Gareth, I am no expert on stuff, but I think the problem I have is your blind faith. Instead of trying to defend the indefenisable, and lets be honest here, he has said some indefensible things. What is it that he is GOOD at. I want to know what it is that creates your loyalty to the man.

For goodness sake, one of my MP`s is John Prescot, old 2 Jags himself. He has the capacity to get things wrong, big style, no point in denying it, but I have met the man, he didnt know me from Adam, but I was impressed. I really believe he cares and works very hard and is probably better at what he does than most of the alternatives, and I also believe he does listen and and isnt stupid. Thats where my respect (though limited) comes from. But not everyone has had my experience of him so I can understand the criticism he gets. And I dont defend everything he does just because I have a generally positive opinion of the man.

Where does it come from in you with KH? I would respect your support of him, even if I decided to disagree with it, far more if I knew. Believe me, I dont expect my politicians to be perfect, its a crap job and I wouldnt do it, there has to be a certain mentality to do the job and no one should be suprised that politicians are not always the best human beings we could find to represent us.

However, that said, there are lots of capable politicians, from all parties, who dont have the habit of putting their foot in it like KH. The stuff he has been criticised in the forum for, is for the most part, completely non political. It has been competence based criticism, poor decision making, hypocritical stuff. Thats what gets up peoples noses about him. He seems incompetent and thoughtless.

What ARE his qualities? What do YOU see in the man. Support his politics by all means, but why such faith in someone who keeps letting you down?

Please take this as a genuine attempt to understand your views and to find out more about KH. I know I have done my fair share of "having a go" in threads but I am not closed minded, and I would apreciate your thoughts.