Does the public expect too much of UK politicians?

Since I last wrote anything here, this blog has had an enforced minor rebrand, and the owner has spent much time procrastinating about doing something meaningful with this time off from normality. I have continued to enter writing competitions when they emerge and I am grateful to all of you who voted for my article in openDemocracy's competition about the state of the world post-Covid. I will no doubt upload that at some point, but first I want to share my entry to this year's Political Studies Association competition in association with the Financial Times. Some of you may remember that my entry to last year's competition was rather well-received, with a trip to Parliament corresponding with my second place overall. Whilst I won't be off to Westminster this year, I'd like to share my article here - first written in April of this year - for you to formulate an opinion on it for yourself. Stay safe!

Does the public expect too much of UK Politicians?
The public’s disregard for politicians can be demonstrated by one man – though he is just one example of what is a far wider systemic issue. Neil Hamilton was initially known for his staunch Thatcherism and libel cases, yet he soon became the infamous face of political sleaze caught up in the ‘cash-for-questions’ affair.  He then, despite objections, self-indulgently stood for re-election and was unseated by the honourable dove that was Martin Bell. If we add this debacle to ‘cash-for-peerages’, parliamentary expenses scandals, ‘Sexminster’ and the puzzling political vortex that was and still is Brexit, then is it any wonder that public opinion of politicians is at rock bottom?

Post-Profumo, deferential treatment, previously afforded to politicians, declined. Interviewers became more combative in their journalism, yet there remained a distinct aura of respect towards politicians, for the job they did and the duty they served. However, scandal after scandal since then has gradually eroded whatever faith the public had in our political classes, so that they now expect little of them.

Public disdain also extends to political parties themselves, so more and more politicians seek to go beyond their party affiliation, or even break free from them entirely. Boris Johnson’s ‘Presidential’ campaign style in 2019 was unprecedented for the UK and its Cabinet government. The reasoning behind this was logical though. Boris’ popular appeal has always transcended partisanship, thanks to his large media presence and caricatured personality that seems to represent both the archetype and antithesis of the groomed and manufactured career politician. Rory Stewart also attracted bipartisan support, though whilst Johnson’s personal charm has brought the Conservative party along with him, Stewart’s appeal saw him expelled from his Party, though he has since embraced the political freedom and greater popularity that comes with not having to defend awful policy initiatives in the face of Collective Responsibility or party whips.

Beyond the UK, Matteo Salvini, Thierry Baudet, and Evo Morales show that being outside the mainstream political establishment - irrespective of ideology - allows you to shirk responsibility for the failures of past governments and come across almost as a non-political politician. Ideologically, Rory Stewart has little in common with Morales, Baudet and Salvini, but they have all benefited at some point or another by being able to set themselves apart from the incumbent ruling class of politicians, tainted by the toils of governance.
So where does all of this leave us?
                                                                                                           
There is an argument that the public expects nothing of our politicians due to the little they have to offer and our archaic First Past the Post electoral system. However this is overly simplistic and goes against the tireless efforts of many local and national politicians who make themselves accessible and accountable to those who voted for them, and those who didn’t. What if politicians were more representative of the people - maybe elected proportionally to the number of people who vote for them - and more honest about their failures and shortcomings? Somewhat counterintuitively, this could see public trust increasing (as shown by the higher average voter turnout and engagement in countries with PR e.g. Sweden and Germany), even if apparent governing competence diminishes. This message however, does not seem to have reached the proportionally elected AM for Mid Wales. Nowadays, Neil Hamilton – the last remaining senior UKIP politician – spends his days railing against the ‘woke’ liberalisation of political parties and individuals on Twitter, all whilst claiming expenses for commuting from his Wiltshire manor to his job in the Welsh Assembly. Maybe we’ll always be expecting too much after all…

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A True gauge of Happiness

Image
This article has been written having just read this news article . - BREAK FOR READING FULL ARTICLE OR ENOUGH TO GET THE GENERAL GIST.- This article amuses me. I'm curious how this survey of 1,000 people in each country can declare Norway remarkably perky and the Central African Republic down. It's certainly not wealth although it's easy to think so. The Danes pay ridiculous taxes with the wealthy paying up to 52% on their income. Mali meanwhile offers a choice of 30% or 3%. This rather bizarre system doesn't count for happiness though as they continue struggle on the happiness list. Instead it must stem from emotional feelings of satisfaction. This is Hygge. I'm not going to tell you how to pronounce as despite much debate, this is a blog not a vlog instead. Instead you can look at the picture. The point is if we all look after ourselves with small acts of self satisfaction, we would be better in the long term. Or at least happier. On the other hand...
Read more

Final year

Last semester, I occasionally thought about the students smoking in a huddle outside the library in mid October, puffing away late into the night, griping about a dissertation suffocating them into a state of self-pity. In that moment I felt detached, swept briefly away into a world I didn't understand yet seemingly expected myself to empathise with. The truth is that I did empathise, but only in the ludicrous, vague feeling of emptiness that accompanies anyone leaving the library late at night - the feeling that you have morphed into barely a husk of limp muscle, stretched excessively over a brain drained by the lateness of the hour. This is a final year. A final year is when the bedroom, once full of old family photos in a desperate attempt to project personality and emotion onto the walls, now exists barely for sleeping. Now campus is life’s centre, superseding all else. Writing this, I am once again ensconced within the horrendous grey of the main library before term has even b...
Read more

The Power of Identity

Image
This article is about vexillology (study of flags) Flags are a symbol of identity and can also act as a form of identification and also decoration. They carry pride and patriotism whilst being a form of recognition for a belief or way of life. So in such a troublesome time, is the flag the issue or is it the inaccurate interpretations by of the flag's intended connotations. Let's investigate... Flags were originated for battle so the oncoming armies could identify each other. It was for a simple purpose of recognition. Only during the development of maritime exploration did flags become necessary to identify nationalities. It was only in the late 18th century were flags officially produced with nationalist sentiment and by the mid 19th century, every sovereign state had its own flag. However the controversy of flags tends to predominantly come from colonial history and quests for independence. Two of the most recent examples are the confederat...
Read more