Gizza job.

[Al R]

"Senior Conservatives are encouraging former Armed Forces personnel to stand for the party as a response to fears that Parliament is becoming dominated by career politicians with little experience outside Westminster."

I hope they get some really angry, white hot candidates who spit fire.. who are fired up to change things - and not urbane uniformed careerists.

Conservatives call up veterans to combat career politicians - Telegraph

[dervish]

They won't be offered any safe or even marginal seats to fight!

[Deepest Norfolk]

Won't work.

The Civil Service had a scheme like that in the early noughties.
I, and eleven others on my intake, joined under a direct entry management grade recruitment. It seemed they wanted managers from outside the culture to bring a bit of the real world into the system in order to change things to a more realistic culture.

We met all the old excuses, always done it this way etc, and within eighteen months, six had "gone native" an the other six had left.

I'd love a go myself, all those tax free expenses, work for one term and quadruple my pension, be a TV celebrity and loads of loot from that too. It's a good life if you're out to get as much for yourself as you can for a few years.

REM: Dig moat round house and get duck house.....

DN

[dragartist]

I can see where they are coming from. You only need to look at the existing ex service MPs in comparison to the career politicians. I have been quite impressed with Stephen Barclay not my MP but he does a sterling job on the PAC and is a good constituency MP. I am sure there are others. Ashdown for instance.

Now for the Civil Servant: I think there is one Rory Stewart did a great job with the Diplomatic Corps in Iraq after he left the Army.

DN - I empathise with you about the CS. I think the negative side you speak of was prevalent in the MoD. Sir Gus tried to change things. I certainly wish I had come under his influence earlier. There was a definite attempt to isolate us MoD Civil Servants from the rest of the CS. I left the same day he did for many of the reasons you describe. I treasure the hand written note Sir Gus wrote me on his way back from the Far East with Dave.

[sitigeltfel]

I hope they get some really angry, white hot candidates who spit fire.. who are fired up to change things - and not urbane uniformed careerists.

Well, the Labour Party got Eric Joyce.

[gijoe]

Joyce was the same when he was in - threatened to lump a monkey SO1...who probably deserved it but that is another story.

Back to the original question - could some ex be any worse than the idiots in charge at the moment?

G

[Rosevidney1]

From the conversations I have held with serving personnel recently it seems UKIP would be their choice of party.

[smujsmith]

Curious that Rosevidney. Having attended a few "do's" recently, I suspect that you are correct in your observation. Many now see a changing of the old guard as a more satisfactory result. It should be no surprise, the service has always rated their people as having a good standard of intelligence, if UKIP appeal it's certainly not a non informed choice. For my "three penneth" this sounds like a lot of the spin from the nations No1 snake oil salesman, an attempt to "appear" inclusive. He forgot to mention, ex service Tory candidates welcome, with a 2 million quid donation to the party.

Smudge

[Al R]

The perception is that UKIP looks after the UK, and therefore, the troops?

[cornish-stormrider]

perception or not, none of the incumbent 1.5 parties nor the previous awesome dudes managed to look after any interests beyond feathering their own nests.

I say let this new bunch have a crack- in five years if they prove to be as ****e as this lot then turf em out.

the ONLY way we will know is to actually bother and pitch up to vote for the man/woman/hermaphrodite/armourer of your choice (just to be all inclusive, I could have added AEO but they cant read or write)

if you do not exercise this right then for the next five years you are forbidden to moan about the state of the nation or any part therein.

you have to put up or shut up - and its no good whinging about if you vote UKIP it gifts the seat to XY.

you vote for your choice - the man/woman etc with the most votes in your constituency wins - thats democracy, or something like it.

if you think they are all thieveing ****es then either turn up and spoil your paper or STAND YOURSELF.......

rant over, soapbox stepped off,

[Hangarshuffle]

Tory Bolleaux

Wouldn't touch it or them with a barge pole. The tories are as largely reviled by the prols as much as the rest of the Westminster pack are, and are only extending the olive branch to ex servicemen because largely (according to opinion polls) the public still trust and respect HM forces. And will therefore get them elected on that ticket. Its worked many times in the past (Bill Deeds, Willie Whitelaw to name but two). Having "had a good war" still goes along way.
Clem Attlee as well (Labour PM) my personal favourite and I think, a great man. Wounded or ill 3 times due to combat, discharged himself from sickbed to rejoin his men...if we had such people today leading us. But that's all ancient history.

[teeteringhead]

Clem Attlee as well (Labour PM) my personal favourite and I think, a great man.

... indeed so, my late father - an East End working class Tory - respected him and usually referred to him as "Major Attlee". Attlee was initially Mayor of Stepney, whence the Teeters family originated.

A very modest man; as (allegedly) he penned of himself:

There were many who thought they were smarter,
Few saw him as even a starter,
But he finished PM,
CH and OM,
An Earl and a Knight of the Garter!!

[Hangarshuffle]

And while we are here..

Victoria in the Observer/Grauniad says a private members bill is trying to be pushed through for reintroduction of National Service - linky below
National service supporters: get fell in, you 'orrible lot | Victoria Coren Mitchell | Comment is free | The Observer

I totally agree with her. Amazed someone actually put this in to be debated.

[Hangarshuffle]

Sorry back on thread

Try to get back on thread, Parliament is totally dominated by youngish career politicians.
How would your experience in the forces help>?
Old school Tories like the Willie Whitelaw were very much "One Nation" types of Conservative - he said he gained a respect for the working man after serving closely with Glasgow working class guys in the war, and wanted to help with raising their game if you like them as he saw best.
Some of our former military people seem to play on it way too much.
TV and the modern media and the relentless spotlight have changed Parliament whatever we all do - TV demands a normal or good looking person, young, witty and a good sharp debating mind. Does anyone really think, the following would have a chance of gaining parliament these days? In the modern TV era?
Wellington? Gruff, outspoken.
Churchill - all the above and also very old when he got in again.
Attlee - plain appearance and probably the wrong sort of voice.
We are just always going to get Blair, Obama and Cameron types from now on. face it.