CHAPTER 7: The Redemption Shield?
From *The Redemption Journey* by William “Bill” Doody
I learnt many years ago that honesty is my best protection.
The Weight of the Past
In politics, your past doesn’t stay behind you. It is often dragged into the light, twisted into weapons. I knew that the moment I even considered stepping forward. I’ve spent enough time on the receiving end of judgment to know how unforgiving the public eye can be, and even at this early stage, the trolling has started!
Owning My Story
But here’s the difference: I’m not running from my past. I’ve already faced it — and I’ve already owned it.
Nothing to Hide
There’s nothing anyone can dig up that I haven’t wrestled with myself. Breaking out of being born into Poverty, the criminal record, the prison time, the addiction, the broken relationships — all of it is real. And all of it has been part of a transformation that’s taken decades, not days. I didn’t patch things up with a spin campaign. I rebuilt my life brick by brick, mistake by mistake, with accountability, sobriety, and service as the foundation.
Three Decades of Proof
I’ve been in recovery since 1993. I’ve raised and supported my six kids and seven grandchildren. I’ve worked for government clients at the highest level of trust, and the government accepted that I had been redeemed by granting me Top Secret clearance. I have delivered mission-critical programmes without a single misstep. I’ve started businesses, led teams, volunteered in prisons, spoken in treatment centres, and helped hundreds of others find their own path back. Not to prove anything — just to give back what was given to me.
Not a Saint, but Redeemed
I’m not claiming sainthood. I still carry regret. There are things I’ve done that I can’t undo. As part of my recovery, I made a list of all the people I remembered harming and I made amends. Sometimes that meant apologies, sometimes financial repayments, sometimes direct, sometimes anonymous — and sometimes just a letter to someone who is no longer with us. Those letters still sit in a drawer, never sent, but I respected them enough to write the words; I’ve made my peace with who I was, and I know who I am now.
The Shield Defined
That’s what I call the Redemption Shield. Not because it deflects everything, but because it tells the truth before anyone else can twist it. I’ve already been public about the worst chapters of my life. I’ve already stood in front of judges, employers, partners, and children and said, “This is who I was, and this is who I’ve become.”
Scars, Not Secrets
When you’ve walked through fire and survived, the cheap shots still land, but they lose their sting. I’m not ashamed of what I’ve overcome. I’m not hiding anything. I’m not pretending to be a polished politician with a perfect record. I’m showing up as myself — scars and all — because that’s what real leadership should look like.
Authenticity in Leadership
People say they want authenticity. Well, here it is. I’ve failed. I’ve fallen. I’ve fought my way back. And I’ve stayed standing — not by luck, but by doing the hard work over and over again.
Let Them Come
So yes, I know they’ll come for my past. Let them. Every low point has been turned into a stepping stone. Every scar is a sign that I’ve healed, not hidden. I don’t need to be perfect to be a leader. I just need to be honest — and I am.
Running Because of My Past
I’m not running despite my past. I’m running because of it. Because people out there need to know that redemption is real. That falling doesn’t have to mean staying down. That politics doesn’t have to be reserved for the privileged or the polished.
A Different Kind of Leader
The British people deserve leaders who’ve lived real lives. Who understands hardship, not just headlines. Who can stand in front of the nation and say: “Yes, I’ve been broken. But I’ve also been reformed.”
My Shield, My Strength
That’s my shield. That’s my strength. I’ve faced serious issues in life, and while I carry regrets, I’ve already faced the consequences and made amends where I could. Every conviction is over 30 years old and has long since been spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act — in fact, I no longer have any legal obligation to declare it. None of it prevented the government from granting me Top Secret clearance or from trusting me to deliver critical programmes at the highest level. I know exactly what the consequences are if you break the law — I’ve lived them. That’s why I won’t go back. I’ve worked too hard, built too much, and grounded myself too deeply in faith and recovery to ever throw it away. If anything, my past should give people confidence that I’m solid, stable, and unshakable. If some still want to live in the past, that’s their choice. I’m focused on what I’ve built since — and on what I can still give.
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