Stamping out dirty election tactics

Posted Wednesday 24 March 2010

I joined MPs and leaders from the mental health world on 22 March at the launch of the first ‘mental health election compact’.

In the glitzy surroundings of Speakers House, we celebrated another step forward in the battle against stigma and discrimination – this time focusing on the behaviour of MPs during the run up to the general election.

The compact effectively bans politicians from making slurs about opponents’ mental health while campaigning. Those who sign promise not to make discriminatory comments to score political advantage, and to challenge ‘canteen culture harassment’ which sees negative comments made in the course of everyday conversation. 

Mind, along with other mental health organisations, has been lobbying for months to make this happen, and we are delighted that Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg have all signed up.

In an ideal world, such a compact wouldn’t be necessary in the first place.  As Mr Speaker pointed out at the event, politicians wouldn’t dream of referring to their opponents’ gender, race, sexuality or physical health in their election campaigning. So why should it be acceptable to make remarks, however subtle, about opponents’ mental health? 

Of course, it’s not acceptable – but it does happen. Who can forget the car-crash of an interview in which Andrew Marr quizzed Gordon Brown about his mental state? And this was not a one-off; political blogs and websites on all sides are full of speculation and innuendo, and I have personally overheard many an inappropriate comment made, particularly after hours at the political party conferences. Let’s hope the compact helps stamp out this poor behaviour.

And let’s also hope that it will go some way in encouraging new MPs to speak openly about their own mental health. As I’ve pointed out in previous blog posts, MPs are just as susceptible to mental health problems as the rest of us, but I could count on one hand the number that are willing to talk about it publicly.  

At the event, comedienne Ruby Wax rightly pointed out (in a far wittier style) that voters need MPs they can relate to - people who have experienced the same things as them, and who represent them in the truest sense. So MPs that pretend to be immune to mental ill health serve neither themselves nor their constituents. With a bit of luck the next generation will be brave enough to recognise this.

Louise Kirsh, Parliamentary Officer

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4 Comments

• Judith replied on 24 Mar 2010 at 14:09

  All very well, but if you are an MP and you have to be detained under the Mental Health Act, you have to stand down, so if an MP admits to having such problems, s/he may end their career by doing so.

• Roz replied on 25 Mar 2010 at 09:15

  Well maybe this rule should be looked at again. And anyway, we are talking about "being detained under the Mental Health Act". There are many more examples of MPs and others experiencing mental health problems that we should all be able to discuss. The more discussion, then the more chance we can remove the stigma.

• Mindreader replied on 25 Mar 2010 at 17:28

  and maybe both parties should stop competing with each other about who can be tougher on us via the MHA and welfare

• Sarah replied on 28 Apr 2010 at 10:02

  I'm tired of being treated asthough my sick status is a choice I make and I'm just workshy. A leading expert in my condition produced a 40 page report about me which concludes that I ought to have a year more of psychotherapy and I'll be fine (approximate cost £2,000). However the NHS wont pay for it, says it's unnecessary... So the tax payer will keep me on £15,000 of benefits a year instead! Its almost sadistic in both its cruelty and its absurdity.