Rory Stewart

Same here, Tegan and iam. I also think that MPs should take their jobs more seriously. What's worse than tweeting is retweeting, great long lists of repetition. Such a waste of time and space.

No, it's not just you Tegan. I find twitter a step out of my comfort zone. Twitter seems like a good name for it to me

I guess you have to be a twit not to Twitter these days ; which means I now have to google 'Rory Stewart twitter'. However, is it just me but if I check someone out on Twitter I feel as if I'm stalking them in some way ?

Tegan I think self-publicising is the norm these days and not just for politicians.
Forty years ago professionals contented themselves with a small brass plate outside their premises, and possibly a small advert in the Yellow Pages.
The Internet changed all that and anyone who doesn't have an all-singing all-dancing website and/or a blog is consigning themselves to oblivion.

A snob wouldn't be able to connect with people the way that he does and he has a genuine interest in people from all walks of society. I wish the series could have been longer because I felt last nights programme had to cram an awful lot of stuff into an hour. I have throughly enjoyed it and it has made me think a lot about the issues he's raised. I agree that he's a self publicist of the highest order, though but there's nothing wrong with ambition.

If, as some people think, Rory is a snob, I wish you could have heard him talking about his trip to Afganistan. He was there on his own with no support.
He ate and slept in ordinary Afgan homes. Not something I could do.
The press are jumping on him because people are beginning to notice him. And the press, red or blue likes a rebel.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/04/maria-millers-great-hypocrisy-representing-people

Most people's statements are unsubstantiated, Jane. They are just points of view.
POGS, I was giving a list of MPs in Northumberland and Durham, and substantiating my previous statement as Jane had commented on it. What I was saying was that they tend to represent the people they grew up with, rather than be parachuted in to a safe seat in the party. I was not saying that all MPs had to be miners or union members, although it does help in the North East.

I still like him and I like to hear him speak in Parliament.

He was selected through the open primary process.

I think for a young man he has already led quite a fascinating life for heaven's sake.

Surely MP's come from all backgrounds, not necessarily miners, postmen, ships stewards nor councillors. I think of them as doctors, business men and women, ex forces, housewives etc.

It would be a bloody great big cock up if they were not from various backgrounds surely.

jen will you please stop accusing me of knowing what you mean just because I have questioned one of your unsubstantiated statements.
Perhaps my views are coloured by the fact that Guy Opperman is my MP, but I don't think the North East is typical of the rest of the country.
Maybe we are just unlucky in Hexham.
A previous one was Alan Amos who was elected as a Conservative, but later transferred his allegiance to the Labour Party mid-term.

Just seen your comment, Jane.
I believe that most MPs are politically aware and decide to become MPs after being local councillors. That's certainly the case for all but two MPs in Northumberland and Durham.
The only MP who had stood for other constituencies first before coming to the North East is Guy Opperman, who stood for Swindon North and Caernafon before coming to Hexham. He also happens to be the only Tory MP.
Helen Goodman had no connections to the North East, but all the others were miners, union reps or councillors here first.
Some of them came here to university and stayed, but most of them were born in the North East and represent people they know.
But I think you know what I meant.

Ok bags, comment accepted with grace (the one about the purpose of life that is).

I did wonder about background and meeja distortions, but if he said it he's still a twerp in my book. If he's clever and has had opportunities most people never have, he should be more careful of what he says in public. Otherwise, he's a twit, as I said.

But the press are too quick sometimes to pick up comments from people without giving the background to that comment. It's not his fault he was born into the higher eschelons of society and, unlike a lot of them he's trying to understand life 'on the other side' [not like Cameron who pretends to be 'just call me Dave,ordinary man of the people' who just happens to be stinking rich and priveliged]. Can't believe I'm defending a Toryboy; can only blame it on my age or something . I mean, I even like Michael [Tim, nice but dim] Portillo these days. Obviously key to success is making tv programmes .

I despise these clever dick twerps and their snooty dismissal of ordinary people.

Of course my comment is a bit harsh and of course I don't mean it is the only purpose that we can give to our lives, but it's a fitting response to a politician's silly comment about opium of the masses.

There is a strange sort of pressure these days for people to have children though, and not for the usual reasons ie baby bumps became fashionable and babies became fashion items. That became a difficult time for people who either couldn't have or chose not to have children. Have to admit though, that, with todays politicians being so totally guided by their spin doctors it's interesting to have a bit of a loose cannon in Parliament [other than the awful Farage bloke]. Guilty as I feel about it I'm still finding Rory fascinating; wonder what Spitting Images would have made of him; they'd've had a field day! He'd've been striding round Parliament with his Afghan hiking clobber on .

bags' does have a point, as we wouldn't have those options if we didn't reproduce ourself in sufficient numbers to keep our species going.

Hmm perhaps we should be thanking those large families who usually receive criticism for enabling some people to choose not to have children!

Bags, your comment about the purpose of life being to reproduce itself is a bit harsh . Our family is probably fairly typical, in that each generation has had members who failed to reproduce, despite a genuine desire to do so. Not everyone wants children, and I feel we should respect that choice.
Some of the posts on here suggest Rory can be accused of being a twit for some things, though I do like someone with a bit of adventure in their soul.

Bags it's not the only purpose of human life, though is it?
Surely our striving for knowledge and understanding is what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom.

Anyone who doesn't realise that the purpose of life is to reproduce itself is a twit.

If memory serves me correct, when I heard him talking about his walk through Afganistan it was after he left Iraq.

Jen I thought most MPs decided firstly they wanted to be an MP, and then found a constituency to represent.

Actually this thread has made me look into his history and the more I am reading the more I like him.

We will have to agree to disagree.

POGS, I do not need to tell you my definition. Here is Rory Stewart himself.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2588500/Children-opium-masses-says-MP-Backbencher-hits-think-offspring-purpose-life-admits-wants-father-himself.html