Education Sec - Ruth Kelly - does anyone else find her thoroughly dislikeable?

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Obviously I don't know her personally, but what I've seen of her on TV, she makes my blood run cold.

Is it just that for women to be really successful in politics they have to be 100 times as arrogant and belligerent as the men that surround them?

No, quite like her actually.

I think the answer to that is - yes - if you aren't 100 times as arrogant then you simply wouldn't make it.....

I don't find her any more arrogant or belligerant than any of the male politicians!

Politics wouldn't be my bag as far as careers go - but for her to get where she has then she must be good at it!

Well I am not impressed with the current education system full stop. We will see what she does, and then I will pass judgement further I guess. Hasn't looked too promising yet - just her simple dismissal of the healthier school meals gave me a poorer view.

I find her irritating too.

I rather like her too and hope she rises to the challenge. I see it from a different angle, Puff...there often seems to be open season on women politicians' beliefs and family situations, as opposed to those of the men who surround them in the House of Commons.
Agree that her view so far on school meals has been disappointing though.

I didn't have an opinion of her but I do now if she's completely dismissing healthy school meals. As one article said, it's a complete no brainer: school dinners being healthy is a totally sensible policy. Feed children healthy food at lunchtime and get better behaviour, healthier children and spend less money on sorting out their diabetes/heart/other health problems as a result. Durr!

WWW - I think there is still a difference though between being unhappy with her departments policies, and slating her personality!

I don't dislike her as a person, but I do dislike some of her policies

Soapbox, I agree, I don't have any opinion on her personally, I don't know her! But I do disapprove of her policy if she won't listen on school meals.

And I do think that women, I was going to say politicians but actually, it applies to a lot of professions, generally get a harder time for their perceived personality, looks, childcare arrangements, everything in fact than men in equivalent positions.

WWW - I don't know her either

I'm just mightily fed up of how we are invited to comment on female MPs and every aspect of their lives in a way that we don;t for male ones!

I totally agree wrt the school dinners issue though!

Oops posts crossed - but yes it isn't just politicians is it!

soapbox - as a general comment you don't necessarily have to be good at your job to succeed in it! (mores the pity!)

Ah Jools - now you see I don't think that is the case for politicans!

For many people they succeed despite their incompetance because they are good at the politics. But if you are good at the politics and you are a politician, tehn surely you are good at what you do

Soapbox, I think we agree with each other!

Yes WWW - I think we do

confused? you will be

Marina, you're right, women politicians do come under the microscope much more.

When I heard she had been appointed, and had a young family etc, I thought "great" and really wanted to warm to her, but just the opposite has happened, the thing is I don't know why. The school dinners thing is disappointing, but I'm fairly sure she'll come round on that if public pressure keeps up.

Then again, I can think of many male politicians who's lives have also come under the microscope, so perhaps the argument that women politicians have an unfair amount isn't true.

come on Ruth, can you turn this school dinners thing round, I wonder?

personally the gender of a politician doesn't come into - I just want them to be good.

Agreed, Puff, about male politicians attracting their share of red-top revelations - but there are a lot of blameless men, including Ministers, in the HoC whose childcare/household arrangements aren't consistently referred to in most of their press coverage.

She's joined a small list of other people I don't know but can't bear for no logical reason:

Chris (Cbeebies man)
The actor currently playing Casanova on BBC3
Nicky Clarke (hairdresser)
Yvette Fielding (TV presenter)

God I agree wholeheartedly about David Tennant (Casanova). He is a good actor in terms of technique but I've had problems with liking his work ever since The Lunatics are Taking over The Asylum. He really spoilt Blackpool for me, you and me were probably the only people rooting for her to get back with her husband

John Prescott - can't bear him