Jumping the queue for a political career

[RRS_Staffs]

Hypothetical post from someone with an impartial interest in politics - probably.....

Once again and for many reasons I am feeling little love or empathy for the political class

Occasionally I wonder if I could do it better however Id always imagined that there were only 3 ways into a serious political career:

1) Graduate from Oxbridge, preferably via Eton, then work as a researcher until your party takes you on as a parliamentary candidate after serving your time (thus never having done a 'proper' days work in a real job in your life)

2) Go via the trades union and/or shop steward route although this may limit your options to the Labour party - having said that I would have decent grass roots credentials here despite never having been a union man or activist myself yet

3) Graft for your local party on the streets for ages at council level and work your way up from there

Option 1) is totally denied to most of us
2) is a possibility but clearly requires several years of graft and hard yakka
The third choice would arguably need even more commitment and understanding from ones family

So how exactly do people like Dan Jarvis and Gloria de Piero get to be parachuted into plum seats bypassing the above?
The case of Jarvis being all the more remarkable as a member of HM forces thus having no declared political affinity whatsoever until he was demobbed at such time he was rapidly parachuted into a Labour safe seat?

Cheers

COI: Currently apolitical but with past empathy with most parties inc the tree huggers

[AndrewW-G]

In the case of GDP, she was a woman who was known to a large number of the population, as well as a rabid labour supporter . . . . . a bit of a no brainer . . . . Speaking of which, option 4 is "get yourself on the shortlist for a safe seat for the other parties" do this a couple of times, make a good show of it, then you'll have a good chance of getting a seat you may win. Labour will have anybody as a candidate for these seats (John Cowan being an example who is also a no brainer!)

[ninja-lewis]

From Wiki:

Jarvis has been a Labour member since 18 (you're not actually forbidden in the Armed Forces from joining a party). Was on the Labour HQ shortlist for the Islwyn constituency selection for the General Election but wasn't selected by the local party.

Was then included in the Labour HQ shortlist for Barnsley Central following Eric Illsley's resignation. Was unexpectedly selected by the local party and subsequently resigned his Army Commission to fight the by-election.

The Expenses scandal shoke things up a bit - the parties encouraged non-political types to stand for selection and the increasing use of open primaries gave them a chance against the usual party insiders. The various Party Centrals also prepared lists of pre-vetted favoured candidiates (e.g. Cameron's A-List). Typically outside potential candidiates stood in several selection contests before finally being selected as a Prospective parliamentary Candidate somewhere. Hence how someone like Rory Stewart could go from not being a member of a political party in Summer 2009 to becoming a Tory MP in May 2010.

[12gauge]

Most MPs seem to be liars, sorry, lawyers, by profession.