A good age to be an MP
 

We touched on the subject earlier by someone noting that PB is 59 and that perhaps people should be considering retiring at that age rather than taking on a more grueling job. But, surely, with age comes experience and knowledge that is invaluable. Plus the voting public is usually more mature and so would want to vote for someone similar to themselves in many ways i.e. someone who has a shared history, common ground.

But with youth comes enthusiasm and energy - it's well known that politicians work hard and are on call 24/7 so youthful energy is needed. Would an older person run out of steam by lunchtime on Wednesday? But young people don't have the life experiences, how would an older member of the public relate to a young MP?

Questions, questions, so what do you think is the optimum age to be standing for parliament?

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

i reckon 40s is my own preference. not too old, not too young.:) notice you aint made yer mind up gayle......... typical woman. lol

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

I also think the early 40's...you have had a chance to gain some life experience......and usually are more comfortable in your own skin (not searching for who you are anymore).....have usually developed the confidence to challenge ideas and values....and are not afraid to speak up for what you believe in.
Most 40 year olds have an abundance of energy......and of course enthusiasm......enthusiasm is what makes others want to emulate you.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

But, and I'm just playing devils advocate here, is it a bit of a cop out to pick 40s because it's just in the middle?

I know I put it as an option and I suspect most people will go for it but is it neither one thing or the other - trying to hedge your bets sort of choice?

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

:)I have to agree with cashy... 40's is about the right age, still young enough to be able to relate to the new and younger voters while having the life experience and physical capabilities to cope with the pressures that parliamentary life brings......

Another Greg Pope would suit me fine......:D

Are you thinking of throwing your hat into the ring Gayle....?? you would definitely get my vote.........:):):)

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

When Greg got his seat he was 32, he was born in 1960 and got his seat in 1992.

So would you want another Greg as he is now i.e. 49? or would you want someone 32 like he was when he got in?

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

No Gayle if it had not been included in the poll, then I would have suggested in my post........for all the reasons that I have posted in that post.
Having said that I think you have to take the person into consideration too.......some people are not old at Seventy, and some are old fogeys at 30.........mental attitude to age has to be a factor.
And while mental agility does deteriorate with age, I know some folk who are past 80 and nothing gets past them.

I also think that physical energy is required to be a good representative........I know that being an MP isn't on a par with being a brick layer, but all that travelling and constituency work must be tiring.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Wherever did you get the idea that politicians work hard? They may well work hard at filling in their expenses sheets but for those of us who know the meaning of work then the life of a politician is a relative doddle. And why do you think intellectual energy is only available to the kids?

Assuming an election later on this year, the ideal age for an MP is 53.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Thanks for the vote of confidence although if you want another Greg and then you say you'd be happy with me, should I be offended? I can think of one or two difference between me and Greg. :D

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

And how have you come to this reasoned decision? Are you 53 by any chance? Do you reckon you could do any better - if so, then by all means go for it, I'd love to hear your manifesto. :D

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Gayle there are bound to be differences......Vive la Difference.

Different doesn't mean less good.

I'm sure if Greg had decided to carry on for a few more years he would have got the support.......but as he has chosen to do something different then we have to accept that.
And I would be another one who would support you Gayle if you decided to throw your hat into the ring.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

If Gayle stood as an independent for Hyndburn, I'm quite sure (given the current political turmoil) that she would win. She would certainly have my vote (If I had one in Hyndburn) if only to see an end to the sort of nonsense we had on tuesday afternoon.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

I would say midway between those ages, late 30's(38/39) to early 40's (43/44).... I wouldn't discount someone at 32 but I think it depends on the background of the person......

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Of course you are different and I can think of at least one difference!:D

I am happy with the way that Greg has served the borough over the years, so that is why I said another Greg would suit me fine....but I also remember your political aspirations a few years ago.... I also think you would be a excellent representitive for the borough.... the right age, more importantly female, dynamic and I'm sure someone the younger voters would be happy with .......:)

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Only Curious but, how old was Churchill when he took on his rather responsible task?

Surely it shouldn't be about age, it should be about ability, the man for the job, there at the right time and able to carry the work through no matter what.

Earlier in his life he made monumental mistakes but when needed he seemed to manage o.k.

It should not be a question of age as much as capability for doing the job, the 59 year old that people are thinking about isn't capable of much responsibility, there again neither am I.

At least I know it.
:o

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Originally I thought people should go into parliament when they're older. Thinking about it again, as Less has just said, I don't think it's about age but about whether you're capable of being the best representative of the people. Take the expenses scandal, members who have had 20, 30 or 40 years life experience have still lined their own pockets. The constituents can see that paying for the cleaning of a moat, a duck house, or swindling your second home allowance, is out of order, and an abuse of taxpayers money. It doesn't take a wealth of experience to know that, it takes judgement. An MP must be able to represent and listen to constituents of all ages. What it required is an ability to use the information gathered from listening to those with wide ranges of experience and circumstances in Hyndburn, and to actively make a judgement in the best interests of those people.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Late thirties early forties ... bit of life behind em and quite a bit to go at preferably ... accidents notwithstanding ...

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

I don't think the expenses scandal will be too much of an issue in Hyndburn at the next General election as Greg is standing down. All those who go up for election will be able to say that they would have behaved differently.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Obviously, it does not matter to Greg anymore but for the main parties alot now depends on when the election is and what memories people have of this scandal and what further skeletons will come out the cupboard. I really do think that people will treat the three main parties with the contempt they deserve; they are all corrupt to the core. Any ideological differences they may have had have long since vanished and each exists solely for the purpose of the exercising of power for no ones gratification other than their own.

Good independent candidates, irrespective of age but who are betoken to no one other than their constituents now have their best ever chance of election to a parliament and to get the radical changes we so need.

By the way, I see the Observer is leading on Greg's housing claims. Just a shame they missed on his accountant's bills which the taxpayer has paid.....or is this for another thread?

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

What I meant, was that because there is no sitting MP restanding it levels the playing field a bit more.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

:) not so sure about the irrespective of age.....! I think age does have some bearing, .........but otherwise couldn't agree more! excellent comment:)

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

It does indeed. As I see it, all the parties in all the constituencies where MP's are being forced out will be seeking local people as their prospective candidates - they won't want people parachuted in from outside. In Hyndburn in Labour's case it means Jones & in the Tories it's Britcliffe.(Forget about the Liberal democrats). Both of 'em will be fully tarred with the brown matter of their party's parliamentary corruption. Therefore any reasonably-well known, local, untainted independent will therefore pick up votes from the main parties and if they have the right manifesto which encompasses a promise of transparency, accountability and service to their constituents and not whoever is in Downing Street, then they should win.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Well I think the ideal age is 59 myself:D But seriously I've voted for mid forties, but if you have some one with the right attitude and the zest to do the job, why should age be a bar, there are quite a few MPs who are quite long in the tooth

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Age is unimportant to me.

There's good and bad across the age range.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

After given this a lot of thought I would say 60. They would also have to live in Accrington. And a definite prerequisite, they would have to be a Stanley fan.

But where would you ever find such a candidate.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

You are quite right Less, it should be about ability, but the question that Gayle posed for us was 'What is the optimum age to stand for parliament'.........that being the question, I had taken that the ability to do the job was a 'given'.

I don't know what age Churchill was........from what I remember of him he always looked like my grandad........the the arena of politics has changed beyond all recognition since his day......and I wonder how he would have coped in the current political situation.

I think that a good candidate should have gained life experience, and ideally should live in the area that he represents.....I would even say that he /she should have been brought up in the area or have strong family links to the area......and although I would want my candidate to have enough years under their belt to have gained life experience, I would want them to be young enough not to alienate the younger voters by rigid attitudes.......outmoded ideas......lastly I would want a candidate that had a good work ethic and integrity........who wouldn't be bleating(like Kitty Ussher) 'I did nothing wrong'.

I think this is a pretty straighforward wish list of attributes.....now whether it is achievable is another question altogether.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Personally don't think anyone should be allowed to run for public office until they have reached the age of 110.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

whats the old saying ...youth and exhuberance is no match for old age and experiance (or should that be old age and treachery ) :eek: :eek: ;) ;)

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

I prefer old age and lechery:theband:

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

trouble with Churchill or so me dads generation told me many times- he was a good war time leader n a complete ****** in peacetime.:cool:

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Have to agree, my old Grandma hated him , but there again she could have been biased , in her dotage her fondest memory was of attending a meeting at Manchester Free Trades Hall , which was addressed by either Molotov or Buganin , (she was/had been a shop steward in the weavers union and thought Barbara Castle walked on water) :D :D

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Agree on this one: Maybe one should be looking for someone inspirational, even tho' this is not wartime (exept that there seem to be a lot of troops dying in Afghanistan ... 120 Canadians dead bringing the joys of Western Civilzation to the leading recipient of Canadian foreign aid ... but I won't dwell on this one:mad:) ... from what I can see from here, your parliament needs people with vision, and the courage to make some very tough decisions, instead of worrying about second-hand cigarette smoke and hugging hoodies and crap like that. Brown comes across as limp and wishy washy ... maybe he is an intelligent guy with a lot of political skills, but he sure as hell aint inspiring. What you maybe need are people with charisma AND substance .... probably difficult to find in times when to act in the interests of Britain and the British people is seen as somehow, not quite politically correct .... and I'm sure as hell not talking BNP here; surely there must be politicians with dramatic, decisive policies, and the courage to act on them outside the ranks of the lunatic fringe.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Churchill was the right man at the right time and don't forget he was "installed" as leader to replace Chamberlian...too qoute Eric "surely there must be politicians with dramatic, decisive policies, and the courage to act on them outside the ranks of the lunatic fringe."
Tell me of any other Prime Minister thats had the guts to guarantee the life savings of the ordinary men and women in this country...I don't want charisma and la de da stuff ..and I don't want the "Eton boys" blaming the situation on the less well off... one thing is for sure..when times get hard the less well off are blamed.. and when the tories get in the poorer folk are made to pay for the mistakes of the rich!

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Occasionally you really do need to take your head out of your backside and look at the real world Mancie

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Age is a major criteria to myself I'm afraid .. unless they were an execeptional person. Would me my first consideration before putting my cross on the voting slip. Nobody over 60 and on the opposite end of the scale nobody under 30.

Cannot understand how Ciaren Wells has now become an L.C.C. councillor at the tender age of 23 .... have found nothing on the net as to his profile and what he has done in the past ? He must be really wet behind the ears as to roads, schools, police, fire and health services, etc. Would love someone to enlighten me as to his qualifications to this post.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

He's young Kate, but I think that's something we should welcome. He's an intelligent lad who I'm sure will do well.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Not saying I don't welcome him Bernard ... just can't find anything about him to convince me he will be a good councillor.

Intelligence has no age boundaries ...... as you are obviously instructing all us women even then !

Attachment 14029

Know I am digressing, but just a bit of fun ... that is you third from the right, teehee. Got sent this last week from an old friend.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

That picture was taken I think on Foster St. I recognize one or two people on it, but it's a long time ago.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Yeah..and you need to take PB out of your own backside! :eek:

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Have another Special Brew Mancie, your sobering up to quickly you talk far more sense when your p*****

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

not good enough Jaysay...you have proudly proclaimed you were a Tory activist..and you ain't changed your spots...drunk or sober you defend your masters..and we know a song about that... "love is like oxygen, you get to much you get to high" :D

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

who is yer old friend kate? the one on the far right on the tri-cycle looks very familiar to me,:D paris recognised it also n she was in same class as bernard.;)

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

My friend, Margorie Long that was, named him as a John Rigg Cashy .. but he is the only one I don't remember. Have sent you a p.m. on the others (to avoid thread wander ..:D)

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

I didn't proclaim anything Mancie, I was a Tory Activist for over 40 years, there's one difference with the Tory Party, your allowed to think for yourself unlike Labour, where if you disagree your out on your ear:rolleyes::D

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Could you please send me the same p.m kate. I'm going over to see the sister,she wants' to have a look at the photo. She will know everyone on it.

Re: A good age to be an MP
 

Done .... as requested.