Good speech

[Dr Jekyll]

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/...

She was born under communism in Yugoslavia, came to the UK as a refugee in 1992, and has now made it to the house of lords.


What are the rest of us doing wrong?

[Eric Mc]

Are you suggesting we should all have ambitions for a set in The House of Lords?

[rover 623gsi]

I went to Yugoslavia for a holiday in 1990

[Dr Jekyll]

Eric Mc said:

Are you suggesting we should all have ambitions for a set in The House of Lords?

I'm suggesting that if someone who comes here in 92 as a refugee can achieve her pretty challenging ambition, then that says something about the opportunities available in the country. I don't personally understand why anyone would want to go into government but if someone does, I suspect there are relatively few countries where you can arrive as a refugee and then get into the legislature in a little over 20 years.

Having said that, getting a job where you are paid £300 a day just for turning up is quite good going, I don't think I'd say no. Except for having to dress up of course.

[jurbie]

rover 623gsi said:

I went to Yugoslavia for a holiday in 1990

I went in 1974, we drove from Poland except my dad forgot to get a transit visa for Czechoslovakia so we had to go around instead. Apparently my mother was not best pleased.

[Mark Benson]

To be honest, despite her inspirational background she's just another political appointee of the sort the Lords already has far too many of.

her 'achievement' was to have been a SPAD to various politicians for a few years, then when her last boss (Hague) retired they shoved her into the Lords.

[AJS-]

She was a special adviser to the Conservative Party largely on the war torn country she fled from. Then she was appointed to the Lords.

Not taking anything away from her, she's probably good at what she does, but a heart warming story of rags to riches in meritocratic Britain it is not.

[Esseesse]

I would expect her background (once she managed to get into political circles) to help her on her way (and her gender).

[greygoose]

Mark Benson said:

To be honest, despite her inspirational background she's just another political appointee of the sort the Lords already has far too many of.

her 'achievement' was to have been a SPAD to various politicians for a few years, then when her last boss (Hague) retired they shoved her into the Lords.

Exactly, if she had been elected to something then that may be an achievement.

[The Don of Croy]

greygoose said:

Exactly, if she had been elected to something then that may be an achievement.

There has been at least one notable former Czech emigre who has achieved elected status in the UK. Born into extreme poverty he used his language skills to get by and eventually settle here, fought for us in WWII, founded a publishing house and went on to amass a fortune.

Captain Robert Maxwell. Fascinating story...didn't end well.

[Eric Mc]

Dr Jekyll said:

Eric Mc said:

Are you suggesting we should all have ambitions for a set in The House of Lords?

I'm suggesting that if someone who comes here in 92 as a refugee can achieve her pretty challenging ambition, then that says something about the opportunities available in the country.

I'd say that scenario can work in most European democracies these days.

[anonymous-user]

Dr Jekyll said:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/...

She was born under communism in Yugoslavia, came to the UK as a refugee in 1992, and has now made it to the house of lords.


What are the rest of us doing wrong?

I guess what we are doing wrong is letting the establishment continue to get away with the mockery of democracy we call parliament, especially this crock of wasters?