Comments on: Do politicians deserve their reputation?

By: Owen

Owen — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 18:27:38 +0000

I don’t think it is a general rule. Tony Newton, for example, is a lovely bloke, and nobody ever accused him of being rabid. And I can think of some extreme right (and left) wingers who were bad tempered bullies – they will have to remain nameless while they are still alive.

By: dearieme

dearieme — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 17:15:56 +0000

Is there a general rule? One pal claimed that, among Tories, the ones presented in the press as rabid right-wingers tended to be decent and considerate, while those presented as compassionate tended to be bad-tempered bullies. But the Rifkind story isn’t consistent with that.

By: Owen

Owen — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 16:04:37 +0000

I didn’t have much to do with Robin Cook, so I can’t comment from personal experience on him.

I have been similarly struck, however, that politicians I wanted to hate have been amongst the best – Michael Portillo, for example, who was then a right winger with rougher edges than now, was strikingly courteous, thoughtful, principled and intelligent.

I have also noticed that polticians with a reputation in the press for being “intellectual lightweights” – such as Neil Kinnock and Normal Lamont – have been among the most cultured and intelligent.

By: dearieme

dearieme — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 15:38:37 +0000

A friend of mine used to work for the Scottish Office, 20 years or so ago; he was very struck by the difference between two MPs he met on the issue of prison reform. One was, as you say, “principled, intelligent and decent”, the other was “a turd”.
The good guy was Malcolm Rifkind and the turd was, to my marxist chum’s dismay, Robin Cook. I was struck by the tale; a different friend who was at primary school with Cook always called him a “shit”; a striking correlation, I’m sure you’ll agree.

By: 72 yr. old cynic

72 yr. old cynic — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 14:11:17 +0000

And which comedy programme are you auditioning for? Must be the BBC.

Owen replies: If you don’t have something interesting to say – you know, actually contributing an idea or piece of knowledge – then why waste everyone’s time and bandwidth being sarcastic?

By: Tim Worstall

Tim Worstall — Thu, 11 Aug 2005 06:47:05 +0000

“In my experience, politicians in Britain are principled, intelligent and decent.”

Two word answer:

Stephen Byers.

Owen replies: I haven’t followed the recent legal battle over Railtrack, in which Byers seems to be a spot of bother, so I can’t really comment on what went on there. But even it turns out that Byers was a wrong ‘un, it is a rare example. My point is not that every single politician without exception is faultless, but that in general they are principled, intelligent and decent. One counterexample, if that is what this turns out to be, will not disprove that proposition.