“Johnson is … the most accomplished liar in public life – perhaps the best liar ever to serve as prime minister,” he said. “He has mastered the use of error, omission, exaggeration, diminution, equ

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I've always liked Rory since I heard his marvellous speech in the House of Commons about hedgehogs.

Would have made a good leader of the party in my opinion. Not just based on the hedgehog speech, of course. He's an excellent orator. And doesn't waffle.

www.indy100.com/offbeat/rory-stewart-hedgehogs-speech-video-commons-tory-leadership-race-8962336

You said it Dinah the LP still fails to recognise that times have changed....they are dinosaurs and are shedding votes all over the place.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

I've just read the article and think that it's an accurate description of Johnson. Thank yo for the link.

Infinity2 One of the problems with the LP during the later part of the last century was that they did not realise that the lives of people had moved on. Most people had better health and homes than previous generations and there were many job opportunities. It became possible for people from ordinary backgrounds to achieve more than previous generations dreamed about. Home ownership grew from about 1/3 owner occupier immediately before WW2, stagnated during the 50s and then reached 73% by 2007. The percentage subsequently declined to around 65%.

Owning ones home was seen as a "step up" for many people and part of that change to their lives meant voting Tory. I think that Blair recognised this, hence the change in LP policies. Sadly, IMO, he went too far.

What would you call ( if not hubris) Stewart not getting either the position of Leader or Major of London ?
Leaving his constituency in the lurch and then quitting politics.

lemongrove

Just meant to add, he failed because of his looks and hubris.
He would never have made the top job but could have continued to serve as a Minister.

????

More wilful misunderstanding eh MaizieD

Just meant to add, he failed because of his looks and hubris.
He would never have made the top job but could have continued to serve as a Minister.

lemongrove

Alegrias1

You think?

Well given he's Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and got there even though he was an adopted baby and his dad ran a fish gutting business, I think he's done pretty well for himself. That's the closest he's going to get to an endorsement from me.

He has done very well for himself indeed, he’s extremely intelligent, articulate and does have some charm ( according to articles I’ve read) but would never be voted for as Leader of the Conservative Party, in my view.He would have made a far better PM than Johnson.
Rory Stewart held a Ministerial position, but had no chance if becoming Leader or of London Mayor.
John Major wasn’t good looking but was a Mr Average.
For those who think looks shouldn’t matter in any area of life, they are dead right, but unfortunately looks and charm open doors.Johnson was quite good looking when younger (and now is Mr Average) but has charm and that ‘hail fellow well met’ aura that stand politicians in good stead.
Sorry to derail your thread Monica but it seemed posters didn’t understand ( or want to understand?) why Rory Stewart
Failed in politics.

Clearly 'Failed in Politics' because of people like you, and other posters on this thread, lemon. Politics as a beauty contest is not very edifying...

???Stewart didn’t fail, he resigned from the Tory party because he quite rightly understood that it was no longer the Tory party he joined.

There are plenty of really good people out there of the same ilk as Stewart all watching with horror from the sidelines.

Their day will come.

It's an interesting article as far as it goes; I read it ages ago when it was first published (thanks to twitter). It's a shame that the whole of Stewart's article, of which only bits are being quoted here is in the TLS and behind a pay wall.

Alegrias1

You think?

Well given he's Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and got there even though he was an adopted baby and his dad ran a fish gutting business, I think he's done pretty well for himself. That's the closest he's going to get to an endorsement from me.

He has done very well for himself indeed, he’s extremely intelligent, articulate and does have some charm ( according to articles I’ve read) but would never be voted for as Leader of the Conservative Party, in my view.He would have made a far better PM than Johnson.
Rory Stewart held a Ministerial position, but had no chance if becoming Leader or of London Mayor.
John Major wasn’t good looking but was a Mr Average.
For those who think looks shouldn’t matter in any area of life, they are dead right, but unfortunately looks and charm open doors.Johnson was quite good looking when younger (and now is Mr Average) but has charm and that ‘hail fellow well met’ aura that stand politicians in good stead.
Sorry to derail your thread Monica but it seemed posters didn’t understand ( or want to understand?) why Rory Stewart
Failed in politics.

trisher

It's an interesting article, but doesn't say much more than I already know about Johnson. It isn't the lies that so much bother me, I've just accepted them, it's the uncritical attitude of British media I find disturbing. For instance Brexit- lemon has posted that he got Brexit done. Well he did, but not really because he left the huge question of N.Ireland unresolved, but the press seem happy to disregard that. His other cock ups seem to be similarly ignored, almost as if the right wing press don't want anyone to think badly of him.

Good post.

It's an interesting article, but doesn't say much more than I already know about Johnson. It isn't the lies that so much bother me, I've just accepted them, it's the uncritical attitude of British media I find disturbing. For instance Brexit- lemon has posted that he got Brexit done. Well he did, but not really because he left the huge question of N.Ireland unresolved, but the press seem happy to disregard that. His other cock ups seem to be similarly ignored, almost as if the right wing press don't want anyone to think badly of him.

That was for Lemongrove

You think?

Well given he's Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and got there even though he was an adopted baby and his dad ran a fish gutting business, I think he's done pretty well for himself. That's the closest he's going to get to an endorsement from me.

Who here votes for a politician based on their good looks? That was a funny old suggestion.

I'd say they're all liars - or at least 'economical' with the truth. What strikes me about this lot is the 'bare faced' aspect, the complete, unashamed audacity, impudence, the taking us for fools!

Yes I am saying that lots of the public if MN is anything to go by find him very attractive. I think you do seem to put too much emphasis on looks in politics when there is little evidence for it, Johnson, Major etc, none are particularly attractive in a conventional sense, I think charm is a different matter.

Yes, Gove suffers for the same reason Aleg ...which is why he has no chance ever of becoming PM.

A lot of liars seem to get elected in this day and age. It seems to be what the public want. All mouth and no trousers as they say.

And yet....

Votes

Nothing to do with my taste Galaxy it boils down to public taste when cotes count.
As poor old Ed Miliband found out.