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Original poster

So what politician from the other side do you secretly like?

82 replies

Hassled · 05/01/2011 22:41

I'm not talking policies necessarily - just who do you secretly like despite them being the spawn of Satan?

Me - Labour supporter/member, and I have a real soft spot for Ken Clarke. He seems like an affable sort of chap who I'd enjoy a meal with. Ditto William Hague - I've always been fond of young William.

Claig, longfingernails etc - who would you happily spend an evening with from the Labour party?

OP posts:
KangarooCaught · 06/01/2011 22:21

UD, Widdy retired to Dartmoor afair.

Were you a SVS schoolboy? No longer my neck of the woods but v fond memories of living there.

claig · 06/01/2011 22:22

'Because they are both loathsome twats perhaps?'

I think you must be mistaken. Are you sure you are not thinking of senior Labour cabinet members?

TCOB · 06/01/2011 22:24

Quite a few of them too. Probably why Portillo wetting his knickers at being allowed to drive a train is so sweet, frankly.

Original poster
Hassled · 06/01/2011 22:44

Claig - no Labour voter would pick a Gove or an Osbourne as a "bloke to enjoy a pint with" because they're the sort of politicians where you can't separate the policies from the person. And there are plenty of Labour politicians who are the same - Balls, say, is an affable, pleasant sort of chap who you can see as separate from his politics. But EdM and Brown - I don't think people can see the distinction, I think they're too bound up in their roles to be seen as "likeable".

Prescott, Abbott, Ken Clarke, William Hague etc seem to have been able to develop personas beyond their jobs, IYSWIM, and so have the cross-party appeal. It's interesting - were they just born charismatic?

OP posts:
claig · 06/01/2011 22:49

Hassled, you're right. Gove and Osborne don't come across well, but I bet they are OK in real life. I quite like Ed Balls, because he seems the most genuine of the Labour lot to me.

I think that Prescott, Abbott, Ken Clarke and Hague are not speaking-clocks, they are prepared to say what they think and deviate from their pagers. I think that is why the public likes them more than the others, they are more genuine than the rest, inspite of any flaws they may have.

UnquietDad · 06/01/2011 23:27

Kangaroo - no, not me - state school boy through and through! Won't say exactly where, but, well, if you go through Sutton Valence and keep driving for a few miles you'll get there!

KangarooCaught · 07/01/2011 00:10

MBG possibly or the other one, OPGS? Or Cornwallis? (the others have leached from memory)

I knew IGS very well, Widdy spoke there a few times, as did Tony Benn, the students liked TB v much.

lucky1979 · 07/01/2011 12:03

I don't think Boris Johnson is remotely dimwitted or illjudged. He has a persona which he acts up to, but I doubt seriously that anything he does is not totally considered.

I quite liked Blair, all in. But I was voting Labour then so not sure it counts. I don't mind Nick Clegg either or David Laws, but they're technically on the Tory side now too :)

kerstina · 07/01/2011 16:39

As Labour voter i have a soft spot for the transport minister Philip Hammond he seems gentle and softly spoken. Although he is probably the opposite and very tough ! Have only loathing for Osbourne the epitome of the Tory party. There was a really nice Tory on question time a few weeks ago but i have forgotten his name.
Ok so i am female but how can anyone fancy Sarah PalinConfused

NewYearNewPants · 07/01/2011 18:10

PMSl at Prescott being alright because he didn't patronise a 'girl from a council estate'. Oh, good on him! Hmm

I'm a Labour supporter and I can't stand the dickhead.

Ewe · 07/01/2011 18:17

Ken Clarke fan here too. I surprised myself by liking Andrew Mitchell.

Nicola Blackwood is friggin' awesome but May intake so relatively unknown but I predict big things for her.

claig · 07/01/2011 19:02

Here is an article about Prescott and the girl from the council estate. She was very smart and was the real star of the show. She had been expelled from school for hitting the deputy head. She didn't defer to Prescott and some of her views came as a shock to him. But Prescott was great. he didn't patronise her, he was genuine and remained himself. She ended up liking him and he liked her. I'm not sure how many other politicians would have had that effect on her.

Here is a clip of her and Prescott. She is the one wearing black

claig · 07/01/2011 19:02

sorry, Guardian article about her

www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/nov/04/johnprescott-socialexclusion

singingcat · 07/01/2011 19:07

Used to fancy Gordon Brown despite his useless PMship. Still do a bit. Sadly he isn't on telly/radio anymore Sad

NewYearNewPants · 07/01/2011 20:13

Wow, I have never heard a yone admit to that before, singingcat Grin

I would still shag Alistair Campbell senseless, but I am a Labour supporter, so that is not rally a revelation for this thread. Although a lot of Lab types hate the bastard, too. Sat next to him and Fiona in the theatre a few months ago and was tempted to make sex faces at him across the dress circle.

LadyBlaBlah · 07/01/2011 21:44

"But I am genuinely surprised that no Labour supporters have mentioned Gove and Osborne, two genuine politicians with undoubted integrity"

Fucking hell claig, Osbourne and integrity are not two words I would ever put together even after a few nights of waterboarding at Guantanemo Bay.

claig · 07/01/2011 21:47

Smile I deliberately set the cat amongst the pigeons by mentioning Osborne.

singingcat · 07/01/2011 21:57

If I ever had a chance it was just after the election, when his ego was battered and he craved attention...

LadyBlaBlah · 07/01/2011 21:57

OK - that passed me by. Must be the flu talking.

I am curious though, do you like Osbourne? I have never met anyone who does apart from LFN

claig · 07/01/2011 22:01

I don't know enough about Osborne. My first impression wasn't too good. But when I actually listened to him, I found that he made a lot of sense. It is the same with Gove. When I first saw him, I would reach for the off button. But now I think he is great. Gove makes a lot of sense and I think he does have integrity.

KangarooCaught · 07/01/2011 22:03

Osborne's pallid sweatiness is very off-putting. I'm guessing that, like GB, he is very unneasy and unnatural on camera and is better behind the scenes, otherwise how has he managed to garner any support within the Conservative party?

But can't think of any more I have a tendre for.

LadyBlaBlah · 07/01/2011 22:16

I really mean it when I say that I cannot think of any man so repulsive as george osbourne.

The only thing that amazes me about him is that he is in his 30's. He looks fucking terrible

WinkyWinkola · 07/01/2011 22:24

You're right.

George Osbourne looks unwell. He either drinks or eats too much. He also has a very mean looking mouth. Cruel looking actually.

But weirdly, I think of him as a boy. An egotistical foolish boy who thinks he knows what is best for everyone when really, he has no concept at all of what everyone really means.

In short, an extremely limited person. Limited in every way.

I'm astounded he has appeal to anyone. Apart from anyone who has the same limitations as he.

LadyBlaBlah · 07/01/2011 22:38

Joker's mouth. He has the lifty lip thing going on.

Might be another Prescott binge eater

jollydiane · 07/01/2011 22:45

I always had enormous respect for Gwyneth Dunwoody and Mo Molan I quite pleased with Cameron.