Friday 24 July 2009

Chole Smith MP

The newest MP in the land. Very good piece on her from Socialist Unity:
"The interesting thing about the massive win for the Conservative Party in the Norwich by-election, is the nature of the victorious Tory candidate.

She is a 27 year old woman who has essentially worked up until now mainly for the Conservative Party.

The BBC explains that she has been on secondment to the Conservative Party’s central office - she describes her work there as bringing her business skills to help the party “draw up detailed plans to put our policies into practice”.

What a sad day when the party that used to be filled to the gunnels with the captains of British industry needs to turn to the “business skills” of someone with just a few months experience in a management consultancy behind them to draw up their detailed policy plans.

And in a by-election overshadowed by the MPs’ expenses row, her Lib Dem rivals accused her of playing down her links with Tory frontbencher James Clappison, who paid back £3,100 claimed for gardening. The official register of MPs’ interests lists her as one of his staff.

She has also had Westminster connections for some time - saying on her website she “got into politics when I left school” by working, in her Gap year, for Gillian Shephard, the former Conservative education secretary whom she describes as a “real mentor”. She also worked for former Conservative vice chairman Bernard Jenkin.

There is a new category of hapless career politician, with negligible skills, and no ideology, who simply see it as a good job, very well paid considering their meagre talents and lack of experience. They gravitate towards which ever party seems most likely to get them elected, and parrot whatever the on-message sound-bites they are given to say.

The Tories are not alone, the same breed infest the Labour Party as well."

4 comments:

Julian Ware-Lane said...

Can't quite see the Telegraph highlighting any of this.

Robert Brown said...

Does being a politician from 15 mean you have no ideology? I accept it does not give you the practical experience necessary but I think it is unfair on those who have worked hard for political parties all their lives to be branded as not-ideological, power hungry politicians.

Bearded Socialist said...

Good point Mr Brown.
I personally think there are quite a few whose ideology is to play safe and not rock the boat, rather than risking failure because they believe in something. Blair was an example, Cameron is another. I doubt they are the first, i'm sure such people have been around for a long time.

Because I believe power is more important to some than what the power is used for, therefore they are without ideology. to me

Julian Ware-Lane said...

I think the issue with career politicians is that there is an impression at least that there is a disproportionate number of them in Parliament. Actually, some career politicians are essential, but a representative democracy should look like the electorate (hence AWS and BAME shortlists). Additionally, those who have done nothing but served a party are less likely to hold it to account. Being a life-long politico makes one institutionalised.