WHY ARE OUR POLITICIANS SO BAD?

Tom Brown in the Scotland on Sunday:

I put my job on the line twice with editors who were uncertain about backing the Scottish Parliament. Now, I look at the mediocrities on all sides of the chamber - a motley collection who, from the very first session, were described as "duds", "sweetie-wives", "skivers" and, of course, "numpties" - and I ask: "My God! Did I do it for this?"

...We envisaged teachers and educationalists bringing their classroom experience to schools policy-making, doctors and health professionals fixing the NHS, lawyers immersed in the rights and wrongs of the law-and-order system, instead of a social worker who is out of her depth and a laughing stock as Justice Minister.

Scotland is a first-rate country capable of producing first-rate politicians at UK and international level. So why have we settled for second and third-raters in our Parliament?

From the start, it was deliberate policy by the party hierarchies to choose candidates who would toe the leadership line. Rather than the brightest and best, they opted for the dullest and safest.....

I commented:

Only thing I disagree with is his list of professions which should be represented in parliament. To my mind we have more than enough lawyers & teachers & a grave shortage of engineers, accountants & scientists.