political commentator * author * publisher * bookseller * radio presenter * blogger * Conservative candidate * former lobbyist * Jack Russell owner * West Ham United fanatic * Email iain AT iaindale DOT com
Monday, June 30, 2008
So You Want to be an MP?
ConservativeHome has a brilliant post full of advice for people considering a career in Parliament. It's advice which is relevant to people in all parties. Read it HERE.
old Nelson nearly managed to hide from that boring bloke, nice camouflage but the trousers gave him away. Poor old bugger, all that time in prison and then having to listen to platitudes.... leave the man alone !
Interesting, but I cannot help wondering what you might add to this Iain, having been a candidate yourself. What advice, from your own experience, would you give?
Do you agree with Comrade Straw's assertion that the parties should be (yet further) propped up with public cash?
It sounds rather like the people who need to be impressed are the CCHQ apparatchiks rather than the mere voters in any particular constituency. How is this different from the list system supposedly loathed by Tories?
First thing they should eb learning is "Keep your fingers out of the till", second is have principles and if you mess up have the courage to resign. Unfortunately , no matter how well meaning , once they see the riches on offer , lots of them cannot resist the temptation to join the club and fill their boots.
No wonder MP`s seem to come from another planet . No-one with an ordinary income family life or working life has the remotest chance . This was exactly why I started blogging and it is a serious problem for our representative Parliament.
I have thought for long time that there needs to be serious thought about ways to open this up to those excluded not by colour or gender but by income and time .
After all given these two , I think it would be pretty simple to become a Conservative MP.Having met a few its not exactly an intellectual challenge.
There is also requirement for extreme conformity which I think is also becoming a problem . Young people look at Conservative candidates and think "Stiff"
Was there ever a time when someone would join a party, work hard at the nuts and bolts of building up the vote; talking to local people, leafleting, fund raising rising through the ranks to finally being selected as a candidate in that constituency ? I wonder how they feel when the friend/son/daughter/other/purchaser of some grandee is foisted on the locals ? I wonder too about who would make the better MP. As I said on another site, why don't the rich just tender for the job.... nowhere does it mention views on policy, just greasing and spending. You know where you stand with tendering, get the market rate established and it's quick and simple..... and more honest.
Why does it cost £41,000? - Im sure candidates of other parties dont spend this much.
Im sure if a candidate was selected for their local constituency, and the worked their socks off campaigning hard in their free time, such prohibitive costs would be avoided.
I agree with Newmania, Ive met a few prospective Conservative candidates and several come across as idiots
£41k to get there, but how much can you make when you arrive? Any figures on real average net income p.a. from all the income, allowances and exes; plus information, contacts and public profile converted to present and future earnings and profit, in office and afterwards? The key is guanxi, as that champagne anecdote illustrates, otherwise I'd stump up the £41k right now.
to anyone considering a career in politics i suggest they study the words of the late great george burns who once said 'if you can fake sincerity you've got it made'
Thanks for this advice, everyone. In New Zealand our election is due in the next few months. I hope our regular ACT and National Party supporting readers who may stand find the advice useful.I have linked to it just now. We have our own Liarbour goverment to defeat too. And it too is mired in corruption, but even worse, Dear Leader, Helen Clark, is going around nationalising things like railways! And we have a recession worse than your's. Our economy is shrinking already! I offer a warm welcome to everyone to have a look at our humble blog, rated as one of the top ten political blogs in New Zealand.
www.nominister.blogspot.com
PS We often comment on UK matters too. I am a Yorkshireman.
15 comments:
All together now' Free nelson Mandela'
Hope you haven't got , 'That' T shirt Iain
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1030356/David-Cameron-stockinged-feet-legend.html
old Nelson nearly managed to hide from that boring bloke, nice camouflage but the trousers gave him away. Poor old bugger, all that time in prison and then having to listen to platitudes.... leave the man alone !
Interesting, but I cannot help wondering what you might add to this Iain, having been a candidate yourself. What advice, from your own experience, would you give?
Do you agree with Comrade Straw's assertion that the parties should be (yet further) propped up with public cash?
It sounds rather like the people who need to be impressed are the CCHQ apparatchiks rather than the mere voters in any particular constituency. How is this different from the list system supposedly loathed by Tories?
No thanks. I gave it up.
First thing they should eb learning is "Keep your fingers out of the till", second is have principles and if you mess up have the courage to resign. Unfortunately , no matter how well meaning , once they see the riches on offer , lots of them cannot resist the temptation to join the club and fill their boots.
The problem is the process doesn't select the sort of people we want representing us.
No wonder MP`s seem to come from another planet . No-one with an ordinary income family life or working life has the remotest chance .
This was exactly why I started blogging and it is a serious problem for our representative Parliament.
I have thought for long time that there needs to be serious thought about ways to open this up to those excluded not by colour or gender but by income and time .
After all given these two , I think it would be pretty simple to become a Conservative MP.Having met a few its not exactly an intellectual challenge.
There is also requirement for extreme conformity which I think is also becoming a problem . Young people look at Conservative candidates and think "Stiff"
They are usually right .
Some top tips for Gordon Brown..
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wXvACE5Pe9Q&feature=related
First thing they should eb learning is "Keep your fingers out of the till", second is have principles and if you mess up have the courage to resign.
In an ideal world, perhaps. In westminster as it stands, those skills would ensure your political career was mayflylike in length.
To make it today, they should learn:
- ten different ways of avoiding a question
- how to tell a direct lie without telling a direct lie
- 'integrity', and how to deploy it
- burying bad news, theory and practice
- why it isn't your fault: reasons the opposition is always to blame
- how conflicting interests can be reconciled to make you money
- the Last Resort: when to go to war
- the underrated art of quitting whilst you're ahead.
Was there ever a time when someone would join a party, work hard at the nuts and bolts of building up the vote; talking to local people, leafleting, fund raising rising through the ranks to finally being selected as a candidate in that constituency ?
I wonder how they feel when the friend/son/daughter/other/purchaser of some grandee is foisted on the locals ? I wonder too about who would make the better MP.
As I said on another site, why don't the rich just tender for the job.... nowhere does it mention views on policy, just greasing and spending. You know where you stand with tendering, get the market rate established and it's quick and simple..... and more honest.
Why does it cost £41,000? - Im sure candidates of other parties dont spend this much.
Im sure if a candidate was selected for their local constituency, and the worked their socks off campaigning hard in their free time, such prohibitive costs would be avoided.
I agree with Newmania, Ive met a few prospective Conservative candidates and several come across as idiots
£41k to get there, but how much can you make when you arrive? Any figures on real average net income p.a. from all the income, allowances and exes; plus information, contacts and public profile converted to present and future earnings and profit, in office and afterwards? The key is guanxi, as that champagne anecdote illustrates, otherwise I'd stump up the £41k right now.
to anyone considering a career in politics i suggest they study the words of the late great george burns who once said
'if you can fake sincerity you've got it made'
words to live (and prosper)by !
Thanks for this advice, everyone.
In New Zealand our election is due in the next few months.
I hope our regular ACT and National Party supporting readers who may stand find the advice useful.I have linked to it just now.
We have our own Liarbour goverment to defeat too.
And it too is mired in corruption, but even worse, Dear Leader, Helen Clark, is going around nationalising things like railways!
And we have a recession worse than your's. Our economy is shrinking already!
I offer a warm welcome to everyone to have a look at our humble blog, rated as one of the top ten political blogs in New Zealand.
www.nominister.blogspot.com
PS We often comment on UK matters too. I am a Yorkshireman.
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