Culture Secretary John Whittingdale Caught in Prostitution Scandal

[LeftishBrit]

38. I disagree on this...

especially as it would have excluded Clem Attlee, Michael Foot and Tony Benn, while still letting in Maggie Thatcher, Norman Tebbit and Rhodes Boyson.

What I do think is that people should be required to have had jobs for at least 2 years, other than in politics or the closely related field of public relations, before they are eligible for elective office. Full-time stay-at-home parenthood counts; being an intern or research assistant to an MP doesn't. I have no wish to go back to the days of compulsory National Service, but at least that did require all, including future MPs, to have some contact with people outside the world of politics.

I also think that MPs should not be able to employ unpaid interns, as that means that only the rich or perhaps the truly fanatical are able to gain this apprenticeship to a political career.

Also, all MPs should have to spend at least a week, before every term of office, living on minimum wage without access to their bank accounts and other financial resources.