to not think that 'all/most politicians are either scoundrels or stupid'?

[AKMD]

Vanessa Redgrave on the Today show this morning said that 'all politicians are scoundrels', followed up a minute later with 'most politicians are scoundrels or they're stupid.'

I'm really cross about that. My town has two MPs. I didn't vote for either of them but, having met both and looked at their records, they seem decent, honorable men who care more about their constituencies than personal advancement and serve our town well.

I think it's a very brave thing to do to campaign for election and that there are relatively few MPs or councillors who don't at least start off with the hope of serving their communities and/or country. It is right that their views are criticised if you don't agree with them but I found this morning's attack on the morals and character of our elected politicians offensive and ignorant. AIBU?

After the expenses scandal, I do'nt think such a criticism can be characterised as ignorant. On the contrary, it is probably all too well informed.

"All" is on the sweeping side, of course; but I assume,especially given the theatrical pauses, this was done for rhetorical effect.

But I agree with you that we would have a very different Parliament if all MPs did start out as local councillors and had their early experiences of serving the public shaped in smaller coominuites where everyone knew them.

YANBU. I think the majority of them start out with the best of intentions, but then the power starts to get to them and they change. I think most of them find it very hard to keep their feet firmly on the ground in the real world, just because as soon as they get into parliament, they see very little of it.

I think a lot of politicians go into politics with passionate convictions. Sadly it does seem that the higher you get up the chain of command, the more you have to traduce your principles. It's no coincidence that the MPs who seem to vote on their convictions most of the time are backbenchers - they're probably harming their chances of advancement to some degree by refusing to toe the line all the time.

I think the expenses scandal was shocking but we have had a general election since then. The one MP in my town who was fiddling her expenses was an awful Mp anyway and is now facing a criminal investigation.

My grandmother used to say that the mere deisre to become a politican should prevent someone from becoming one.
I am inclined to agree.

Power always has and always will corrupt. Amazing what a bit of ministerial leather rubbing on someone's arse does to morals and principles.

I am sick of this glut of career politicians - the greasy little mob that arrive in Westminster with their PPEs from Cambridge tucked under their arms and a whacking great sense of entitlement.

I think Redgrave's inaccuate generalisation doesn't add anything useful to the debate. In fact, this air of 'they're all out for themselves' contributes not only to people failing to vote but also failing to get involved in politics in any other capacity. If, by standing for election you are going to get dismissed as stupid, a scoundrel, part of a 'greasy little mob', and then have your private life picked over by the newspapers for good measure... why would anyone bother going through all that? In a sense, it means we end up with career politicians because they're the only ones with enough skills & a thick enough skin to deal with all the crap.

So how are MPs supposed to be elected then if no one who wants the job should do it?

One MP in this town has been serving for years and spends most of his time in the constituency. The other is new this election and has a great record of voluntary service in this town. Neither are scoundrels or stupid.

What Cogito said.

We have a very good local MP. He is very visible in our community and he is well liked.

Some politicians are obviously scoundrels who are only in it for themselves but not all are like this.

Young Gideon Osborne, in spite of his top notch education, couldn't get a job. He did a data entry temp job then shopfloor at Selfridges before get wangled into Tory HQ by his daddy Sir Pete Osborne, 17th Baronet of Ballentaylor.
He's now running the 7th largest economy in the world.

And people wonder why all faith has been lost in politicians and half the country doesn't even bother to vote.
At local elections the turn out is even worse - round about 22% where I live.
Our electoral system is moribund and undemocratic and the self-serving duplicity of a great many politicians has played a significant role in creating this lack of trust.

We had a great MP - when he was in opposition. All gone tits up though since he got himself a tasty little spot next to Dave and Nick on the front bench.

I think Vanessa Redgrave is stupid.

I have worked in govt, closely with a number of ministers from both parties, and almost without fail they have been dedicated, hardworking (like you wouldn't believe) and genuinely wanting to make a difference. They might be wrong about how they want to do it but they care enough to try which is more than can be said for the kind of people who complain and then don't even turn up to vote.

I saw a car bumper sticker the other day saying "the world is run by those who turn up" and that kind of sums up my opinion. MPs work incredibly hard and do see a lot of the misery in the world at first hand - those who say they are out of touch have never been to an MP's surgery. They spend a vast amount of time on constituency matters which is basically invisible to anyone other than the constituents who are being helped.

Not keen on most politicians and also not keen on La Redgrave either who IMHO is a total twat, along with the rest of her family. So a plague on both their houses.