I've always thought you need an armour-plated ego to be a politician.
It takes a particular kind of person to willingly submit him or herself regularly to a popularity poll involving the whims of thousands of strangers.
And to allow their careers to rest on the receipt of a significant approval rating.
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In return for our votes we also expect politicians to be above reproach.
All of which brings me to Blackburn councillor Arif Waghat.
He says he is spending this week canvassing opinion from constituents on whether he should step down from public office after being convicted of two charges of benefit fraud.
The charges, for which he received a suspended prison sentence, involve fraudulently claiming more than £3,000 in benefits before he was elected to Blackburn with Darwen Council.
And anyone who suggests that filling in forms for benefits is a complex business should remember Coun Waghat worked for nine years for that very same council as a welfare rights adviser.
Of course, with the balance of power in the council chamber on a knife edge, the reactions of other councillors have been predictably vociferous.
Labour want the now "independent' councillor to quit in the belief it will help them step nearer to regaining power while the council leader says: "The guy made a mistake, he has repaid the money and made an apology. I have no problem with Arif at all."
And the man himself, who has resigned from the Liberal Democrats, said of his conviction: "It's a relief. I can now get on with my job."
The reaction of other councillors isn't the point. No-one who stole £3,000 from their employer would seriously expect to keep their job. There is no difference when we are talking about benefits.
Such cash doesn't drop out of the sky.
It's money Coun Waghat's constituents, and the rest of us, have paid in taxes.
And there's a big difference between one elected representative committing this kind of criminal offence and another doing something perfectly legal but which could be criticised as objectionable.
Like, for example, an MP claiming expenses many might see as outrageously high.
Coun Waghat says he wants to know what his constituents think.
Unless he means the views of a handful of sycophantic buddies there's only one way to test accurately the true attitude of people in Shear Brow ward.
That's to give them the chance to use their votes for or against a man who seems to believe helping himself to public money to which he has no entitlement isn't necessarily a resignation matter.
l If you feel happy, annoyed or bemused about this or any other subject in the news this week let us know by either joining the debate at www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news , emailing lt_letters@lancashire. newsquest.co.uk or writing to the Editor, Lancashire Telegraph, High Street, Blackburn BB1 1HT
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