Where have all the decent politicians gone?

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Ok, so I'm a bit of a leftie; vote Labour or Green normally.

I have absolutely no idea who I would vote for at the moment since every party seems to be stuffed with people lacking brains, integrity or even any kind of desire to serve the country.

I'm an old glimmer, and I may be looking back with rose tinted spectacles, but politicians in years gone by at least had the courage of their convictions and some sort of vision even if I didn't always agree with them. I mean Thatcher was a total mad woman but even she didn't have the naked self interest of someone like Boris or Rees Mogg. Blair rushed us into an illegal war, but he had definite ideas and policies about making society more equitable.

So where are all the driven people who used to go into politics? Are they all making a killing in the city? Is politics full of second raters now because bright, driven people are more concerned with themselves than about bettering society?

Old gimmer

I'm glad I'm in Scotland, where we have the SNP.

I agree OP, i’ve Got no idea who to vote for these days. Haven’t got an answer for you I’m afraid!

has there ever been a truly "good" politician? the nature of the job makes them self centred and cruel. all backstabbers the lot of them.

It's probably not a popular view but I think MPs need to be paid more to attract talented people. There is much more money available in other career options and politics doesn't have the gravitas it once had so needs a financial incentive.

Add in the fact you need a very thick skin because of being in the public eye in the age of social media and the vicious online trolling some MPs (especially women) are subject to plus the security concerns after Jo Cox's death and it doesn't make it a job that appeals to many.

It’s very noticeable that a significant group of politicians who were very successful quite young, then left politics straight away to do something else as soon as they hit a stumbling block. People now in their late 40s to early 50s like Cameron, Osborne, David Milliband and Nick Clegg. In previous generations I think politicians expected to take the rough with the smooth and stuck out the low points and returned a few years later but that doesn’t seem to happen now, and there is a distinct lack of talent. I think it’s pretty telling that since the Referendum, with half the population up in arms and taking to the streets, not one really credible leader has emerged. I think it also has a huge amount to do with the gutter press we encourage in this country: I think an awful lot of decent, intelligent people are put off entering politics because they can’t stomach the idea of being ripped to pieces for the slightest transgression. And that leaves the feckless, the dishonest and the frankly unhinged in their place. I think there’s a lot of truth in the idea that we get the politicians we deserve.

Plenty in the snp

Im not Scottish so I don't know much about SNP politicians (though I'm not a big fan of nationalism anyway. Mhairi Black is an impressive young woman, but I'm inclined to think that politicians should have a chunk of experience outside politics: working proper jobs, running businesses and the like.

Tbf, Mhairi Black wasn't expecting to be elected when she first stood. And I'm pretty sure she's not.planning on being a career politician, which is a shame as I think she'd make a brilliant First Minister in the future.
But it's not.just Mhairi, we have some other fabulous MPs, like Dr Philippa Whitford, and Joanna Cherry QC.