So – bad media style

if only it were that simple but she keeps on screwing up – and it’s not really media style on a show like that is it – it is just facing up to questioning – could be anywhere.

if only it were that simple but she keeps on screwing up

Lot’s of people “screw up” – the imbecile Rory Stewart inventing percentages being an obvious recent example – but people keep bringing up Diane Abbott like she’s unique in that respect. I agree that she has an annoying way of speaking – I can’t bear to listen to her either – but why does running the country have to get mixed up with light entertainment? Shall we have Graham Norton for PM?

Ken Clarke, the best PM we’ve never had.
Keir Starmer, seems to talk a lot of sense.

So “competent” now means “remarkable”, “doing the right thing by their constituents” etc. etc. rather than (being capable of) doing what they are paid to do, effectively. I’d say most of them are competent, if not at all remarkable. Even May is competent, though far from impressive. Similarly Cameron, though he blew it when he gambled with the referendum. The woman with the speeding ticket was incompetent.

imbecile Rory Stewart inventing percentages being an obvious recent example

Which he retracted immediately.

Stewart isn’t an imbecile, his lectures on foreign policy in the middle East are well worth listening to.

There are loads and loads of politicians from all parties, and at all levels of government, doing lots of good work out there. The problem is that the vast majority of it goes unnoticed because it’s dull, routine sort of stuff.

However if that “dull” stuff is getting a crossing outside your child’s school, sorting a visa problem, keeping a bridleway open, improving services at your local GP or a multitude of other things, it may not be important to the country as a whole to to individuals and communities the work many politicians do can be crucial. It’s not all Brexit.

I appreciate that doesn’t fit in with the “all politicians are useless, corrupt and self-serving” moans that we generally get, but it’s probably a lot nearer the truth.

Very much this. I’ve been involved in local government at the most grass roots of levels for a while now and it’s been a real eye opener. Far from being self serving politicians IME have been doing a ton of work for the very best of reasons and making pretty good decisions. There’s no party distinctions either when you deal with these people. I defy anyone to identify the party of a bunch of local politicians in a meeting. Even the parties we mostly regard as mad.

Civil servants and local officials are good as well.

Best of all there’s always vacancies at the lowest levels. So anyone who thinks a job isn’t being done right can step in and fix it.

Nico

Member

So “competent” now means “remarkable”, “doing the right thing by their constituents” etc.

Shouldn’t mean remarkable, but “doing the right thing by their constituents” is right there in the job description, that’s competence defined.

footflaps

Member

Wasn’t keen on them when they were in power in the 80s, but Ken Clarke is now one of the handful of MPs who actually believes in doing what he thinks is right.

That gets much easier to do once you’re basically retired and there’s no consequences.

“doing the right thing by their constituents” is right there in the job description, that’s competence defined.

The question relates to all politicians. Not just (back-bench) MPs. Competence for the PM would involve a lot more than looking after her constituents.

I’m not sure quite what doing the right thing by their constituents means. Does it mean vote/campaign to the will of their constituents or make a value judgement about what is right for them? For example – I believe it is still the case that the majority of the population if asked would want to bring back the death penalty. Thankfully few MPs campaign for that to happen despite knowing it is the will of their constituents. I suspect they take the opinion that the proles are too daft/ill educated for that opinion to count and ‘do the right thing’ by their constituents by quietly ignoring their opinion.

To be honest I want my MP (and all the other MPs come to that) to do the right thing by me by being honest in their campaigning prior to election, intelligent, experienced in something other than politics, empathetic but prepared to make hard decisions and hold unpopular views. I’d also like to see them boycott the more farcical elements of parliament such as prime ministers question time.

Surprised Dom Grieve was only mentioned one in this thread.

Mhari Black. Despite the huge number of disgusting and threatening messages she gets, still a brilliant politician.

Anna Soubry is one of the few tories I have time for, probably Sarah Woolaston also… David Willetts I used to have time for (not an MP anymore), probably Rory Stewart but that’s about it.

Lucy Powell, Kier Starmer, Angela Rayner, Tracy Brabin, David Lammy for Labour

Vince is yesterday’s man, they need a new leader and to agree amongst themselves that whoever it is they will stick with. Vale Paddy Ashdown, how we could do with him now.

for a local MP ours is not bad (Ivan Lewis) although now he’s gone to independent I’m not sure what will happen at the next GE

Frank Field.
Told by Tone B. Liar to go away and think the unthinkable. When he did that and came up with a solution that would work he was sacked for thinking that was way to clear for the money grabbing war monger to understand.
Another notch on Lord Blair of Bullshitting’s bedpost.

Surprisingly little dissent on Nicola Sturgeon which surprises me given the hate she seems to engender in some.

OK Nicola Sturgeon, when Health Secretary apparently called in the Chief Execs of the NHS trusts & told them that waiting list times had to come down. Saying that it wasn’t possible given the resources was not an option. People then wonder why the widespread plague of gaming waiting list times became endemic in the Scottish NHS.

Tobias Elwood for his attempt to save that police officer’s life outside Westminster.

dennis skinner.

Not after going through the same lobby as Kate Hoey.

Our chap looks like he may have competence (Sandy Martin). He seems to be a head down and get on with it type.

Surprisingly little dissent on Nicola Sturgeon which surprises me given the hate she seems to engender in some.

I am sympathetic to the one sided politicians listed on this thread but we all know that majority of them are just B-list wannabes. Most have no leadership quality other than just being there at the right time at the right moment. Competent? More like serial bureaucrats …

I don’t think it’s too unfair to expect politicians to be truly exceptional, given thier responsibilities..

I get the feeling that the vast majority of professional politicians are a bunch of self serving charlatans…

and that very much includes Diane Abbot And Ken Clarke