No idea Rory Stewart had such a cool backstory

[Figmentofmyimagination]

Have a look at these links from 15-20 years ago - wish he was my mp - and I don’t even vote conservative.

www.nytimes.com/2006/06/11/books/review/11cover_bissel.html

www.lrb.co.uk/v23/n17/rory-stewart/diary?utm_source=LRB+icymi&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20190616+icymi&utm_content=ukrw_subs_icymi (This is subscriber only but you get one free article I think - extraordinary writing).

Of this bunch he seems the most sensible, the most measured and diplomatic. Boris is a joke. What is happening to us, is this country turning into Italy where we vote in amusing but morally bankrupt individuals because we find them funny.

Interestingly the Daily Mail comments all keep referring to him as a Labour supporter. I don’t think he could be any less labour if he tried! I don’t think his background matters, as others have said you can’t hate someone just for being wealthy or having a good education but he’s not left wing by any stretch.

@fairylea; he was a labour supporter at one point though. Maybe that’s what they’re referring to?

‘(A) self indulgent opium raddled narcissist who scorned the proletariat‘

That might be a compliment for the Telegraph.

@Fleetheart yes in his youth.
They keep saying he’s still labour now. As in his thinking etc.

Tbf most posh folk call their mothers mummy

Anyone to the left of Pinochet is too wet for the Daily Mail commentariat.

Screenshot from comments on Daily Mail...

I do feel like he's in the wrong party, but not sure which one he should be in at all. Somehow he gives me the impression that he thinks everything he says is more profound, like Bono.

Serenoa I have no dog in this fight. But it's not just the Tories who have "killed" people. Labour just did it abroad. Robin Cook of blessed memory was IMHO the only cabinet minister who stood out against it.

I’m no conservative but there are some who are sensible, pragmatic, knowledgeable and thoughtful. Cf Chris Patten, Ken Clarke and Michael . I would put Rory in that camp. We need to be realistic about Europe. Whatever we want, the EU is not going to go back on its offer to us. Boris says oh we simply won’t pay. In this day and age where credit ratings and global finance are so closely linked to our country’s prosperity, this is a ridiculous threat. But the man in the street doesn’t really understand that and wants someone who will show Johnny Foreigner who is boss. Crazy and outmoded way of working. My prediction is that we will get to October - still no deal. And we won’t leave because it will be too catastrophic. And Boris will be ousted (I hope).

Michael Heseltine I mean

He’s not a liberal, still less a socialist. He’s in the right party. Look at his voting record. He’s just better and not looking like a hateful, elitist twat than the rest. Given the poor choice, I’d be all for him on appearances. Scratch a bit deeper and he’s exactly the same. He might be more competent than Boris, but fuck that’s a low bar.

They’re all the bloody same. Would any of you seriously except any Tory MP to have a record of voting against their party? Oh wait, it was Corbyn’s speciality, wasn’t it?

Stewart is the only contender with any gravitas at all. He won’t get it this time but I bet he will after Boris has lost the next election and been booted out. The Tories are very intolerant of election losing leaders.

Most of us haven't had the family funds and contacts to prat around walking in dangerous countries for no apparent reason.

His late father was very high up in the intelligence services, and it's long been rumoured Rory may have dabbled too. So his trek around Afghanistan may not have been entirely without practical motive.

Reading one of Rory Stewart's books many years ago, I was impressed enough to read personal details on the cover, and even more impressed to find that as well as the army and diplomatic post in a difficult part of the world, he was still a lot younger than me.
I did wonder how his career would evolve, but never imagined he would become a Tory polititian.
I really hope he'll beat Boris.
The Channel 4 programme yesterday evening was pretty dire, apart from R.S.'s comment to Mr.Javid, when he was replying to a question about how he felt about not being invited to the dinner with President Trump "Well, I wasn't invited either".....

If I was forced to pick a candidate I would say Sajid Javid seems the most moderate and at least he didn't go to feckin Eton.

I do like that Gove takes the environment seriously but will never forgive him for messing up the education system with his awful reforms.

Please God not Boris, the world has enough ignorant orange racists in Trump.

Take a look at his fathers background, he is so very amazing !

Agree about Gove, I think he takes it all seriously and has integrity and is of a vaguely more normal background. But is a bit too arrogant. Am very upset about schools. Both my children have SEN and have really suffered under the reforms which have taken us back to the 1960s style of curriculum and exams.

I'm a fan as well and l have never voted for the right,l think he is the sensible choice out of all the current choices but then like l said l have never voted right.

He's far too sensible and unwilling to lie through teeth. He's no chance.

On The Last Leg a few weeks ago they said Brad Pitt had bought the rights to Rory's life story. The bit covered by the book I suppose.

Oh Eva? Is a film possibly in the works then?

Interesting. I wonder how it would end?

There's something very amiss about him.
Which his colleagues apparently know, as they're not exactly lining up behind him, are they.

Accidentally smoked opium my arse.

orange his father isn’t chancing his arm to be prime minister though is he. His father may very well be amazing, but Rory is anything but. Cavorting around the Middle East smoking heroin is not my measure of an honourable, upstanding honest person ready to lead the country. Those that are supporting his limp efforts are just remainers hoping to string out Brexit, they don’t like or trust Rory/Rod anymore than we do.
I don’t understand why they don’t get behind Hunt, he is a remainer dressed up as a leaver, and will probably stall exit day for another few years until the Brexit party kill off the tories once and for all.