Over the years I have met and talked with (or listened to) many politicians, of every hue, and they have all been extremely plausible and pleasant people.
Frankly they have to be to get elected ~ What is it they say? Politics is show business for ugly people. Like most show business types politicians succeed only by being all things to all people and by having a convincing manner.
Tony Benn (Lord Stansgate as was) is an very approachable and thoroughly convincing person in the flesh. He is sincere and speaks a lot of sense. He is also as mad as a box of frogs .... utterly barking. Ken Livingstone is the same, nutty as a fruitcake but utterly plausible when you talk to him. Harold Wilson was downright paranoid and certifiable, Margaret Thatcher was a lovely lady and very open to talk to but had a "Hitler" type gleam in her eye when you got her going on a pet subject. Nigel Lawson was a very nice man, extremely hospitable and very convincing. If he made the case that black was white whilst sharing a gin or two you would believe him. Alan Clark (who is/was a personal hero~ unfortunately I never met him in the flesh) was a flawed man but utterly convincing to listen to.
I think the point is ~ Do we really want to elect someone who wants the job so much that they are willing to turn any cheek, take any shit just to get onto the greasy pole or would we rather have representatives who are elected by popular acclaim and accept the task even when they are reluctant to give up their "normal" life? Personally I would favour the latter but it's never going to happen.
I dislike the party system but accept that it will never change. To UKIP or not to UKIP that is the question. I fear that if we vote for them then we may be opening a door to a Labour resurgence or at least be throwing Gordon a life-line. My vote will go Tory at the next general Election to try to rid us of Labour forever and the time after that then UKIP may well be the preferred option.
