482:, in which he said "Journalists ... had my story for three years I think, but hung on to it and never did anything with it. They could have made that public interest argument at any point in the three years. I had always been a Member of Parliament, but they waited until it could sell most newspapers, at the point at which I became well-known and at my most famous."
534:
party, Oaten had been called a moderniser in the sense that he was keen to emphasise economic liberalism and to prevent the
Liberal Democrats being sidelined as a 'party of the left'. As the party's principal home affairs spokesman, he championed the rights of asylum seekers and civil liberties, condemned calls by then Conservative frontbencher
533:
in 2004—although he attracted anger from the book's co-authors at its launch event at the Lib Dem
Conference in spring 2004 when he refused to answer questions about his own chapter, stating that it had actually been written by his research assistant, and that he had not even read it. Within the
428:, standing on an agenda of making liberalism relevant to the twenty-first century. He was widely rumoured to be Kennedy's favoured successor but his campaign failed to gain momentum. On 18 January, he became embroiled in a row about the leaking of an email.
396:
successfully challenged the election on the basis of an established precedent which voided the result where it had been affected by a decision not to count ballot papers which had not been properly stamped.
994:
505:. In 2018, he resigned from the Liberal Democrats after being a member for thirty years but announced that he had rejoined them in September 2019 to "help defeat the new extremes growing in politics".
461:' sex sessions with two male prostitutes. Further allegations surfaced in the media over the following days, including an accusation that he had asked one of the prostitutes to engage in an act of
439:, a peer and MEP. He concluded his withdrawal statement with the words "Next week I'll be giving some thought to where I go politically and giving my thoughts on the future of the Party."
1446:
1377:
322:
in 2006, but withdrew from the contest. He was later hit by a series of scandals which also led to his resignation as Home
Affairs spokesman. He did not seek re-election to the
1520:
1515:
1530:
582:
In 2011 Oaten accepted a position as executive of the
International Fur Trade Federation. Whilst an MP, Oaten was critical of any plans to introduce legislation to outlaw
964:
833:
1370:
998:
1088:
1145:
935:
887:
356:
Before entering
Parliament, Oaten had been a councillor and was employed as a lobbyist by various Westminster public affairs companies. He was leader of the
775:
1363:
489:
party selected Martin Tod to replace Oaten as the
Liberal Democrat candidate, but Tod was defeated at the general election by the Conservative candidate
1495:
333:
Following his retirement from active politics, Oaten published two books, before becoming executive of the
International Fur Trade Federation in 2011.
602:
in 2019, Oaten came out as gay and revealed he was in a relationship. He was previously married to his wife, Belinda, with whom he had two daughters.
1545:
538:
for the reintroduction of capital punishment and has claimed to want to reunite all the strands of liberalism, and not elevate one above the others.
501:
After his retirement from frontline politics, Oaten released two books, one on the history of coalition governments, and the other a memoir entitled
586:, and supported a 'middle way' approach to the issue, that would allow hunting to remain legal. In 2004 Oaten voted against the ban on fox hunting.
457:
that he had hired a 23-year-old male prostitute between the summer of 2004 and
February 2005. The newspaper also alleged that Oaten had engaged in '
1174:
319:
431:
On 19 January, Oaten withdrew from the contest, having failed to attract support from within the parliamentary party; his sole supporters were
619:
1525:
754:
1485:
1480:
1386:
421:
315:
512:
Oaten stood unsuccessfully for the
Liberal Democrats in the Severn Vale Ward of South Gloucestershire Council, receiving 1,435 votes.
1347:
857:
133:
1490:
1298:
1059:"Have re joined my old party the Lib Dem's. It's time to get stuck in again and help defeat the new extremes growing in politics"
486:
145:
35:
529:
323:
1500:
1294:
284:
140:
972:
1307:
1303:
409:
405:
381:
369:
365:
327:
843:
509:
815:
1095:
895:
797:
1505:
1278:
535:
404:
at which Malone stood again. Oaten won with a majority of 21,556, gaining 68% of the vote. He held the seat in the
1540:
783:
436:
485:
Oaten announced that he would be standing down from
Parliament at the 2010 general election. The members of his
1560:
1555:
1550:
1535:
357:
303:
235:
1025:"Joined party in 1982. Tough call to leave but don't feel any of the current parties are worth voting for"
1268:
401:
350:
264:
1089:"Simon Titley, Review of Mark Oaten's memoir "Screwing Up", Liberator Magazine, November 2009, p.14-15"
729:
645:
288:
1252:
1510:
909:
389:
361:
1475:
1337:
554:
311:
280:
222:
88:
1355:
913:
711:
470:
1120:
669:
1470:
1062:
1028:
1263:
865:
8:
1150:
940:
80:
307:
1058:
1024:
682:
453:
342:
1410:
595:
1426:
1398:
759:
567:
475:
425:
109:
56:
571:
521:
385:
1257:
432:
1464:
1329:
838:
559:
299:
121:
1199:
1421:
1287:
1228:
Coalition: The Politics and Personalities of Coalition Government from 1850
599:
563:
393:
279:(born 8 March 1964) is a British politician who was a senior member of the
168:
68:
478:" was partly responsible for his actions. In 2009 he gave an interview to
408:, with a majority of 9,634 (with a 54.6% share of the vote), and again in
1416:
1314:
583:
490:
462:
448:
302:, Oaten became a councillor in local government, joining the centre-left
180:
384:
with a majority of two, but his election was later declared void by the
1200:"BBC Radio 5 live - In Short, Sex scandal MP Mark Oaten: 'I'm gay now'"
995:"Screwing Up - How one MP Survived Politics, Scandal and Turning Forty"
524:
420:
On 10 January 2006, Oaten declared that he would be a candidate in the
259:
412:, although his majority dropped to 7,473 (a 50.6% share of the vote).
1124:
549:
458:
1447:
Timeline of events in the 2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election
1175:"Ex-Lib Dem Mark Oaten says he is now 'comfortable with being gay'"
1247:
1234:
Screwing Up: How One MP Survived Politics, Scandal and Turning 40
1074:
1040:
503:
Screwing Up: How One MP Survived Politics, Scandal and Turning 40
295:
211:
798:"Britain's Liberals Elect 14th Century Chinese Vase as Leader!"
346:
1385:
527:
until it was wound up in 2005, and one of the contributors to
447:
On 21 January 2006, Oaten resigned from the Liberal Democrat
415:
888:"Mark Oaten: 'Titillation is not in the public interest'"
468:
Oaten gave an explanation for his actions in an essay in
1146:"Disgraced MP Mark Oaten takes job promoting fur trade"
1521:
Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies
1516:
LGBTQ members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
577:
620:"Oaten blames dirty tricks as he quits Lib Dem race"
372:and polled 10,231 votes, finishing in third place.
1531:People educated at Queens' School, Hertfordshire
1462:
520:Oaten was a member of the Advisory Board of the
730:"Oaten to pull out of Lib Dem leadership race"
1371:
643:
562:in England. Taking part alongside Oaten were
776:"Lib Dem MP resigns over 'gay' relationship"
755:"Mark Oaten: On the scandal that ruined him"
965:"A Lib/Con pact? You shouldn't rule it out"
706:
704:
1388:2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election
1378:
1364:
558:in which four MPs lived with on different
442:
1496:Alumni of the University of Hertfordshire
1253:contributions in Parliament by Mark Oaten
541:
1546:Social Democratic Party (UK) politicians
1260:profile at the site of Liberal Democrats
773:
727:
701:
646:"Leading Lib Dem quits over sex scandal"
416:Liberal Democrat leadership contest 2006
910:"MP says he will go before an election"
605:
375:
48:12 June 2003 – 21 January 2006
36:Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesman
1463:
1172:
617:
530:The Orange Book: Reclaiming Liberalism
318:in 2003. He stood for the position of
1359:
1053:
1019:
962:
834:"Top 50 Political Scandals: Part One"
380:Oaten won the Winchester seat in the
936:"Lib Dems pick man to replace Oaten"
864:. London. 7 May 2006. Archived from
552:broadcast a four-part series called
515:
728:Branigan, Tania (19 January 2006).
618:Carlin, Brendan (20 January 2006).
510:2023 United Kingdom local elections
158:1 May 1997 – 12 April 2010
101:7 June 2001 – 12 June 2003
13:
1526:Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors
1264:TheyWorkForYou.com - Mark Oaten MP
774:Shoffman, Marc (22 January 2006).
578:International Fur Trade Federation
14:
1572:
1486:21st-century English LGBTQ people
1481:20th-century English LGBTQ people
1240:
1230:, Harriman House Publishing, 2007
1173:Walker, Peter (14 January 2019).
644:Gaby Hinsliff (22 January 2006).
1279:Parliament of the United Kingdom
997:. Total Politics. Archived from
963:Oaten, Mark (6 September 2007).
589:
1491:21st-century British memoirists
1236:, Biteback Publishing Ltd, 2009
1221:
1192:
1166:
1138:
1113:
1081:
1047:
1013:
987:
956:
928:
902:
880:
850:
826:
808:
437:Sarah Ludford, Baroness Ludford
320:Leader of the Liberal Democrats
314:in 1988. He became the party's
790:
767:
747:
721:
675:
663:
637:
611:
16:British politician (born 1964)
1:
842:. 8 July 2009. Archived from
496:
336:
1501:Councillors in Hertfordshire
1269:The Public Whip - Mark Oaten
670:Liberal Democrats: Who's Who
451:when it was revealed by the
7:
402:1997 Winchester by-election
351:University of Hertfordshire
265:University of Hertfordshire
10:
1577:
1442:
1405:
1395:
1344:
1334:
1326:
1321:
1311:
1292:
1284:
1277:
712:Ask Aristotle: Mark Oaten
400:This decision caused the
270:
258:
250:
242:
229:
225:(1988–2018; 2019–present)
218:
195:
190:
186:
174:
162:
151:
139:
127:
115:
105:
94:
86:
74:
62:
52:
41:
34:
30:
23:
1322:Party political offices
1121:"Tower Block of Commons"
971:. London. Archived from
816:"The nut and the hammer"
306:, which merged with the
1506:English gay politicians
1154:. London. 22 March 2011
487:Winchester constituency
443:Scandal and resignation
362:Watford Borough Council
304:Social Democratic Party
236:Social Democratic Party
1541:Politics of Winchester
555:Tower Block of Commons
543:Tower Block of Commons
341:Oaten was educated at
316:Home Affairs spokesman
914:The News (Portsmouth)
683:"Profile: Mark Oaten"
370:1992 general election
328:2010 general election
1411:Sir Menzies Campbell
1295:Member of Parliament
1057:(3 September 2019).
763:. 15 September 2009.
606:Notes and references
474:in which he said a "
376:Member of Parliament
285:Member of Parliament
141:Member of Parliament
1536:People from Watford
1151:The Daily Telegraph
1023:(18 October 2018).
1001:on 12 February 2010
941:Hampshire Chronicle
846:on 4 February 2012.
820:The Daily Telegraph
802:The Huffington Post
594:In an interview on
422:leadership election
364:. He stood for the
291:from 1997 to 2010.
283:. He served as the
81:Alistair Carmichael
1458:
1457:
1397:Outgoing Leader:
1354:
1353:
1345:Succeeded by
1338:Liberal Democrats
1312:Succeeded by
1206:. 13 January 2019
1101:on 19 August 2016
944:. 4 December 2006
689:. 21 January 2006
548:In February 2010
516:Political leaning
454:News of the World
312:Liberal Democrats
281:Liberal Democrats
274:
273:
223:Liberal Democrats
89:Liberal Democrats
1568:
1561:UK MPs 2005–2010
1556:UK MPs 2001–2005
1551:UK MPs 1997–2001
1389:
1380:
1373:
1366:
1357:
1356:
1336:Chairman of the
1327:Preceded by
1285:Preceded by
1275:
1274:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1211:
1196:
1190:
1189:
1187:
1185:
1170:
1164:
1163:
1161:
1159:
1142:
1136:
1135:
1133:
1131:
1117:
1111:
1110:
1108:
1106:
1100:
1094:. Archived from
1093:
1085:
1079:
1078:
1072:
1070:
1051:
1045:
1044:
1038:
1036:
1017:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1006:
991:
985:
984:
982:
980:
960:
954:
953:
951:
949:
932:
926:
925:
923:
921:
906:
900:
899:
898:on 10 July 2009.
894:. Archived from
884:
878:
877:
875:
873:
868:on 10 March 2007
862:The Sunday Times
858:"Out of control"
854:
848:
847:
830:
824:
823:
812:
806:
805:
794:
788:
787:
786:on 7 April 2017.
782:. Archived from
771:
765:
764:
751:
745:
744:
742:
740:
725:
719:
708:
699:
698:
696:
694:
679:
673:
667:
661:
660:
658:
656:
641:
635:
634:
632:
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615:
596:BBC Radio 5 Live
471:The Sunday Times
324:House of Commons
246:Belinda (former)
209:
205:
203:
191:Personal details
177:
165:
156:
130:
118:
99:
77:
65:
46:
21:
20:
1576:
1575:
1571:
1570:
1569:
1567:
1566:
1565:
1461:
1460:
1459:
1454:
1438:
1427:Charles Kennedy
1401:
1399:Charles Kennedy
1391:
1387:
1384:
1350:
1341:
1332:
1317:
1302:
1290:
1243:
1224:
1219:
1209:
1207:
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1193:
1183:
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1052:
1048:
1034:
1032:
1018:
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1004:
1002:
993:
992:
988:
978:
976:
975:on 25 July 2008
961:
957:
947:
945:
934:
933:
929:
919:
917:
908:
907:
903:
886:
885:
881:
871:
869:
856:
855:
851:
832:
831:
827:
814:
813:
809:
804:. 2 March 2006.
796:
795:
791:
772:
768:
760:The Independent
753:
752:
748:
738:
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726:
722:
709:
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664:
654:
652:
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638:
628:
626:
616:
612:
608:
592:
580:
568:Austin Mitchell
560:council estates
546:
518:
499:
476:mid-life crisis
445:
426:Charles Kennedy
418:
388:. The defeated
378:
339:
231:
230:Other political
219:Political party
210:
207:
201:
199:
175:
163:
157:
152:
143:
128:
116:
110:Charles Kennedy
100:
95:
75:
63:
57:Charles Kennedy
47:
42:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1574:
1564:
1563:
1558:
1553:
1548:
1543:
1538:
1533:
1528:
1523:
1518:
1513:
1511:Gay memoirists
1508:
1503:
1498:
1493:
1488:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1456:
1455:
1453:
1452:
1449:
1443:
1440:
1439:
1437:
1436:
1430:
1424:
1419:
1414:
1406:
1403:
1402:
1396:
1393:
1392:
1383:
1382:
1375:
1368:
1360:
1352:
1351:
1348:Matthew Taylor
1346:
1343:
1333:
1328:
1324:
1323:
1319:
1318:
1313:
1310:
1291:
1286:
1282:
1281:
1273:
1272:
1266:
1261:
1255:
1242:
1241:External links
1239:
1238:
1237:
1231:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1217:
1191:
1165:
1137:
1112:
1080:
1046:
1012:
986:
955:
927:
901:
879:
849:
825:
822:. 14 May 2006.
807:
789:
766:
746:
720:
700:
674:
662:
636:
609:
607:
604:
591:
588:
579:
576:
572:Nadine Dorries
545:
540:
522:Liberal Future
517:
514:
498:
495:
459:three-in-a-bed
444:
441:
417:
414:
386:Election Court
377:
374:
343:Queens' School
338:
335:
272:
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268:
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134:Matthew Taylor
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1479:
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1476:Living people
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1339:
1331:
1330:Malcolm Bruce
1325:
1320:
1316:
1309:
1305:
1301:
1300:
1296:
1289:
1283:
1280:
1276:
1271:voting record
1270:
1267:
1265:
1262:
1259:
1258:Mark Oaten MP
1256:
1254:
1250:
1249:
1245:
1244:
1235:
1232:
1229:
1226:
1225:
1205:
1201:
1195:
1180:
1176:
1169:
1153:
1152:
1147:
1141:
1126:
1122:
1116:
1097:
1090:
1084:
1076:
1064:
1060:
1056:
1050:
1042:
1030:
1026:
1022:
1016:
1000:
996:
990:
974:
970:
966:
959:
943:
942:
937:
931:
916:. 21 May 2008
915:
911:
905:
897:
893:
892:Press Gazette
889:
883:
867:
863:
859:
853:
845:
841:
840:
839:The Spectator
835:
829:
821:
817:
811:
803:
799:
793:
785:
781:
777:
770:
762:
761:
756:
750:
735:
731:
724:
717:
713:
707:
705:
688:
684:
678:
671:
666:
651:
647:
640:
625:
624:The Telegraph
621:
614:
610:
603:
601:
597:
590:Personal life
587:
585:
575:
573:
569:
565:
561:
557:
556:
551:
544:
539:
537:
532:
531:
526:
523:
513:
511:
506:
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494:
492:
488:
483:
481:
480:Press Gazette
477:
473:
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466:
464:
460:
456:
455:
450:
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438:
434:
429:
427:
423:
413:
411:
407:
406:2001 election
403:
398:
395:
391:
387:
383:
382:1997 election
373:
371:
367:
363:
359:
354:
352:
348:
344:
334:
331:
329:
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321:
317:
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309:
308:Liberal Party
305:
301:
300:Hertfordshire
297:
292:
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286:
282:
278:
269:
266:
263:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
238:(before 1988)
237:
234:
228:
224:
221:
217:
213:
208:(age 60)
198:
194:
189:
185:
182:
179:
173:
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161:
155:
150:
147:
142:
138:
135:
132:
126:
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122:Malcolm Bruce
120:
114:
111:
108:
104:
98:
93:
90:
87:Chair of the
85:
82:
79:
73:
70:
67:
61:
58:
55:
51:
45:
40:
37:
33:
29:
22:
19:
1432:
1422:Simon Hughes
1409:
1335:
1293:
1288:Gerry Malone
1246:
1233:
1227:
1222:Publications
1208:. Retrieved
1203:
1194:
1182:. Retrieved
1179:The Guardian
1178:
1168:
1156:. Retrieved
1149:
1140:
1128:. Retrieved
1115:
1103:. Retrieved
1096:the original
1083:
1073:– via
1069:10 September
1067:. Retrieved
1055:Oaten, Mark
1054:
1049:
1039:– via
1033:. Retrieved
1021:Oaten, Mark
1020:
1015:
1003:. Retrieved
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232:affiliations
206:8 March 1964
176:Succeeded by
169:Gerry Malone
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129:Succeeded by
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76:Succeeded by
69:Simon Hughes
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1471:1964 births
1417:Chris Huhne
1315:Steve Brine
1251:1803–2005:
739:29 November
584:fox hunting
536:David Davis
491:Steve Brine
463:coprophilia
449:front bench
433:Lembit Öpik
424:to replace
181:Steve Brine
164:Preceded by
117:Preceded by
64:Preceded by
1465:Categories
1451:* Withdrew
1433:Mark Oaten
1342:2001–2003
1299:Winchester
1105:27 October
1035:27 October
920:27 October
655:27 October
629:27 October
525:think tank
497:Retirement
392:former MP
337:Early life
289:Winchester
277:Mark Oaten
260:Alma mater
202:1964-03-08
146:Winchester
25:Mark Oaten
1125:Channel 4
969:The Times
948:4 January
872:5 October
780:Pink News
550:Channel 4
360:group on
287:(MP) for
214:, England
154:In office
97:In office
44:In office
1158:22 March
687:BBC News
349:and the
294:Born in
251:Children
1248:Hansard
1130:7 March
1075:Twitter
1041:Twitter
1005:12 July
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693:11 July
508:In the
435:MP and
366:Watford
326:at the
296:Watford
212:Watford
1210:9 June
1184:9 June
347:Bushey
243:Spouse
106:Leader
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