IT takes courage for someone to criticise a boss to their face and I have never forgotten the time I saw a policewoman do it to an assistant chief constable. It was some years ago when I was still in the force and a young WPC was in hospital after trying to commit suicide after her partner walked out on her.

Discussing the matter at police HQ the rather cold and unfeeling ACC said: "The stupid woman, she has got to get a grip". A policewoman who was in the room told him bluntly: "Sir, you have no idea of the meaning of love".

That policewoman was absolutely right. Unrequited love can turn into the most destructive human emotion, a broken heart is infinitely more painful than broken bones. It saddens and angers me that parts of society feel it necessary to wallow in the personal misfortune of public figures and, just like that ACC, show not the slightest compassion for their suffering.

Of course David Blunkett was right to resign. Not because he had an affair but because he showed judgement which fell below the standard we expect of senior politicians. He is a public figure and so it is right that the media report what has happened, no doubt the public will be talking about it.

I've never met David Blunkett and I didn't regard him as a great Home Secretary but the viciousness of the coverage of his downfall disturbs me.

If someone is convicted of murder or another serious crime they tend to be in the papers one day and that's it. David Blunkett, like others who erred before him, is being treated worse than a serious criminal.

It's not just the TV and newspapers raking over personal lives and soliciting gold-diggers but mainstream entertainment - the likes of Frank Skinner, Jonathan Ross - who use such personal tragedies as cannon fodder.

David Blunkett has never played on his disability, has never sought preferential treatment and wouldn't want it now. But he has conquered adversity and in doing so set an example for many others. He had risen to the top levels of his profession and was tipped by some for the very top.

But then it all changed and he started making bad judgement calls. I can't help thinking this is because he so loved Kimberly Quinn and his son and the fear of losing one or both of them became all consuming and clouded everything else in his life.

The judgement of Tony Blair in bringing Blunkett back so quickly has also been criticised. I think this is a fair point. Mr Blair seems almost demob happy at the moment and I wonder if this is clouding his judgement.

I'm sure the Prime Minister thought he was doing the right thing in bringing Blunkett back into Government, perhaps he thought he was helping an old friend, but I suspect he should have waited. I don't think Mr Blunkett's wounds had healed, his mind was not focused enough to hold such a responsible position.

But in the coverage of this sad episode is it not possible for people to bear in mind this is a personal tragedy, is it not possible to show a little restraint, perhaps a little compassion for someone who has made mistakes and in doing so illustrated he is only human after all?

Published: 04/11/2005