Not David
This week on Radio 4 Ed Miliband was informed that the word coming up most in polls about him was ‘weird’. The combination of "Standing against his brother for the leadership…his apparently reluctant marriage, and his manner of speaking” has all resulted in a public conclusion of oddness.
A haunting childhood memory of mine
But is weird even an insult? It’s most certainly not a new thing in parliament; in fact I would argue it is TRADITION for MPs to have quirks, physical and otherwise in legion. William Hague, when leader of the opposition suffered somewhat from his weirdnosity. But then he wore a baseball cap. A BASEBALL CAP. So that was fair enough. Michael Howard famously has ‘something of the night about him’ as noted by Ann Widdecombe, about whom I don’t believe I have to comment. On the left we had Lembit Opik doing his utmost to quash any suggestion the Tories have any kind of monopoly on the weird factor.
Surely a lifetime of eccentricity behind you gives you the confidence to stick to your principles. Be they admirable or totally whack. Surely it’s more important that everybody’s talking about your policies instead of the fact you appear to be sending your Spitting Image puppet to public engagements.
Surely a lifetime of eccentricity behind you gives you the confidence to stick to your principles. Be they admirable or totally whack. Surely it’s more important that everybody’s talking about your policies instead of the fact you appear to be sending your Spitting Image puppet to public engagements.
Just a regular guy, guys.
Before the rise of the career politician being weird and eccentric was part of being a politician. It’s possible you stood out more if you were a bit dull. And made horribly off predictions about peace in our time. Now as parliament slowly fills up with slick city suits who interned at their local MP’s office and dream of looking rather swish whilst telling women MPs across the room to “calm down dear” (hilarious) being a ‘normal guy’ (or of course, woman) is the most important attribute MPs can have.
But I don’t want that. I am not asking for you to start wildly voting Monster Raving Loony party at every opportunity you get (my curiosity is not that morbid). I am asking us to lower the dial on our weird sensor. Having the eyebrows of Lord Lamont? Ok that’s weird. Appearing hesitant to marry, not weird. Having a nasal voice? Unfortunate, but not weird. Wanting to mow down all ethnic minorities? DANGEROUSLY WEIRD. We need to stop wrinkling our noses at a balding pate or annoying lisp and listen to what our politicians are actually saying. As Ed himself said, "It is about substance. It is absolutely about substance.”
Squeamish Kate
But I don’t want that. I am not asking for you to start wildly voting Monster Raving Loony party at every opportunity you get (my curiosity is not that morbid). I am asking us to lower the dial on our weird sensor. Having the eyebrows of Lord Lamont? Ok that’s weird. Appearing hesitant to marry, not weird. Having a nasal voice? Unfortunate, but not weird. Wanting to mow down all ethnic minorities? DANGEROUSLY WEIRD. We need to stop wrinkling our noses at a balding pate or annoying lisp and listen to what our politicians are actually saying. As Ed himself said, "It is about substance. It is absolutely about substance.”
Squeamish Kate
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