Westminster Insider The art of the political apology
Dec 8, 2023
Former Downing Street aide Cleo Watson and former Tory MP Neil Parish discuss the art of political apologies, analyzing Boris Johnson's recent apology for COVID-19 mistakes. They explore the complexity and consequences of political apologies, reflecting on scandals involving pornography, sexting, and more. The podcast delves into the aftermath of apologies and politicians' paths to redemption, highlighting the challenges they face. It also discusses successful political apologies, including those by Neil Parish, Brooks Newmark, Nick Clegg, and Boris Johnson, questioning the potential success of Johnson's COVID apology.
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Apology Is A Strategic Performance
- Political apologies are strategic performances that require timing, precision and luck.
- A perfect apology can let a politician keep office and win forgiveness, but the window is very small.
Clegg's Calculated YouTube Sorry
- Sean Kemp recounts Nick Clegg deciding to record a video apology about tuition fees to stop every interview focusing on it.
- The apology allowed Clegg to pivot interviews but did not repair his long-term reputation.
Line-In-The-Sand Apologies Fail To Satisfy
- The 'line in the sand' apology aims to draw a clear end to an issue rather than deeply acknowledge fault.
- These apologies often aim to move on quickly but frequently fail to satisfy critics.