It's a pity Ken Clarke....

Numenor

ad9898 wrote: »

Isn't the leader of the opposition, I've just seen him on Sky, he has charisma, authority and a style that would have made mince meat of Brown in the last few months, Cameron and Osborne are lightweights in comparison.

This is exactly what's wrong with politics.

Charisma - should never be relevant.
Authority - should never need to be relevant.
Style - should never be relevant.

Imo the right person for the job would never get it, or at least never keep it, because they undoubtedly lack most or all of the above traits.

MrFonzerelli

PasturesNew wrote: »

Like all jobs, many people aren't doing it because they're the best ... it's because of other things, like who they know, if they're ginger, having a good side for camera shots, etc. Important things. Ability never comes into it!

Robin Cook was the only one decent enough in the Labour party to stand by his principles in resigning in protest at the invasion of Iraq. If you don't like an MP you shouldn't vote for them.

ad9898_3

Numenor wrote: »

This is exactly what's wrong with politics.

Charisma - should never be relevant.
Authority - should never need to be relevant.
Style - should never be relevant.

Imo the right person for the job would never get it, or at least never keep it, because they undoubtedly lack most or all of the above traits.

Ironically, I think Brown fits what you have said, and he has the job.

eamon

You can only vote for the candidates in your constituency and that can be a mixed bunch. Ken Clarke may be talking a lot of sense now but he is just as guilty as NuLabour in feeding the housing & debt bubble. I would much prefer more honesty from our politicians and to be bit more contrite. I have no doubt that when this recession comes to an end him and his ilk will still be pushing rising house prices and debt as a good thing.

SGE1

ad9898 wrote: »

Ironically, I think Brown fits what you have said, and he has the job.

Brown has charisma? Style??

I'm sorry, I'm not trying to pick on you, but again...


On another note, I wonder whether anyone here is aware of his views on Europe. These are the only reason I find him slightly less nauseating than his fellow tories. Not sure many would agree with me though :rotfl:

chucky

SGE1 wrote: »

Brown has charisma? Style??

I'm sorry, I'm not trying to pick on you, but again...


On another note, I wonder whether anyone here is aware of his views on Europe. These are the only reason I find him slightly less nauseating than his fellow tories. Not sure many would agree with me though :rotfl:

Brown has zero style or even charisma
Cameron is a wannabe poor attempt to be Tony Blair

not that it's necessary to be good at your job - but being a politician i think you need some sort of charisma as well as ability

Numenor

ad9898 wrote: »

Ironically, I think Brown fits what you have said, and he has the job.

True, but he wasn't elected to it.

I know, I know, you vote for your local MP, not the PM, but in most voters' minds they're voting for their choice of PM when they tick the little box. As such I would hope most sincerely that Brown's party will lose their leadership come the next general election.

Rochdale_Pioneers

To be fair to Clarke he has stopped peddling ciggies to Vietnamese teenagers.

dervish

ad9898 wrote: »

Isn't the leader of the opposition, I've just seen him on Sky, he has charisma, authority and a style that would have made mince meat of Brown in the last few months, Cameron and Osborne are lightweights in comparison.

AS a person I think he is a very decent chap - good humoured and quite sensible.

However he is very much to the left of his party and therefore seen as a 'wet' by most of us. He would not represent either his parlimenary party as a consequnce nor the majority of the millions of conservative middle England supporters who are naturally and rightly to the right of him regarding Europe and other issues.

matbe

HammersFan wrote: »

He peddles cigarrettes. The world's most dangerous (in terms of people dying) drug. For me, that means he's a non-starter.

You t!thead