Candidates shy about revealing current job
Why do so many candidates in this election seem to avoid telling us what job they do?
I was alerted to this by my former wife Margaret, who texted me yesterday to say that Nicola Blackwood, the Conservative candidate in her seat, Oxford West and Abingdon, doesn't even say on her website .
She tells us at length how she was educated at both Oxford and Cambridge universities, and is an accomplished classical singer, and about her volutary work. But nothing about what she does for a living. An oversight perhaps.
It's a trend I'd noticed before. I looked up the pile of leaflets I'd collected from the candidates in Luton South last Friday. The same thing.
Labour's Gavin Shuker proudly tells us his father and grandfather both worked at Vauxhall, but there's nothing about his own job.
In four leaflets the Lib Dem Qurban Hussain tells us of his work as a local councillor, but nothing of his job.
The same with the two leaflets I got from the Conservative Nigel Huddlestone.
And it's the same on other candidates' leaflets and websites.
Yet if someone came to you for a job, surely the first thing you would ask them is what job they're doing now.
Perhaps these candidates do something socially disreputable - City bankers, or social workers, or estate agents... or TV reporters.
But not all of them, surely?
In a few cases they may want to disguise the fact that in winnable seats candidates have sometimes become full-time politicians, and given up their jobs, long before they are elected.
Or perhaps they feel that telling us what job they do would put off a substantial chunk of the electorate.
It's very strange. Especially when all the parties are preaching openness and transparency.
And especially at a time when it's increasingly thought that politicians should have some experience of the outside world and real life.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 12th Apr 2010, DebtJuggler wrote:Maybe they have been spending time at Her Majesty's Pleasure?
Quick...somebody call the Criminal Records Bureau!
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Comment number 2.
At 12th Apr 2010, Jericoa wrote:Michael,
This is an excellent point!
After all how many people want to admit that they are a lawyer an estate agent, a paid member of a 'think Tank' or quango or connected with the financial system at the moment in some way.
I suspect the majority of candidates would fall under those kinds of categories. Wouldn't it be interesting to find out?
As has been discussed elsewhere on NN blogs it is (I think) a fascinating insight to reflect on that most members of the Chinese leadership are engineers by original training and career background where as in the states, here and elsewhere in the west the political leadership is mostly drawn from a particular 'lawyer political class' of which Tony Blair must be one of its best examples of the triumph of spin over substance.
It is really important that we understand the background of those putting them selves up for election as it tells us an awful lot about what we are likely to be getting and their likely range of life experience which will make them an effective politician.
Engineers analyse problems or aspirations then design solutions and methodologies to implement them, then manage the process of carrying them out.
As shown by the sucess of china (outside of the human rights issues) I think that is a better base skill set to have than a lawyer, banker or estate agent when setting about the business of running a country.
Dig deeper please Michael, you may be onto something here worthy of a piece all on its own.
Did I mention I am an engineer by the way.
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Comment number 3.
At 12th Apr 2010, DebtJuggler wrote:...er...just a small point Michael.
You are assuming that they have actually had a job before applying to become an MP.
Never assume anything!
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Comment number 4.
At 12th Apr 2010, JunkkMale wrote:Perhaps these candidates do something socially disreputable
Or, heaven forfend, are lawyers, or better yet a class of being that went straight into politics without ever having ANY real job with real human beings, balancing a budget, having to mange their own staff (who they need to employ, pay, nanny and possibly discipline or retrench... personally... obeying a raft of rules imposed by a bunch who would give 'em free 6 months breaks if it would secure a vote, as it certainly would not impact on their pay, perk and pensioned lifestyle).
Not to mention being a PRasNews transcriber working for a uniquely funded (ie: whatever you want, whenever you want it) public purse broadcaster whose service has to be 'bought' no matter what.
Oh, not sure this was.
But otherwise, good points, well taken.
ps: Any links to the sites of other MPs mentioned? For balance?
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Comment number 5.
At 12th Apr 2010, spywednesday wrote:It's an interesting point. Given current public opinion, you'd think most of them would rather deny being politicians!
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Comment number 6.
At 12th Apr 2010, Jerry Daykin wrote:"Gavin studied Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge University.
Many of his fellow students headed to London to work for banks, consultancies or big businesses after graduating, but Gavin chose a different path - moving back home to Luton to serve his community.
Today Gavin works for a local church."
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Comment number 7.
At 12th Apr 2010, Jeff Pullinger wrote:I think it's unwise to extrapolate from your very limited contact with the candidates that they are shy about revealing their current jobs.
If you had been to any of the many hustings that have happened in Luton South then you'd have heard them talk about their jobs and how those jobs make them strong candidates.
Another way to find out information about the candidates is to ask them.
As a Lutonian I'm getting fed up of people feeling like finding anything out about the candidates is hard, and it doesn't help when someone like you tells people it's hard, when it is not.
Just email them, or phone them, or write them a letter.
Most of the candidates answer pretty quickly, some take about a week and some don't reply at all.
and even that tells you a lot about them.
some links to their contact details are here:
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Comment number 8.
At 12th Apr 2010, barriesingleton wrote:RULE BRITANNIA (#2)
The parallel between political morality, and that of 'The Law' {never to be confused with Justice - oh, it already is) shines out with a dark light.
Not the only Western cock-up, apparently. Today on 'Costing the Earth' it was shown that our number naming is naff. The Chinese have a better system apparently.
I cannot help but feel, the thing we do best is arrogance.
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Comment number 9.
At 13th Apr 2010, Hot Charity wrote:Michael,
Qurban's leaflets don't mention his job as he gave up work to campaign full time! No hidden agenda there, he used to work in retraining people for work.
I am sure you will amend accordingly!
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Comment number 10.
At 13th Apr 2010, Iain Coleman wrote:"Why do so many candidates in this election seem to avoid telling us what job they do?"
Tell you what, why don't you ask them? Their contact details will be on all these leaflets that are baffling you so much. Or would that me too much like actual journalism?
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