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I think one reason for that may be that Councillors don't get paid a full-time wage, while SpAds do. Hence Councillors tend to be older, without a long political career ahead of them.

AN OUTSIDE CHANCE

that Councillors are 'closer to consequences' - not insulated by the anonymising Westminster mass? Hence they do not manage the trick of treating real people as rats in a maze, to be experimented on with 'initiatives'. Which is to say: they might not quite be up for soul-selling.

'The best route to high office in British politics?'

An Oxbridge PPE degree of course.

And now they will cost the best part of £45K a piece, though please don't apply if you're born with a plastic spoon in your mouth.

best route to high office is to wear a short skirt and come from russia/china/other

or get a reputation as a 'mr cashpoint'? or have close links to israeli military intelligence?

have you bumped into that guy through whose hands mysterious money comes to the labour party recently cricky?

You can go higher than. When was the last time a Home Secretary progressed? Kiss of death, the Home Office. Great office of state?

BUT IS KITTEN-SHOES-MAY MORPHING INTO SPIKE-SHOES-KLEB? (#6)

Teresa May has gone from brisk to brusk, in a matter of months, and was wearing killer shoulder-tips today. She used 'on my patch' and 'on my watch' - both in 24 hours. Any moment now, she will start bawling LEWIS! or CROCKER GET IN HERE!

With this one, we must beware of a total overthrow of government and impositon of a police state. Perhaps that's why they were practicing so hard?

Have to unplug the modem now.

He hasn't done anything yet. It could still end in tears.

Eric Pickles...the Landbergher Gestler of British politics....remember him as the villain in Robin Hood black and white....ITV...fifties telly...I thought I recognised him....

Robin Hood? No, it was Wiliam Tell.

9. I remember that, happy days.
I also remember our council house in winter. Windows frozen on the inside, not so happy days.
When that bloke said the other week that people had never had it so good, he was right.
The media and labour are full of hypocrisy.
Rock on Eric!

10. You are right it was William Tell. But it was Black and White.
Crossbows and apples on the bonce.

Route to high office eh.

1) Already know someone in high office or be a relative of someone with a political career in westminster or brown nose your way up through the party structure.

2) make sure you have never had a real job outside of politics.

3) study economics, history or law or something else equaly non practical at university

4) Be in a stable marriage (or give the appearance of the same) with at least 2 youngish children so you can claim empathy with ' hard working families'

5) Suffer from acute 'superiority complex' coupled with ' acute habitual patronisation syndrome'.

We have gone back to a monarchy basically, except I think I refer the real monarchy now to this lot in the HOP.


Ahhh I feel better after writing that, a cathartic experience... thanks Crick old bean.

Mike

In the current situation where free speech is the order of the day, with the Assange extradition - doesn't it strike you as odd that the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ has cut back on its political blogs to stiffle free discussion yet sees fit to have ongoing blogs on Strictly Come Dancing?

3> Well done! You've gone to Michael's top of the inverted class!

I am more concerned about the unwavering support for Assange from all the conspiracy theorists and blame transferees.

My contempt for these dreamers, people of faith, utopianists, fanaticists, fantasists in general including, eventually Miliband is, if anything growing ever more towards the point of no return.

I suppose if it's NOT your daughter, your son, your wife, or sister, it's easy to place your preconceived ideas before the allegations made.

I phoned my step-son this afternoon to check he wasn't the Metropolitan police officer who was stabbed to death, as was initially reported this afternoon. I noticed that after an initial report of the incident Radio 4 News fell silent, although later I was able to get the latest from Radio 5 Live after hearing a long discussion about football club directors!

When my wife and I listened to the speeches on the day we proudly watched her son graduate to become a police officer in the Met. they warned us that for us, as parents, we would find it challenging. Too right on days like today!

Eric Pickles should wear a 19th century Dickensian outfit, as portrayed so well, in those fabulous classic black and white films, in all interviews.

Oh, silly me, I forget, certain MPs, who are now Ministers, 'don't do interviews' - when can we have more, sir? Yes, not a correct quote from Dickens - but you get my point.

Britain is a satellite of the USA...so achieving high office involves betraying our "narrow national" intersts while affecting to do the exact opposite of that.

Is the particular route to high office more important than the qualities necessary for the job? Unprincipled amoral confidence tricksters will always find a way in modern Britain ...and by any route available to them.

Does Wikileaks suggest that the route to becoming Foreign Minister or Defence Secretary involves popping down to the American Embassy and grovelling ....while promising to do whatever makes the USA richer!?