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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think what you look like in politics really shouldn't matter?

54 replies

Loopylala7 · 04/04/2015 23:06

I'm not necessarily a labour voter, but I've just been a bit shocked at the outpouring of people who I've heard say they wouldn't vote for Ed Milliband simply because of his looks. I mean seriously? The last time I checked I voted because of a parties principals, not because of what the leader looked like. I mean there have been some incredible world leaders who wouldn't of made the cat walks, equally I can't ever see a super model in number 10? What's wrong with people?

OP posts:
Jacobsmum1973 · 04/04/2015 23:08

Thank reality tv for our shallodness.

Jacobsmum1973 · 04/04/2015 23:08

Shallowness spelling mistake.

WD41 · 04/04/2015 23:23

Yanbu.

And the irony is I've heard several people say Ed is actually very nice looking in real life.

textfan · 04/04/2015 23:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 04/04/2015 23:29

I think Ed Miliband is rather cute, not sure if I vote for him though, certainly not because I thought he was cute.

Samcro · 04/04/2015 23:30

ed isn't shiney like shiney dave
so ........

HappydaysArehere · 04/04/2015 23:48

Absolutely agree. Just think Neville Chamberlain with his post War reforming government would never have been elected if personality had been required by the electorate. He was an unassuming man but boy did he make a difference to our wellbeing. It is a modern madness to judge people by their looks. Give me an ugly awkward politician with intellect and honesty any day rather than a PR charmer who appears able but doesn't follow through.

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 04/04/2015 23:50

DC might have the look and charm of a politician but he certainly doesn't do it for me in a voters sense.

hiddenhome · 05/04/2015 00:03

It's not just about how he looks, it's how he's coming across. He just lacks credibility. He doesn't have authority. He doesn't have 'it', doesn't inspire confidence.

ihatelego · 05/04/2015 00:05

I totally agree, it seems to me part of a huge media effort to undermine labour anyway but no, looks shouldn't make a blind bit of difference it should be about substance.

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 05/04/2015 00:06

That whole bacon sandwich thing was stupid. I don't vote on ability to eat a sandwich....Call me crazy.

GrimDamnFanjo · 05/04/2015 00:07

Remember Robin Cook's quote?

HappydaysArehere · 06/04/2015 09:23

No I don't remember a quote. What was it?

ArmyDad · 06/04/2015 09:28

I think Ed Miliband is being almost bullied by the press. The amount of photos that get taken of anyone famous will result in the odd stupid looking ones, and yet were only seeing the ones of Ed like it's some sort of game.

slightlyeggstained · 06/04/2015 09:34

I have never voted Labour. But the anti-Ed campaign seems as ArmyDad says, like bullying.

I find it extremely distasteful.

ageingdisgracefully · 06/04/2015 09:38

I was really cross with Quentin Letts in the DM (I know, I know..) last week after the telly debate. Nigel Farage was described as a cross between a meerkat and an evil grandad, and Leanne Wood was made fun of because of her Welsh accent. I can't remember what else was said about the others-and they were all fair game-but this irritated me. I'm all for a bit of fun, but this was just pathetic, lazy journalism.

I don't understand why Ed is such a target either.

vickibee · 06/04/2015 09:38

Cameron and Osborne both come across as detached and sleazy, I always think GO would make a good drag queen. They have no empathy with ordinary people and were born with very big silver spoons in their mouths.

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 06/04/2015 09:39

They deliberately take bad pics of him. They've picked him to be this elections whipping boy.

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 06/04/2015 09:41

Osborne actually grinds my teeth, hes got such a smarmy face. I'm pretty sure making people poorer is like foreplay to him.

ageingdisgracefully · 06/04/2015 09:44

This campaign seems to have been particularly shallow, imo. . Who cares about Ed' s kitchen? Or Nicola Sturgeon' s hair?

Bowlersarm · 06/04/2015 09:45

I don't think I agree with you. No it doesn't matter re the Labour Party policies; everyone in the country can read their manifesto and vote for them if that mirrors their own ideals.

But I think on the wider world stage it's really important. I think we need a strong PM to to be equal to world leaders like Putin and Obama, and a person who is perceived as weak and ineffectual could be detrimental to the UK.

Cornettoninja · 06/04/2015 09:54

I agree Bowler. It's not really about looks but prescence and I don't think any of this current lot have a particularly powerful air.

It's much more crying in sweaty cricket changing rooms after tripping over the wickets than world changers. I suppose that's what the media are picking up on and presenting as personal attacks.

None of them strike me as leaders and that must be influencing the lack of compulsion to vote.

CrazyCockerel · 06/04/2015 10:00

EM is not bad looking, but he has zero charisma and does not have the confidence of his own party - that's the problem. There have been plenty of ugly and successful men (fewer women, sadly).

drudgetrudy · 06/04/2015 10:01

I agree with you OP-its gone silly-they are politicians not super-models.

CrystalCove · 06/04/2015 10:02

Yanbu. The level of nastiness and vitriol I've seen over the past few weeks directed towards Nicola Sturgeon about her appearance is distasteful. Saw some big newspaper feature on it to on Sky news review of the papers.