clinton was impeached over an affair with an intern, Nixon wasn't over the constitutional outrage of Watergate), but I think Brits generally aren't, except the News of the World of course.

[Dom Tuk]

Jno, do you think Mr Oaten would have been elected as an MP if he made it public that he was leading a secret life and that he ocassionally preferred the company of rent boys (lets not go into the distasteful violence and sadism that these helpless boys sometimes have to bear) to his wife and children. NO. He was elected on a lie. As for not much power in a lib dem shadow cabinet there are any number of businesses and multi national companies who offer directorships to such men in the hope that having a voice and a nudge in the right direction within the old boys network will yield fruit at a later date. A perfect example is William Hague who is the richest MP based on his shadow cabinet experiences.

[jno]

DT Hague led the Tory Party and was a serious contender for the country's leadership. Oaten was a spokesman for one portfolio in the third party with not the slightest prospect of power. I think there's a big difference.

As for being elected on a lie... everyone lies about their sex life. I have always felt that they were entitled to, and that it is not a political issue. (I think Clinton was the best president the Americans have had for years, though I realise many don't.) I don't think that sadism is an issue here unless Oaten inflicted it himself.

[Dom Tuk]

With all due respect JNO i am horrified that you do not consider the horrible life of a rent boy in London as an issue. Oaten may or may not have himself inflicted such horrors on the poor and helpless person but he is in my opinion guilty of associating himself with such a barbaric trade and practise. There are still many who consider that rent boys actually enter the profession and wait in underpasses of their own violition.

Hope he fades into obscurity and his wife has a future without him. You reckon he will stop his disgusting activities though...nah.

[jno]

yes, you're right to remind me that even if not sadistic himself Oaten may have taken advantage of the boy's vulnerability DT. Whether he will change I have no idea. But I still think the paper picked on someone who, basically, doesn't matter.

[littleoldme]

The NOTW is a scuzzball rag, whose "reporters" take a delight in screwing up people's lives. Not what I call providing a service. I have little if any sympathy for Oaten himself, but while the filth from the NOTW are crowing and preening their feathers, there is a wife and kiddies coming to terms with the fact that their beloved husband and father has been conducting a long-term affair with a rent boy (who won't be so "poor and helpless" once the NOTW pay him for his story). Not only that, but their tale of woe is now common knowledge across the country, so they won't even be allowed to sort things out in private.

[vehelpfulguy]

While not condoning what Oaten did, it would be nice to turn the tables on some of these journalists.

How many NOTW jorno's are alcoholics, take cocaine, use prostitutes, use rent boys, look at child porn, accept bribes etc.

Be nice to ruin their lives for a change, to see how they like it.

[Dkeyse]

Well said, vehelpfulguy, I have wondered that too! Perhaps a campaign should be set up to delve in to the comic's employees lives!!

[netibiza]

I believe it's for him and his family to work it out, nothing to do with me.

[Drusilla]

I didn't know anything about this matter until I read this thread, so thanks all.
It would have been strange to say the least, if the Lib-Dems had approved the removal of a drinker like Kennedy and replaced him with someone as dubious morally as Oaten.
Rent boys are often psychologically damaged victims of abuse with severe drug problems. As an MP, isn't he in the ideal position to have done something more positive regarding the plight of rent boys and prostitutes, rather than employing them professionally.

[noxlumos]

Whilst true that a lot of prostitutes and rent boys are subject to violence, cruelty and are forced into the profession please don't automatically assume that that is always the case. The British Prostitutes Collective is a network of self employed (not pimped or exploited) prostitutes of both genders and all sexual persuasions who are seeking to dispell some of the myths associated with prostitution ( such as the prostitutes are always victims and that 80% of prostitutes are drug addicts, real figuer moer like 15%).There is nothing to suggest that the man Mark Oaten was involved with was his victim, he may well have been a well adjusted carer prostitute, because they are far more common that you would suppose.

http://www.allwomencount.net/EWC%20Sex%20Workers/SexWorkIndex.htm

I personally feel that someone's sex life as long as taking place with consenting adults is no-one's business but theirs.

[Drusilla]

Fair point noxlumos and I wouldn't ordinarily condemn people for using prostitutes, but when politicians make use of their families and personal values as a means to getting elected to public office, I think the public have a right to question their hypocrisy.

[Drisgirl]

Had the Times outed Oaten would the thread have been more dignified and appreciative of investigative journalism?I suspect so.

It must be true because straight from the horse mouth he has apologised to his wife and family.Sometimes just sometimes one should climb down from their pedestals and accept the tabloids usurp the 'serious journalists'.BTW - cant remember who it was but what do you know about any journalists personal habits - are you attempting to infer its only tabloids?

He should have been outed 2 faced creep using a young boy for his personal gratification in order to assist the young boy in all probability to feed a habit.