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David Cameron's Background
Why is David Cameron's background relevant?
I couldn't care less how many silver spoons he was born with, or whether he dragged himself up from a sink estate - all I'm bothered with is what sort of a PM he will be.
Yet it seems his privileged background is becoming an issue.
Why?
I couldn't care less how many silver spoons he was born with, or whether he dragged himself up from a sink estate - all I'm bothered with is what sort of a PM he will be.
Yet it seems his privileged background is becoming an issue.
Why?
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Everyones background is relevant when they're after an important job. Your background colours the decisions you make and the way you think.
The suspicion is that a rich man who is related to the Royal Familly went to Eton and Oxford and briefly dipped into a well paid job before becoming a professional politician will have no idea what it's like to be a struggling single mother living on an estate in Tyneside.
He would be unlikely to empathise with ordinary working people and this may colour his judgement.
This is the suspicion that he has to overcome.
Which is difficult when you fill your shadow cabinet with more old Etonians than in any time since Sir Alec Douglas Home was PM.
The suspicion is that a rich man who is related to the Royal Familly went to Eton and Oxford and briefly dipped into a well paid job before becoming a professional politician will have no idea what it's like to be a struggling single mother living on an estate in Tyneside.
He would be unlikely to empathise with ordinary working people and this may colour his judgement.
This is the suspicion that he has to overcome.
Which is difficult when you fill your shadow cabinet with more old Etonians than in any time since Sir Alec Douglas Home was PM.
But the most important thing is what he looks and sounds like.
Luckily he has no obvious deformities or mannerisms and he comes across as a nice bloke, but possibly a bit of a toff.
And he makes the right noises but sometimes that comes across as telling you what you want to hear rather than what he actually thinks.
Still, that is an improvement on a dour scotsman who thinks he has saved the world and dresses like a geography teacher.
Luckily he has no obvious deformities or mannerisms and he comes across as a nice bloke, but possibly a bit of a toff.
And he makes the right noises but sometimes that comes across as telling you what you want to hear rather than what he actually thinks.
Still, that is an improvement on a dour scotsman who thinks he has saved the world and dresses like a geography teacher.
The very idea that anybvody shjould be automatically excluded from taking part in the political process because of their background or where they were educated is repugnant.
Labour politicans keep talking about "ordinary" people. Who are these ordinary people? Who is not ordinary, and why are they ordinary? Why is ordinary being in some way better, or isn't it?
Are you ordinary?
Labour politicans keep talking about "ordinary" people. Who are these ordinary people? Who is not ordinary, and why are they ordinary? Why is ordinary being in some way better, or isn't it?
Are you ordinary?
What I find difficult to understand is that in every other field, be it trade, commerce, the professions or whatever, a good education is seen as a distict advantage and amost always a necessity. However, when it comes to politics, a good education hangs as a heavy burden around their neck and is said to somehow disconnect them from “real” people (whoever they might be).
There is no doubt that places such as Eton provide a good education. Parents do not spend the huge sums needed in fees to receive an inferior product. I would far rather my Prime Minister had such an education than had dropped out of school at twelve and roamed the streets.
I am surprised that jake talks of “ordinary” people. In countless threads in the past he has castigated the idea that people and their behaviour should be judged as “ordinary” or “extraordinary”. David Cameron, his friends and colleagues all think of themselves as ordinary. I think of myself as ordinary. The kids on the “sink” estates who steal cars and do drugs also think of themselves as ordinary. Everybody is ordinary – and nobody is.
Whatever his background David Cameron cannot possibly make a worse PM than either of the most recent two holders of the post. As for Brown being returned as Chancellor, Ye Gods! A man who has presided over the near bankruptcy of the UK through profligate public spending (sorry, “investment”) with little or no tangible benefits, to be put back in charge of the till? I think not.
There is no doubt that places such as Eton provide a good education. Parents do not spend the huge sums needed in fees to receive an inferior product. I would far rather my Prime Minister had such an education than had dropped out of school at twelve and roamed the streets.
I am surprised that jake talks of “ordinary” people. In countless threads in the past he has castigated the idea that people and their behaviour should be judged as “ordinary” or “extraordinary”. David Cameron, his friends and colleagues all think of themselves as ordinary. I think of myself as ordinary. The kids on the “sink” estates who steal cars and do drugs also think of themselves as ordinary. Everybody is ordinary – and nobody is.
Whatever his background David Cameron cannot possibly make a worse PM than either of the most recent two holders of the post. As for Brown being returned as Chancellor, Ye Gods! A man who has presided over the near bankruptcy of the UK through profligate public spending (sorry, “investment”) with little or no tangible benefits, to be put back in charge of the till? I think not.
Few senior politicians (and not many junior ones) have serious job experience in the real world now gromit. We live in a world of career politicians (even at local council level).
However, this does not necessarily mean they are unfit for office. The main thing I am looking for in any politician is an understanding that their responsibility is to represent the needs and wishes of their constituents, not those of their party. One of Tony Blair’s earliest edicts to his back benchers was that they were representatives of the government and their job was to convince the public that the policies set by the Executive were what was best for them.
WRONG!!! They are there to represent their constituents and that is why I am totally against any form of proportional representation. We need to return to the notion that people choose their representatives in Parliament, not simply an MP to enable a particular party to gain a working majority.
However, this does not necessarily mean they are unfit for office. The main thing I am looking for in any politician is an understanding that their responsibility is to represent the needs and wishes of their constituents, not those of their party. One of Tony Blair’s earliest edicts to his back benchers was that they were representatives of the government and their job was to convince the public that the policies set by the Executive were what was best for them.
WRONG!!! They are there to represent their constituents and that is why I am totally against any form of proportional representation. We need to return to the notion that people choose their representatives in Parliament, not simply an MP to enable a particular party to gain a working majority.
No Brown's not charasmatic which is why he faces an uphill battle getting elected - come on Rollo do keep up
NJ does have a very important point (putting aside the Party political point scoring and his attempt to put words in my mouth)
There is a conflict between voting for someone to represent your constituency and for someone to run the country.
In a sense we have two "heads of state" - I don't recall getting to vote for either!
The American constitutional system does have significant advantages in that regard but you do have the risk of "lame duck presidents" when the President has an opposing dominace in Senate and the house of representatives.
What do you think NJ would you prefer such a system? I'm undecided myself
NJ does have a very important point (putting aside the Party political point scoring and his attempt to put words in my mouth)
There is a conflict between voting for someone to represent your constituency and for someone to run the country.
In a sense we have two "heads of state" - I don't recall getting to vote for either!
The American constitutional system does have significant advantages in that regard but you do have the risk of "lame duck presidents" when the President has an opposing dominace in Senate and the house of representatives.
What do you think NJ would you prefer such a system? I'm undecided myself
'' And he makes the right noises but sometimes that comes across as telling you what you want to hear rather than what he actually thinks ''
Isn't that the truth - he is a typical politician who considers that it is his ' turn to have a go '
Vote for us and we will sort out the country's problems ( as Osbourne was on the telly the other night
saying) - Yeah , right !! . How often over the years have we heard that before
Isn't that the truth - he is a typical politician who considers that it is his ' turn to have a go '
Vote for us and we will sort out the country's problems ( as Osbourne was on the telly the other night
saying) - Yeah , right !! . How often over the years have we heard that before
Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair has one older brother, Sir William Blair, a High Court judge.
After attending Durham's Chorister School from 1961 to 1966, Blair boarded at Fettes College, an independent school in Edinburgh. After Fettes, Blair spent a year in London, where he attempted to find fame as a rock music promoter before reading jurisprudence at St John's College, University of Oxford. After graduating from Oxford in 1976 with a Second Class Honours BA in Jurisprudence, Blair became a member of Lincoln's Inn.
Didn't seem to harm Blair's chances.............Man of the people..............no ?
After attending Durham's Chorister School from 1961 to 1966, Blair boarded at Fettes College, an independent school in Edinburgh. After Fettes, Blair spent a year in London, where he attempted to find fame as a rock music promoter before reading jurisprudence at St John's College, University of Oxford. After graduating from Oxford in 1976 with a Second Class Honours BA in Jurisprudence, Blair became a member of Lincoln's Inn.
Didn't seem to harm Blair's chances.............Man of the people..............no ?
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