Rory Stewart

I thought he was annoying but googled him too and have to be impressed with his CV so far ... probably PM material, as you say Tegan. Some people pack so much into such a short amount of life don't they!

Interesting character, wonder (hope) he can keep his independent way of thinking and not become a Tory clone like some we could mention!!

Didn't see the programme, but I agree he's a good bet for a future prime minister. He seems to be an independent thinker, and dare we hope he has integrity. It's no secret I'm not a tory voter, but we need intelligent, independent, thoughtful people in politics, and there does seem to be a bit of a shortage currently

An old-Etonian who described some of his rural constituents as 'primitive' ..... definitely PM material!

I didn't see the programme so have just looked him up on Wiki. He is just the same age as my DS2 and I was wondering how one so young had packed so many achievements into his life. Then, thinking about it, I realised that DS2 wasn't really so young after all and, with two sons and a decent career, isn't doing so badly himself!

Riverwalk; I think the quote was taken out of context; I bet he looks on everything in an anthroplogical way [but I can see where you're coming from !]. Another quote said 'I'd have to vote for him no matter what party he stood for' and, as a Labour voter I'd probably say the same. He was in the Labour party in his youth, so obviously is an idealist. I was just enthralled listening to him because I could sense that what he was saying came from the heart not from a script [although you'd have to say that about most tv historians]. We knew someone had been filming in Bamburgh recently; so many programmes are filmed there but we never seem to be there when it happens. Probably one of the most charismatic people I've seen on tv for a long time.

His book, 'The Places in Between' sounds so good that I have found a good used copy on Amazon and ordered it. He does sound a most improbable Tory!

There are mutterings about his charity, Turquoise Mountain, which was very well-funded, compared to others, being a CIA front.

There's probably more to him than meets the eye

Mutterings where * Ana*? Not Chinese whispers?

Sorry- not Ana, riverwalk!

I like Rory Stewart, he doesn't play childish partisan politics.

He debates well in Parliament and is not a motor mouth MP, he is very likeable and will give credit where and when it is due. He is too quiet and soft to ever be PM.

Watched this on iPlayer last night, thanks for reminding me Tegan.
One of my friends lives in his Penrith constituency, and she's not a Tory either, but votes for him and says he's a very good constituency MP.

I found his ideas about the middle country fascinating, and liked the way he related our history to modern conflicts.

It's strange cause, watching him walking in the programme I thought to myslef that this is a man who keeps himself very fit and probably still does army training, but was still surprised at what I read when I googled him. As they said , he's like a modern day Lawrence of Arabia. Maybe he isn't a CIA agent but still a secret Labour man infiltrating the Tory Party . They do say that, even though he's an old Etoninan, he's not one of Camerons iner sanctum.

He seems to have a genuine interest in the people he was interviewing.
I liked the part where he was talking to the Cumbrian sheep farmer about the dialect way of counting the sheep -'yan tan tethera' etc

He's most probably learning Cumbrian now [if he hasn't already done so]. For some reason he made me think of Tony Benn and I'd love to know what Tony thought/would have thought of him; I can imagine them having some fascinating conversations.

Tegan, what a dream, that someone like Rory may be a Labour supporter really!

You wouldn't have found Tony Benn walking through Afganistan to find out what is really going on there, unlike Rory. Love him.

And you wouldn't have found Tony Benn claiming to have been a Deputy Governor of Iraq when aged 30.

According to the Daily Telegraph Stewart was

actually the deputy to a lady called Molly Phee, an American who had been appointed "governate coordinator". That would make him "deputy governate coordinator"

A co-ordinater in the governate doesn't make you a governor - and if you're the deputy to the co-ordinator ....?

blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/willheaven/100081354/rory-stewart-gentleman-scholar-or-snooty-gap-yah-tragedy/

River walk

Your post suggests that Rory Stewart himself claimed to be a Deputy Governor of Iraq.

Then you point us to read a blog by the telegraph which states 'Question Time', not the man himself, described him as a "Former Deputy Governor in Iraq".

I have watched Rory Stewart in Parliament, his history is evident on Wikipedia and I think it is most impressive, like the man himself.

Parliament could do with more of his kind and I don't think he would see himself as a Labour supporter.

POGS his own website refers to him being 'Deputy Governor'

www.rorystewart.co.uk/about-rory/

Test

Just checked his voting record in Parliament.
He doesn't like children or young people, voting against them having priority in the jobs market, and wanting to stop 16-18 year olds being helped in education. He does not want rail fares to be reduced, despite living in an area where it's impossible to get cheap fares to anywhere, unless yours are subsidised. Oh, I forgot, we pay his.
He's only the MP for Penrith because he was turned down for Beaconsfield, I think it was.
He voted for all the welfare cuts, and the bedroom tax. Voted against everything to do with gay rights. He's definitely not socialist.
He spoke with Tony Benn at a debate on Iraq in 2007. Tony Benn listed him as "an ex-army officer who had been a governor or deputy governor of a province in Iraq and had come to the conclusion that it was hopeless and that you've just got to get out. He wasn't anti-war, but everything just failed."
That was the sum total of Tony Benn's record of Rory Stewart.
If he was PM, he'd be no different to what we've got now.

River

I did see your reply but I have had trouble posting, reported it to HQ.

I take your point but I will say he is one of the better MP's.

Oh drat; I really wanted to find a sincere politician. I know there's Dennis Skinner but it was nice to think I'd found one that I could have a secret crush on as well . I still find him fascinating, though, but it will have to be in a 'mad bad and dangerous to know' sort of way.