When I hear a British politician talk about "education" I reach for my howitzer. UK politicians are amongst the least educated in the world. There is no equivalent of the French ENA, still less the US Kennedy school of government.. or Hoover Institute or Brookings or so on. That would somehow be "undemocratic". It is not, it is a question of aptitude and IT SHOWS!!
If we have increasing numbers of pseudo qualifications dictated to us by politicians, then perhaps we should ask the same of our newly professional political class. David Cameron or even Charles Kennedy, like Tony Blair before them, have no experience running anything. Speaking as an investor, I would never invest in a CV that went "Student debater, junior legal clerk, MP, junior front bench" (i.e. TB's Experience before he ran a budget of about half a trillion quid). Still less would I buy "graduated, "advisor" to Norman Lamont, "advisor" to Michael Howard, "Corporate Office of Carlton Communications plc" then 4 years as an MP, then "HM Leader of the (official) Opposition"" (i.e. DavidCameron's (probable) CV).
These people have delusions of adequacy!
Personally, I want an open market- that means a way that I can chose between the wheat and the chaff, irrespective of party.
In the face of the collapse of the UK pensions system, the offshoring of UK industry and the export of those few UK citizens who can actually demonstrate global skills (as opposed to degrees in mediaeval plumbing and basket weaving) I think that it may not be long before the peasants with the pitchforks may start to gather. The French are too elitist- that we grant (and the pitchforks are already out there on a regular basis). The Brits, however, are TOO C**P- and I don't care if it is TB, GB, DC, DD or CK.
Folks- Please show your putative employers (i.e. the electorate) that you are not just BS merchants- qualify yourselves, like every other professional does (at your behest). I would not (and neither would your employers- the British people)- trust you to run a jumble sale. I am tired of meeting UK government ministers who do not understand a balance sheet. It is rather amusing that Gordon Brown is treated so seriously, considering that he has less economic sense than a second year accountancy student.
DUUUUDE- You and the third rate nobodies like Fraser Kemp are unbelievably useless.
I am sure I left my pitchfork somewhere in the cellar...
If we have increasing numbers of pseudo qualifications dictated to us by politicians, then perhaps we should ask the same of our newly professional political class. David Cameron or even Charles Kennedy, like Tony Blair before them, have no experience running anything. Speaking as an investor, I would never invest in a CV that went "Student debater, junior legal clerk, MP, junior front bench" (i.e. TB's Experience before he ran a budget of about half a trillion quid). Still less would I buy "graduated, "advisor" to Norman Lamont, "advisor" to Michael Howard, "Corporate Office of Carlton Communications plc" then 4 years as an MP, then "HM Leader of the (official) Opposition"" (i.e. DavidCameron's (probable) CV).
These people have delusions of adequacy!
Personally, I want an open market- that means a way that I can chose between the wheat and the chaff, irrespective of party.
In the face of the collapse of the UK pensions system, the offshoring of UK industry and the export of those few UK citizens who can actually demonstrate global skills (as opposed to degrees in mediaeval plumbing and basket weaving) I think that it may not be long before the peasants with the pitchforks may start to gather. The French are too elitist- that we grant (and the pitchforks are already out there on a regular basis). The Brits, however, are TOO C**P- and I don't care if it is TB, GB, DC, DD or CK.
Folks- Please show your putative employers (i.e. the electorate) that you are not just BS merchants- qualify yourselves, like every other professional does (at your behest). I would not (and neither would your employers- the British people)- trust you to run a jumble sale. I am tired of meeting UK government ministers who do not understand a balance sheet. It is rather amusing that Gordon Brown is treated so seriously, considering that he has less economic sense than a second year accountancy student.
DUUUUDE- You and the third rate nobodies like Fraser Kemp are unbelievably useless.
I am sure I left my pitchfork somewhere in the cellar...
Comments
Having known a few student debatrs in my time (and been one myself) I can attest to their tendency (at the elite end of the circuit) to pursue a postgraduate academic training that would well qualify some of them for public service - assuming that they developed the relevant experience in the intervening period. Just a point that might interest you.
I agree with you, by the way, that the special adviser route into politics is not one that should be encouraged since it brings out the most myopic 'village' tendencies of the Westminster, er, village.