Rev Norman Hamilton: I will not vote for politicians who are aggressive, rude or vulgar

This is the everyday language of rather too many of our leading politicians — though happily, there are some very notable exceptions.

Is this an acceptable way to have political debate in a properly functioning democracy?

Is this the way to encourage and mentor a new generation of political leaders — never mind be an example to wider society?

It can hardly be a surprise if others follow these examples that are given to them on an almost daily basis, by indulging in trolling or abusive tweets and being open to developing a rebellious civic spirit.

Is it a badge of honour for some ‘progressive’ politicians to be rude, or for some ‘conservative’ politicians to be consistently aggressive?

Is a key way of being heard by the electorate to indulge in verbal abuse? I have always been of the opinion that those who behave in this way are saying more about themselves than those they are trying to attack.

It looks as if I am rather old fashioned because I believe that character really does matter in public life. Yet it is often forgotten that all our elected representatives are explicitly and individually required to sign up to quality of character when they are elected. One of the principles of public life they promise to uphold is ‘leadership’.

This is described as follows: Holders of public office should exhibit these (Nolan) principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Each and every time they use demeaning language they are explicitly indulging in the poor behaviour that they have undertaken to ‘challenge’.

This is surely blatant hypocrisy... promising to behave in one way, but actively and knowingly behaving in the opposite way, and all too often seeming to enjoy it.

It is no defence to pass this off as ‘robust’ debate. The word ‘robust’ is not a synonym for vulgarity.

There is little that an ordinary voter like myself can do about this decline. However, I can determine not to vote for any candidates in any future election who engage in such behaviour, no matter what promises they make, or what their party manifesto seeks to promote.

I have already taken that decision. For myself, character will count at the ballot box more than anything else.

• (Very Rev Dr) Norman Hamilton is a former moderator of the Presbyterian church

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