From time to time members of opposition parties are lured to the ruling party. This is entirely within their rights. Such incidents are invariably presented by the ruling party as a political victory, when the act of joining the majority party in any democracy is hardly an act of courage.

The unspoken truth is that the majority of defectors from the opposition were disgruntled and over-ambitious and the ruling party seduced them with promises of power and opportunity. This is cheque-book politics of the worst sort. But of course the ruling party doesn’t have bottomless pockets or endless vacant posts; a shocking discovery that a great many defectors only make after they had stood on public platforms defaming their former political homes.

The UDM recently received correspondence from such a defector. It is a pitiful example of the usual desperate attempts we regularly witness from defectors. Unfortunately, it is not prudent for a political party to allow such people to return to formal party political activities.

It is necessary for us to establish a culture in this country of having the courage of your convictions; if indeed you believe in a cause then you should demonstrate it. It is this “take any route that will get you to the top”-attitude which the ruling party is fostering that leads to the greed and corruption which has become so commonplace in our society.