HIS CONFESSION

My family means ev erything to me and I almost threw it away. In 2004, I worked for a fireplace manufacturing company in Yorkshire. I was married to Joanne, who I met when we both attended Scarborough Sixth Form College. Through work I often spent time away from home visiting customers. Sometimes, I would be accompanied by other employees. I had a good relationship with everyone I worked with, but with one person this started to develop into something more. We had to travel together and spent a lot of time in each other’s company, the relationship became flirtatious and a couple of times we shared a kiss. It never went further than that, but this had a profound impact on us both and those close to us. It was a dreadful mistake and stopped as suddenly as it had started. I know that this caused problems for her, as it did for me. And having to explain to Joanne what had happened was one of the most difficult conversations of my life. I’ll never truly understand how she found it in her heart to forgive me, but I tell myself every day how lucky I am to be with such an amazing person. Going back to work afterwards it could never feel the same, as every day would remind me that I had let down the person I love more than anything. Given those difficulties I left my employment selling fireplaces almost immediately. My employer was understanding and we parted on amicable terms. This incident nearly destroyed two marriages. It will always be part of my past, but has not stopped my wife and I from building a wonderful family together. I no longer sell fireplaces and have built a career in politics. Family will always be central to what I do and what I believe in. It was the experience of nearly losing mine that made me realise how much mine really matters to me.