To ask if you have even known a member of the government

[Alexiaridesagain]

And what are they like in real life by senior I mean
-Boris
-Priti Patel
-Rishi Sunak
-Dominic Cummings
-gavin Williamson
-Micheal Gove
-etc

Dominic Raab.
Mildly arrogant but a bright and friendly chap.
No way near the appalling bone-headed misogynist right winger he is today.
Was more attractive before his hairline receded too.

My Dad was a trade unionist in the 80's and met Thatcher a few times. Obviously there was no love lost but one thing always stands out when he talked about her, he said she really didn't seem to like women at all. He said she was a bit mysogynist if anything. I don't know why but I find that so strange!

Quelle Surprise!

Boris and Gove, at university.

Boris funny and clever but lazy and utterly self-serving. I was warned before I met him by one of his school fellows that he was ruthless, ambitious and not to be trusted.

Gove, pleasant enough but odd

My ex mp. An snp one. Asked him questions when I was younger, he basically just produced some waffle about it and didn't answer the question. Thankfully he has now lost his job.

@Dee1975

I’ve met Jacob Rees-mogg on a few occasions and I find him a really nice, decent down to earth man. I think he is very misunderstood and gets a lot of unnecessary criticism - he is an easy target for ‘anti Tory’ voters

Do you still think that after he broke Covid rules to go to a church where they still hold a Latin mass the other day?

If we're talking members of previous governments, I've met Tony Benn, Clare Short, Mo Mowlem, Robin Cook, Roy Hattersley, Denis Healey, Jim Callaghan, Harriet Harman and Michael Foot. My dog met Michael Foot, too!

I've also met Kenneth Baker, who was frequently seen riding his bike on the South Downs Way, and Norman Baker (no relation) who was briefly a minister in the coalition government under Cameron and Clegg.

Actually, it's just occurred to me that I've met several Labour leaders: Corbyn, Blair (when he was a recently-elected backbencher), Foot, Callaghan and Smith. And Harman, if acting leaders count.

I’m enjoying confirmation of my view that Boris was lazy. At the time I was young and fairly junior and I thought it was because I wasn’t leading my team effectively. I lost a lot of sleep and confidence on that project.

@CakeRequired

My ex mp. An snp one. Asked him questions when I was younger, he basically just produced some waffle about it and didn't answer the question. Thankfully he has now lost his job.

Not grey haired, first name beginning with an "A" at all? (not Alex Salmond).

Our solicitor is now a Tory MP. I found him very competent and helpful (we were buying a house and sorting out complicated land registry stuff). He's not my local MP but I have family in his constituency and they report he is attentive to them and interested in local issues.

Met George Bush through his daughter- he was unexpectedly charismatic and sweet Laura fine but a touch brittle

Hundreds. Professionally. Including in that list.

But I’ve signed the OSA and can’t say more.

(Worked for a Cabinet Minister on Whitehall for over a decade.)

@NotAnotherUserNumber I would have changed my user name if I still was in the same job

I know James Cartlidge quite well. It keeps me awake on a night knowing he works at the Treasury.

I'm part of the Nick Clegg fan club too...interviewed him for an article and didn't want to leave.. or at least not without him coming too!

@sergeilavrov everything you wrote confirmed how I had imagined each of those, especially Gordon Brown.

I met Alistair Campbell on a few occasions, genuinely brilliant man, he would be on my guest list for a celeb dinner party.

One of my lecturers at university had supervised Gordon Brown's PhD or co-supervised it (I forget which). Described him as difficult, but quite possibly the best History student at Edinburgh since the second world war.

As an undergraduate I was at the same college as Gavin Shuker (Labour MP who fucked off to form that splinter party that lasted all of five minutes). He was (and possibly) still is an evangelical Christian and would describe having deep intense personal conversations with God for days at a time, and would describe them in an obsessive, almost sexual way. At the time, I thought he was having a breakdown. That place got to most of is.one way or the other.

I'm in Ireland and once had the misfortune to be seated beside a minister, an acquaintance of my husband. He talked about himself the whole time. Yawn.
Politically the best asset he had was his very nice wife but he cheated on her and they divorced.
He lost his seat.
He still pops up in the media from time to time, but he's yesterdays man. Thankfully.

@FrancesHaHa

I live near Corbyn, and it's common to see him out and about at street fayres, local events, chatting to people in the street etc. Before being leader of the Labour Party he would quite often be at DD's school for various events. The kids loved him and would often sing the 'Oh, Jeremy Corbyn' song. Whatever you think of him (and I didn't think much of him as labour leader) he's very involved in his local community and seems like a nice man.

I met him several times in the 80s/early 90s, and I agree that he is a nice man.

He's very mild-mannered and polite, and down to earth, and really seems to get how difficult life can be for people on low incomes, in poor housing, etc.

Not a current MP but was in a restaurant with my friend & we were seated near Norman Lamont. He was clearly tuning in to our conversation so we began making references to bondage, dungeons, latex and spanking in obvious whispers. He appeared even more interested.

@KathleenTurnerOverdrive

One of my lecturers at university had supervised Gordon Brown's PhD or co-supervised it (I forget which). Described him as difficult, but quite possibly the best History student at Edinburgh since the second world war.

As an undergraduate I was at the same college as Gavin Shuker (Labour MP who fucked off to form that splinter party that lasted all of five minutes). He was (and possibly) still is an evangelical Christian and would describe having deep intense personal conversations with God for days at a time, and would describe them in an obsessive, almost sexual way. At the time, I thought he was having a breakdown. That place got to most of is.one way or the other.

Didn't it take Gordon Brown 10 years to complete his PhD on the history of the Labour Party in Scotland? His supervisor would certainly have had long enough to get to know him!

It did, but he was working full time for a good part of that!

Do you remember "Danger UXB" with Anthony Andrews all those years ago? He was quite a heart throb at the time.

DH met John Prescott when he was Deputy PM. DH was in the RAF and one of the senior officers running the VIP flights out of RAF Northolt - usually used by Government officials and the Royal Family. There was a funeral overseas for a VIP and Prescott was going as the UK Government representative. When he arrived for the flight he realised he didn’t have a black tie to wear for the service so one of DH’s colleagues took off his and offered it to him. He took it gratefully and a few weeks later the tie was returned in an envelope along with an invitation to come to the House of Commons and have a private tour followed by dinner.

Oooops, sorry, wrong thread!