Sometimes those who lie in the Vanguard of Mediocrity, Middling Leaders who we look up to, let us down and disappoint us. At times like these we should pause, take stock and look at the lessons learned.

As we all know aiming for Mediocrity should mean never failing but from time to time even the most Mediocre amongst us do something, they think for all the right reasons, but get it so badly wrong.

In a vote on Tues 16^th December, the Equal Pay (Transparency) Bill was overwhelmingly backed by MPs. The bill called for employers with more than 250 staff to be made to publish information showing the difference between male and female pay and it passed by 258 votes to eight, majority 250.

Seven Tory MPs voted against it, one bottled even that and abstained.

Here is why voting against the bill was an epic fail, even if you are a genuinely misogynistic, patronising, publicity seeker.

1] The next election, in around 6 months time is going to be a closely run affair. Your boss, David has said that every seat counts, every vote counts. You have just pissed off 50% of the electorate and your leader.

2] You probably hoped that you were appearing to be principled and that there was a ‘good’ reason for your opposition to the bill. Lets make a wild assumption here that you chaps don’t think women should be barefoot, pregnant, slaving over a hot stove etc. Don’t forget, you are politicians and most voters believe that to get where you have today meant you dropped your moral compass in the recycling bin a long time ago. So no one will believe your ‘principled’ argument

3] Your Party Whips are nervous about anything that casts their party in a bad light. It’s not going well in Tory Land at the moment. Your promotion prospects have just disappeared, for ever. Demotion is also a distinct possibility

4] Recently the loony fringes of your party have hotfooted it over to UKIP.  Based on this behaviour your colleagues will have you penciled in for the next tranche to go over the top into political obscurity. Prepare to be shunned at the bar

5] Those of you with wives and partners have just foregone your ‘Hanky Panky’ ration for 2015 and possibly beyond. Worse you may just find you will find that the domestic chores become more equally divided, so there goes the golf handicap

So what Mediocre lessons have we learnt? If you want to be controversial remember:

1] If you stick your head over the parapet of radical thought you will likely get your head blown off. Skulk in the trench of public opinion and survive

2] Principles are for those with nothing to lose. Conformity begets consent

3] Check with grown up first and make them sign a slip before doing anything silly, you can then blame them

Have a very Mediocre Xmas!