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).

Everything that went on in the 70s was a very particular set of circumstances. The oil crisis and the extraordinary inflation meant that no government had a chance. It wasn’t a simple matter of saying oh labour overspent!

Which neatly brings us back to Rory Stewart,
.
Born in 1973, no doubt as a result of very particular circumstances.😁

Just trying, in a humorous way, to bring this thread back to the original subject, as entertaining as the various derailments have been.

He represents a constituency local to me. Says the right things, doesn't deliver much or votes in ways that contradict his public platitudes. Recently he's been waxing on about climate change and environmental issues but his voting record on fracking and climate change issues speak for themselves far more meaningfully than public rhetoric. His record on human rights is pretty poor as well.

He's lucky he represents a traditionally blue area because it enables him to do very little in practice.

He seems to be flavour of the month amongst the political journalists.

Everything that went on in the 70s was a very particular set of circumstances Including working to rule and constant strikes

Little Kitty Dear lord, the hysteria. Half of the land in England is owned by less than 1% of the population, but any mention of land reform and you assume that means state seizure of bungalows. I am no fan of Corbyn, but there couldn't be a better example of how the dim can so easily be whipped up to vote against their own interests.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_of_Discontent

I don't like the Tories but he is an interesting person. His books are fascinating and well written--I still have to read The Marches.

As far as his politics go I think he's the best of the options because he's clever and his realistic Brexit views. He's still a conservative though and I think our real problems in this country are just made worse by them.

@derxa well yes - the labour Govt was limiting wage rises in the face of that inflation. 😂

Here here Mrs Rinky!

The early 70s were shit whichever party was in power. You just take your pick which bit of shitness supports the party you favour.

I will start listening to them the day they hold their hands up and admit that austerity and their targeted policy of destroying public services has killed people. Until then they can literally fuck off.

Perfectly put.

The early 70s were shit whichever party was in power. You just take your pick which bit of shitness supports the party you favour.
And paved the way for three terms of Margaret Thatcher. Why was that?

Why was it @derxa?

francienolan that’s exactly where I come from. I’m the OP.

All of us except the 160,000 Conservative party members have no say in this race, so we’re basically just slightly horrified disenfranchised onlookers, watching a group of men fight like rats in a sack as we face the calamitous disaster that is brexit, so it was interesting to me, somewhat random and unexpected and ‘light relief’ to find that one of them writes the sorts of books that I love to read.

For sure, it’s not great that he’s a Conservative but I don’t vote conservative and anyway have no say in who is our next PM.

He’s the kind of person I’d pay to listen to at a literary festival and hang around at the end to get my book signed. Doesn’t necessarily make him a great PM but he’s clearly the best of this bunch, which isn’t difficult. Just saying.

Why was it @derxa? In 1978 I was a student. I didn't vote for Thatcher. One of my fellow students said that things couldn't go on the way they were ie chaos and industrial strife. This was in Scotland. The Labour heartland.

I quite like him but cannot stop seeing him as a Nick Park character (think Wallace and Gromit)!

I've not seen him on TV, just heard him (too bloody much) on the radio.
I can't be the only one that squirms at his voice. I think he sounds really creepy and dishonest.

What did I miss? Why is he “cool”?

Because he's done a few left field things.

Just had a Google of him as I didn't know who he was and fuck me he's definitely a cannibal.

It's all in the eyes, 100% the eyes of a killer, personally think it started in Afghanistan, ate one of his guides and never looked back.

I know it's not about looks, but he's the funniest looking guy ever. He manages to look both very young and very old at the same time.

Did he work for MI6 though, that story would be interesting

Did he work for MI6 though, that story would be interesting

His father was very high up in that organisation - number 2 I believe - and given the amount of time his son spent in 'sensitive' parts of the Middle East it's certainly a reasonable theory, at the very least.

I wish he had been asked about this in the C 4 hustings. It's very relevant, particularly as those in the know say there is never such a thing as a 'former' spy.

He can be asked all you like, he’ll never answer because he’s signed the official secrets act.