Columnists
Ten out of ten
James Cary
There are plenty of things that turn me off a country: public spectacles of animal cruelty; a widespread acceptance of sexual harassment; a tradition of men sitting by the door gazing around while the women to do all the work. The one that most worries me, however, is ubiquitous posters of El Presidente.
One could argue that Britain is a land of animal cruelty, wolf-whistling and lazy feckless men. But we certainly don't go in for the self-serving political self-promotion that other nations so readily tolerate. Granted, the Queen's head is on all the stamps, but she is only officially head of state. She devolves virtually all power to the Prime Minister.
The nation is in such a foul mood that multiple billboards of Gordon Brown's mug might just spark a civil war. He is officially the least popular PM since records began, but then the British seem determined break those kinds of records. As a nation, we pride ourselves on public loathing, especially when it comes to putting the boot into politicians that we elected.
Let's be honest; those early Blair years were very awkward. Blair was truly popular. And we kept cheering for five years. The vitriol resumed when we realised we had missed out on five years of ridicule and disrespect. We thought Blair was going to actually do something with his immense popularity. He could have made some unpopular, necessary decisions for the country (like address the pensions time bomb, the unsustainable NHS model, the state-subsidy of family breakdown and such like). But he didn't. And when we realised this, we got to be scornful, angry and generally happier. Now luck would have it that we have another beleaguered Prime Minister, who is now clinging on to power, just the way we like it.
The job of being Prime Minister is not one that lends itself to pomp and grandeur. From day one, any new PM is struggling to maintain any kind of dignity because they have to live at 10 Downing Street. On reflection, it seems like utter madness that Britain's most senior politician should run one of the largest economies in the world from a terraced house in Pall Mall. Many heads of state across the world would insist on a palace as a matter of course. But if you want to run Britain, you have to live above the shop. On a pokey, dimly-lit street off Whitehall. At Number 10 - not even number 1. (And who is Downing?) The Prime Minister would have a more comfortable house, and a better salary, as a partner in a small city law firm.
This is a good thing. It deters people from seeking office for poor motives. The disastrous accommodation and the terrible salary flush out those in it for the house or the money. Getting rid of those who want to be Prime Minister because they get a kick out of being in charge is harder. The constant criticism, scrutiny and childish journalism is a start. But perhaps the Queen could help out here. When she asks David Cameron to form a government in a few years time, if he says 'You got that right, your maj', or punches the air, Prince Philip will get out the twelve-bore and rid the nation of another grandstander.
Why are the British happy with this extraordinary model of leadership? Can anyone imagine Mugabe or Berlusconi settling for it? They must look in amazement at our propensity to cry foul in the national press if the Home Secretary so much as secures a parking space for his personal trainer. In some countries pulling strings is simply a privilege of office. The much monitored US President gets to live in the White House and then has funding for a library. (George W Bush's will be mainly picture books and Where's Wally?)
But we prefer the British way - which is actually a Biblical way. It's how leadership is meant to be, modelled by Christ. Service through humility. Prime Ministerial leadership is not about waving from a car and taking applause. In fact, the Prime Minster has someone to do that for her. She's called The Queen. But it doesn't matter if all the applause goes to her head because she doesn't have any real power. All our current Prime Minister can do is 'get on with the job', which is what our current PM constantly assures us he is doing - from his flat above the office off Pall Mall. Good luck to him.
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