Is he qualified?

[Kathyan]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-120338 2/Im-victim-people-attack-accent-moustache--Im -intellectual-moans-Defence-Secretary.html?ITO =1490

"But the former factory worker from Coventry insisted he was qualified to run the Ministry of Defence."

How is he qualified please?

[Gromit]

He is more qualified than most career politicians.

The likes of Cameron and Purnell who have never had a proper job in their lives. They leave University and go to being party activists to being selected as an MP.

What qualifications do you think he should have. What qualifications do you think other Ministers should have?

[jno]

He was elected; that's how you get to run ministries. Would you prefer it to be in the hands of private individuals like those nice bankers who have done so much for the country?

[anotheoldgit]

Regarding his moustache. at least he is old enough to grow one.

Most of the MPs have not started shaving yet, never mind the growing a moustache.

That is of course except for some women Labour MPs.

[kinell]

he would struggle to perform worse than the two most recent chancellors,

the resident civil servants run the ministries and have to put up with transcient hopeless individuals shoved into their positions ,

it is the unfortunate way of politics and some businesses........dont promote anybody with skill and aptitude that is in excess of yours because of the threat......keep your scapegoats handy

[Gromit]

Do we want intellectuals ruling over us?

The bloke confessed to not being an intellectual, which is really quite clever.

[123everton]

Kathyan's quite right, we should all know our place by now, forlocking as we go.
Wasn't Ernest Bevan a former miner?
He did quite well for us.

[fredpuli47]

There are few current politicians, if any, who qualify as intellectuals or academics. Harold Wilson was the last Prime Minister to fit the description (he had taught economics at university). Gordon Brown was able academically as a young man, but was no economist when he became Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The job of Minister requires political skills and experience, plus common sense and an ability to organise and persuade..It's not a job for academics or for intellectual skills and ability.Intellectuals and academics are to advise the Minister. In this case, there'll be experts on military matters and defence to do that.We should worry more if the advisers don't have intellect or expertise in their field..

Plus, of course, a minister is normally selected from the MPs. Being chosen as an MP requires no particular intelligence or brains whatsoever (as, you may feel, is regularly demonstrated).