neilcumming

Mellor a horrible horrible person.

Oakvillian

He is undoubtedly odious, in the narcissistic way that many politicians have to be in order to succeed at the polls (cf. Alex Salmond, for example ).

Much of what was written about him in the tabloids while he was in government - from where I'm guessing you get your "horrible horrible person" impression - was completely fabricated, as Antonia de Sancha later acknowledged. Sure, he had an extramarital affair, but that is hardly (and sadly) grounds for "horrible horrible" these days.

He would also appear to have an unfortunate combination of a hair-trigger temper, a foul mouth, a sense of entitlement, a lot of money, and a - how to put it - "less-than-attractive aesthetic." That makes him easy prey for the media.

Politically, much of the legislation he chaperoned through Parliament is pretty good: while at the Home Office he championed those parts of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act that ensured all police interviews with suspects were taped, for example; he brought in a number of animal welfare laws in response to concerns over the treatment of laboratory animals; he famously stood up for the rights of Palestinians in a confrontation with an Israeli army officer, live on air in Israel; he was considered a sufficiently sound character by Tony Blair that he was appointed to lead the Football Task Force in 1997.

Shard

The only thing I remember about him from his MP days was the de Sancha affair (a shocking mismatch of human specimens) but I don't remember him being particularly odious, as everyone on here seems to. Having said that, the taxi driver episode doesn't cast him in very attractive light. But who knows what preceded it. With Twitter and phone cams everything seems to be getting incredibly politically correct, which in one sense progress, but in another sense downright boring.

bats

Didn't he used to be a gamekeeper?

Shard

Some contrition this morning.

BBC News - Former minister David Mellor apologises for taxi rant

(No idea about the gamekeeper, just know that he supports Chelsea.)

neilcumming

If his drunken rant wasnt caught on tape he most probably wouldnt have apoligised and I didnt hear or read him giving an apology to the cab driver.He has a track record of these outbursts usually against people he thinks are beneath him.What a knobhead!