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Lecture

The Right Honourable David Mellor
Why Don’t the Best and Brightest Go into Politics Anymore?

Tuesday 26.05.2020
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Summary

Professional politicians and career politicians are at the forefront of global democratic nations but they aren’t always right for the job. We explore why those who would succeed in the position choose to stay away from politics.
Geopolitics 462 lectures

The Right Honourable David Mellor

an image of David Mellor
David Mellor was born in Wareham Dorset in 1949 and educated at Swanage Grammar School, Christ’s College Cambridge, and the Inns of Court School of Law. He was called to the bar in 1972, and practiced as a barrister until he joined the government. He became a QC in 1987. He was member of parliament for Putney from 1979 to 1997, and spent 11 years in government, four of them as Margaret Thatcher’s youngest minister. Since leaving politics, David Mellor has pursued a multi-faceted career as an international businessman, broadcaster, and journalist. He was the Variety Clubs BBC Radio Personality of the Year in 1994. As a journalist, he was once described by Sir David Frost as “having more columns than the Parthenon.” In September 2013 he was appointed chairman of the Elgar Foundation, responsible for the upkeep of the Edward Elgar Birthplace at Broadheath, Worcestershire, UK.

Of course, a primary factor. Why should people want to subject themselves to this? What do they get out of it? They don’t make a decent income. And you see a lot of people in politics, when they look at politicians now, they don’t think it conveys a lot of power. They watch politicians, you know, being served up to various fashionable interviewers to rip them to pieces. What’s heroic about that? What great issue are they going to solve that makes it worth tolerating that kind of life?

And I think the fact of the matter is that in this day and age, it’s far more attractive for a lot of gifted people to go and make a lot of money as hedge fund traders. Or if they are interested in politics, to go into politics as broadcasters or journalists.

The problem is that there are too many people running for the Democratic nomination, and indeed, running for similar offices in the UK, who think charisma is December the 25th. You know, there are so many people who don’t have the capability to make themselves big personalities. They’re not even household names in their own front lawns.

And if you think about Trump, I mean, I think Trump is an odious man. I think he’s dishonest. He reminds me of what was once said about a Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, and I adapt it to Donald Trump. How can you tell when Donald Trump is lying? His lips move.

But Donald Trump has got charisma, and he has got the ability to project his name in a way that everybody knows who he is. And some of those who know who he is like him because they feel he’s for the little guy and he’s sticking it to the powerful. I wouldn’t, but that’s not the subject of tonight, I wouldn’t agree with that. But the truth of the matter is Donald Trump is a big personality, maybe a bad personality. And politics requires big personalities.

Enormously. And I don’t think it’ll ever happen. But you know, because Parliament’s not a place for creches. And I actually think it’s a good thing that there are more women in Parliament than there were in my day. But treating Parliament as a 9-to-5 job means you will never get people who’ve got other things to do.
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