An interesting article regarding Gloria de Piero’s research into why people supposedly “hate” politicians
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/dec/31/labour-mp-gloria-de-piero#start-of-comments
People’s perception of MPs are influenced by a number of factors. Firstly there is the problem with many of today’s politicians on every side of the House who do not have a discernible ”hinterland”; as Kitty Muggeridge said of David Frost, they have risen without trace. The younger politicians seem to have slid into politics via public relations, short lived media jobs and think- tanks. Very few of them appear to have got their hands dirty working in manufacturing, marketing, sales, accountancy , operations management, agriculture, construction, shop floor work, National Health Service, not for profit work or any other line of employment that produces tangible goods or useful services. This lack of real world experience and an experienced view of how people live inevitably creates a lack of empathy with the electorate.
Secondly the influence of the febrile hot house of Westminster that develops in part delusions of adequacy or delusions of power which in turn corrupts sensibility. Some MPs are hard put to know whether they are walking on water or convinced like Icarus they will fly to the sun.
Thirdly there is the corrupting influence of the media evidenced by a revolving door of sitting MPs and former MPs all getting broadcasting jobs at the BBC and lets not forget the blandishments of commercial companies oiling politicians into comfortable well paid positions in businesses ranging from tobacco, defense to PR.
Fourthly the House of Lords has been left intact to act as a pension top up for former MPs, and media types.
However that said, there are very many MPs from all sides of the House, for the most part ignored by the media, who assiduously look after their constituents and battle to reverse calamitous policies perpetrated by government, local authorities, public bodies, business and industry.
Finally De Piero wrote to Ed Milliband with a short report in which she is starting to reach out to her constituents with a beer and sandwich evening – this says it all, nothing has changed since the 50’s when the trade unions were invited to Downing Street for a chat over beer and sandwiches.
I knocked off a letter to the Guardian and it made the letters page however my point about many MPs assiduously taking care of business and being ignored by the media was – no surprise here – edited out of my letter.
To read more paste and click on the link below
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/jan/03/political-apathy-resignation-solutions?INTCMP=SRCH