Politicians

[rhythmaning]

I’ve just seen a talk by Nigel Griffiths (lousy website, by the way), a local Labour MP and former minister, who was speaking to an audience of new students and others interested in climate change.

Most of the time was taken up with questions from the floor.

Although a little too party political – he reckoned that only Labour politicians were sincere about climate change (since all other parties had local parties which had campaigned against local measures, such as the development of wind farms – he was particularly critical of the Lib Dems), he made sense and came across well – and very sincere in his beliefs about the importance of climate change.

He was also pretty open about his views – it wasn’t as if he was following the party line. He was supportive of the Tories’ proposal to scrap the expansion of Heathrow airport.

[I may well write about on the talk about, and my views on, climate change – as opposed to Mr Griffiths specifically – at some other time.]

* * *

Last week I met Evan Parker Harris MP: he dropped by, spontaneously and unannounced, to express his condolences on hearing of my mother’s death.

I was surprised that he had taken time out – and the trouble – to do so. My mother had been active in the local Lib Dem party, and knew Harris quite well.

He seemed completely genuine in expressing his feelings, and the other members of my family and I were pleased that he had taken the trouble to do so.

* * *

So much of my experience of politicians is garnered from the media – either reading of their exploits in the papers, watching tv news reports of speeches (especially during the conference season!) or hearing them sparring with interrogators on the radio that it is easy to forget that they are real people. Seeing these two answer questions and discuss things that are important to them was very different.

I think politics would be the better for more of these moments; it is a shame our elected representatives try so hard to appear vanilla, rather than letting their thoughts out.

Comments

[miss-s-b.livejournal.com]

I agree very much with your final paragraph, and think that's why people have such affection for Lembit Opik, because he DOES that even though people take the piss.

I think your Labour guy was particularly critical of the Lib Dems for a reason though - he knows that's where the enemy lies. Also, the "new" Tory policy on Heathrow is an old Lib Dem one...

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

...plus he got to date both Sian Lloyd AND a Cheeky Girl! Most men must be just a little bit jealous - even if we pretend we're not!

[jen-c-w.livejournal.com]

*agreed* .no real point criticising the tories in scotland - they're not really on the map there.
Lembit is the most oppurtunistic there is - he's basically a Lib Dem Boris.
Evan Harris, however, is a class act. There's quite a few around the Libs, and Griffiths should realise how deeply commited the Libs are to tackling climate change. Labour councils turn down wind farms too....however, the ones really paying it lip service are the Tories. Having just come back from three days up there the arrogance and selfishness of the pre-97 days is back in spades.

[matgb]

it is a shame our elected representatives try so hard to appear vanilla, rather than letting their thoughts out.

'tis an unfortunate side effect of the way things are set up, especially for Westminster and first past the post. There are signs things are changing in the devolved assemblies with the more constructive approach coalition politics requires.

FPTP requires oppositional, adversarial style approach (there's maths and charts on this, very dull), and the Commons makes this even moreso with the way it's laid out and the style of Question Time, etc.

Unfortunately, to change the system you first have to win under it, by which time some have come to like it (cf A. C. L Blair, G Brown, etc...)

[stephmog.livejournal.com]

Dr Evan's an absolute sweetie. He always seems slightly harassed and manic and he has the look of an impish boy to the extent that I get a barely repressible urge to stop him and brush his hair and straighten his collar when I see him.