The growing practice of rehabilitation

First it was Peter Mandelson, now Lord Mandelson of Foy and Hartlepool, whom Times columnist Anne Treneman beautifully described on his repatriation from the EU and his astonishing revival as a leading politician thus:

“Mandy did not walk into the House of Lords so much as slide… he looked uncommonly solemn, his thin lips set in a wavy line above the huge collar of floppy ermine (he was born to wear ermine)…as he reached out a languid hand for the Bible, it all seemed rather fey. Or coy, even. ‘I Peter Lord Mandelson’, he began, his voice as clear as a bell. He ended the oath by saying ‘so help me God’. Poor God. I am not sure He wants to be dragged into this particular oath. Indeed I’m not sure that Mandy would ever need the help of the Almighty for he can now, surely, just look in the mirror.”

Then Andy Hornby who became CEO at Boots after a sticky time leading HBOS, the banking group that collapsed into the arms of Lloyd’s who in turn staggered under the weight of HBOS’ problems. Our history is full of people who’ve done wrong or hit the steep face of misfortune and who’ve bounced back. Jeffrey Archer (prison for perjury), Jonathan Aitken (Ditto), Richard Nixon (second time round he got impeached but today is regarded as having been an impressive statesman), Sir Philip Green (remember Amber Day), Piers Morgan (fired from the Mirror), Kate Moss (naughty nose) and Amy Winehouse (doesn’t have wine in her name for nothing).

Who’s next? Fred Goodwin? Richard Fuld? Fabio Briatore? Dean Richards?

Somehow I think these guys still have a lot to offer and we ought to be using their painful learning to our advantage rather than just shunning them.

Failure is a great teacher – none better.