Caroline Lucas: Something needs to be done about her
Discussion
Having watched Question Time last night I went through a variety of emotions in listening to what Caroline Lucas had to say. These emotions range from disbelief, to anooyance, to outrage, to embarrassement and finally to sympathy.
Rather than trudge up to Speakers Corner this morning, I thought I would use the next best soap box: Pistonheads News Politics & Economics Forum.
I am all in favour of free speech and the right to have opinions that do not go with my own opinions, but there does seem to be a failure in democracy somewhere along the lines when someone such as Caroline with such blatant ignorance of facts and disregards for the desires of others can be allowed to hold a position of relative power.
I think in the same way that people entering any professional services (eg nursing, law, accounting etc) need to have good training and qualifications in their fields, so anyone wishing to become an MP must obtain some form of qualifications and have a good understanding of history, business and science. Ignorance is something which should not be tolerated by the voting public. People such as Caroline (and there are plenty like her across all parties) are dangerous individuals, and should not be dismissed with quick wit.
We cannot have our MP's living in a parallel universe of fluffiness and ideals.
Caroline is going to look back on her life in 20 years time and she is going to cringe at herself. She will cringe at her naive views of society, her misguided enviromental views due to a relatively basic lack of formal scientific eduction and her missed opportunity: that she was in a position of relative power and went compeletly down the wrong tracks.
I think that's sad. She'll probably turn into an alcoholic.
Rather than trudge up to Speakers Corner this morning, I thought I would use the next best soap box: Pistonheads News Politics & Economics Forum.
I am all in favour of free speech and the right to have opinions that do not go with my own opinions, but there does seem to be a failure in democracy somewhere along the lines when someone such as Caroline with such blatant ignorance of facts and disregards for the desires of others can be allowed to hold a position of relative power.
I think in the same way that people entering any professional services (eg nursing, law, accounting etc) need to have good training and qualifications in their fields, so anyone wishing to become an MP must obtain some form of qualifications and have a good understanding of history, business and science. Ignorance is something which should not be tolerated by the voting public. People such as Caroline (and there are plenty like her across all parties) are dangerous individuals, and should not be dismissed with quick wit.
We cannot have our MP's living in a parallel universe of fluffiness and ideals.
Caroline is going to look back on her life in 20 years time and she is going to cringe at herself. She will cringe at her naive views of society, her misguided enviromental views due to a relatively basic lack of formal scientific eduction and her missed opportunity: that she was in a position of relative power and went compeletly down the wrong tracks.
I think that's sad. She'll probably turn into an alcoholic.
A really hard person to actually sit and listen to without getting a wee bit mad. I was watching QT last night as well, and I was also wondering how such a stupid bint like her could get anywhere near the position she is in. Absolutely no clue of other peoples situation or empathy with it. If she was a real life person instead of an MP (I know) you wouldn't pass the time of day with her.
Even though I don't agree with roughly 99% of what she says, I am always worried about comments which contain the wish that "something needs to be done about him/her".
We know what needs to be done, don't vote for her. If she is the best parliamentary candidate in the Brighton constituency, that is more of a reflection of those who stood against her at the last election.
We know what needs to be done, don't vote for her. If she is the best parliamentary candidate in the Brighton constituency, that is more of a reflection of those who stood against her at the last election.
I think there should be a minimum age before you can apply to be an MP. I would suggest 40. At least by 40 you are more comfortable with who you are as a person and your political views, are more likely to have had a career, and are generally somewhat less driven purely by pure financial motives or unrealistic ideals. Obviously there are exceptions.
prand said:
I missed Q Time last night - so didn't catch what she was saying - anyone summarise?
(This is Caroline Lucas, first ever elected Green MP, for Brighton, so I can imagine her starting point...)
From what I can remember from last night she basically said that the UK was still up to it's colonialist ways and the Fawklands should be headed over to the Argies. Even if it goes against what the people of the island what, as well as showing she had no clue about how the islands goverment system works! I think that Greer woman made simular comments but stopped before she made her self look like a idiot.(This is Caroline Lucas, first ever elected Green MP, for Brighton, so I can imagine her starting point...)
Of course it could be over Boris island or the Queens boat, she showed her self up quite a bit.
Rob or someone else could explain it better.
Edited by tractorguy on Friday 20th January 10:22
Rob_T said:
Having watched Question Time last night I went through a variety of emotions in listening to what Caroline Lucas had to say. These emotions range from disbelief, to anooyance, to outrage, to embarrassement and finally to sympathy.
Believing that Newsnight is a marginally better programme, I only tend to watch Question Time for the last 15 minutes before I go down market and watch "This Week." So I don't know how qualified I am to comment, but I did hear her meanderings on Boris Island - more on this later.Rob_T said:
Rather than trudge up to Speakers Corner this morning, I thought I would use the next best soap box: Pistonheads News Politics & Economics Forum.
And why not? Welcome aboard 
Rob_T said:
I am all in favour of free speech and the right to have opinions that do not go with my own opinions, but there does seem to be a failure in democracy somewhere along the lines when someone such as Caroline with such blatant ignorance of facts and disregards for the desires of others can be allowed to hold a position of relative power.
Point of order, Mr Speaker. We are talking here about a woman who's chance of gaining any real power in government is about as high as my next door neighbour's dog. She can therefore spout whatever drivel she likes on a TV programme or in a manifesto, confident in the knowledge that she will never be in the position of having to put her money where her mouth is and implement any of the nonsense spouted.This situation can of course backfire at times - look at the Lib Dems at the moment, f'rinstance ....
Rob_T said:
I think in the same way that people entering any professional services (eg nursing, law, accounting etc) need to have good training and qualifications in their fields, so anyone wishing to become an MP must obtain some form of qualifications and have a good understanding of history, business and science. Ignorance is something which should not be tolerated by the voting public. People such as Caroline (and there are plenty like her across all parties) are dangerous individuals, and should not be dismissed with quick wit.
You idealist, you I think you're harking back to the old days when there were some true "characters" that got into parliament. The way they do things these days is that you go straight to university from school, get a degree in politics, become a researcher for one party or another in the house, then a Special Adviser and, if the party Grandees consider that you have behaved yourself, you then get selected by a constituency to stand for election. After you've been given a few hopeless causes (Tory candidate for Govan, anybody?
) you finally get a go at a seat you might win. Then you become lobby fodder for the Whips until you really really have proved you can behave yourself, then your ministerial career might start.The trouble is, t'was ever thus in many cases. The lines of a song written by W S Gilbert some 130 years ago spring to mind:
"I always voted at my party's call, I never thought of thinking for myself at all
I thought so little they rewarded me, by making me the ruler of the Queens Navy"
Rob_T said:
We cannot have our MP's living in a parallel universe of fluffiness and ideals.
Why not? Its a prerequisite for the job 
Rob_T said:
Caroline is going to look back on her life in 20 years time and she is going to cringe at herself. She will cringe at her naive views of society, her misguided enviromental views due to a relatively basic lack of formal scientific eduction and her missed opportunity: that she was in a position of relative power and went compeletly down the wrong tracks.
Unfortunately, I doubt it. There are plently of people in late middle age who still think that they were "right" - Arthur Scargill anybody?The little I saw of the woman last night was in the discussion in Boris Island and aviation in general. It is beginning to get right up my nose when people like her launch off into the old chestnut about airlines being subsidised on fuel and passengers paying no VAT on their tickets. As regards the former, public transport generally (trains, buses and airlines) have concessionary tax rates on the fuel they use. On the latter, whilst the statement is strictly true, there are other taxes imposed by this government (and others come to that) that more than compensate for the lack of VAT on air fares. Have a look at the cost breakdown next time you fly and see how much of the price you pay is going to the airline, and how much is going to governments - if you take a long-haul flight that costs you, say, £750, taxes account for about two thirds of that.
But that doesn't matter if you're Caroline Lucas - we're all being subsidised and 20% VAT needs adding as well ....
I think if you are a paid up and card-carrying leftie, then what Ms. Lucas spouts is nothing other than the self-evident truth. I looked on Twitter yesterday (bbcqt) and found a lot of her supporters there who were nodding in agreement at her every word and positively foaming in the mouth over Bbaroness Warsi's common sense view of the world - especially colonialism.
For PHers Green politics is of course anathema - I know she really boils my p1ss with her progressive nonsense!
For PHers Green politics is of course anathema - I know she really boils my p1ss with her progressive nonsense!
Basically it was fairly harmless lefty crap until she was asked about the Falklands, where she showed her true colours, forgive if this isnt word for word, she said, "in principle I/we (the greens) believe it in right of people self determination (and if she'd only stopped there, but then said) however it makes no sense to me that's somewhere on the other side of the world would be a British dependency in this day and age and these people would want to be british, it appears to be part of a colonial past, and i thought we were passed that sort of thing in these days, and the islands should be "returned" to the argentine, and the islanders should be made to see sense."
Basically the greens are a far left party, with an environmental front, she revealed her true colours, she wouldn't let principle getting in the way of her hate of anything British. I'm sure if it hadn't someone wanting to be British she'd have stopped at self determination. Bet she supports scottish self determination without any qualification.
Then there was some more waffle about the Thames airport proposal but that was just her usual guff. The Falklands comments were disgraceful.
Basically the greens are a far left party, with an environmental front, she revealed her true colours, she wouldn't let principle getting in the way of her hate of anything British. I'm sure if it hadn't someone wanting to be British she'd have stopped at self determination. Bet she supports scottish self determination without any qualification.
Then there was some more waffle about the Thames airport proposal but that was just her usual guff. The Falklands comments were disgraceful.
Edited by Northern Munkee on Friday 20th January 12:50
thinfourth2 said:
Rob_T said:
We cannot have our MP's living in a parallel universe of fluffiness and ideals..
Why not have you seen our PMThis really isn't a problem restricted to 1 MP
Ms Lucas, well most people ignore and patronisingly pat on the head, metaphorically speaking, as they feel she will have no real power in short or long term.
The danger is the contradictory and inaccurate b
ks she spouts ends up influencing these dimwits we have on the likes of Cameroon and co who do have power. simply because they want to chase grubby votes at all costs.And when you get such power and influence in the hands of alleged loons and possibly corrupt slimeballs like "Mr It woz my wife driving honest ossifer" then God knows where we will end up.
TheD said:
A really hard person to actually sit and listen to without getting a wee bit mad. I was watching QT last night as well, and I was also wondering how such a stupid bint like her could get anywhere near the position she is in. Absolutely no clue of other peoples situation or empathy with it. If she was a real life person instead of an MP (I know) you wouldn't pass the time of day with her.
Have you seen Diane Abbott?Rob_T said:
I am all in favour of free speech and the right to have opinions that do not go with my own opinions, but there does seem to be a failure in democracy somewhere along the lines when someone such as Caroline with such blatant ignorance of facts and disregards for the desires of others can be allowed to hold a position of relative power.
I think in the same way that people entering any professional services (eg nursing, law, accounting etc) need to have good training and qualifications in their fields, so anyone wishing to become an MP must obtain some form of qualifications and have a good understanding of history, business and science. Ignorance is something which should not be tolerated by the voting public. People such as Caroline (and there are plenty like her across all parties) are dangerous individuals, and should not be dismissed with quick wit.
Quite right. Here's a quick run down of her credentials...I think in the same way that people entering any professional services (eg nursing, law, accounting etc) need to have good training and qualifications in their fields, so anyone wishing to become an MP must obtain some form of qualifications and have a good understanding of history, business and science. Ignorance is something which should not be tolerated by the voting public. People such as Caroline (and there are plenty like her across all parties) are dangerous individuals, and should not be dismissed with quick wit.
wikiwacky said:
Lucas was educated at Malvern Girls' College (which became Malvern St James in 2006), an independent school in Great Malvern. She then went to the University of Exeter, where she gained a first-class BA (Hons) in English Literature, which she completed in 1983. While there, she went on many trips to Greenham Common and Molesworth when involved with CND. She took a scholarship at the University of Kansas between 1983 and 1984 before doing a Diploma of Journalism in 1987. She earned her PhD from the University of Exeter in 1989 with a thesis entitled Writing for Women: a study of woman as reader in Elizabethan romance.
We're in good hands on green and political matters there, then...Edited by mybrainhurts on Friday 20th January 16:45
rhinochopig said:
I think there should be a minimum age before you can apply to be an MP. I would suggest 40. At least by 40 you are more comfortable with who you are as a person and your political views, are more likely to have had a career, and are generally somewhat less driven purely by pure financial motives or unrealistic ideals. Obviously there are exceptions.
There are quite a few careers where applicants lack life experience in the real world, and there really should be an age limit / experience requirement of the real world (politics, teaching, legal system for example) before they're allowed into the job.
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