I completely agree, Sandra. Unfortunately, after many similar situations, I'm also waiting for him to veer off track and become corrupt, or for the media to destroy him. The latter would confirm he's still probably doing something right, such as leaving the Conservative party. Had he stayed, however, it would have been interesting to see if they put him forward as P.M.
He is probably the most honest, authentic, capable person I have witnessed in politics in a very long time. I watched his documentary on the BBC about Afghanistan and it was tremendously insightful, chock full of many salient observations and wise analysis about the history and situation of the country. Watching this documentary convinced me that he is a serious person of character and would be proud to have him as a politician representing my district. Unfortunately I am in Canada and we don't seem to have people of this character in our politics.
Agreed. It is a shame. I have been bemourning the lack of or inspiring characters at the top level of political leadership in the most powerful countries of the western hemisphere for quite some time now. We seem to systematically and deliberately not place our best & brightest at the top. Germany still got quite lucky with Angela Merkel though now our future is uncertain as well, with nobody of equal caliber on the horizon.
@@l.sabiabyrne9259 Why though, do these politicians that obviously do have a crowd that takes interest in them rarely rise to the top in their own parties or in general? I remember something similar with andrew yang / general mcraven etc. and I find it very intruiging that we often disqualify genuinely competent and caring human beings in favor of some incompetent corrupt old cookiecutter politician who's main job is to read from the telepromter while faking empathy.
This was one of the very best discussions I have ever experienced. Rory Stewart is marvellously intelligent, proven leadership doing real things and an authentic person. His stories are both chilling as his parliament works and hugely educational.
You can literally see the agony written on his face expressing the expanse of hopelessness he has experienced and endures on a day to day basis. Really feel for the guy. Great attitude and pretty much what the country needs to have a future that isn’t one blunder after another.
@bina nocht I rile against that viewpoint but , I agree, it is an argument I hear too often. Political figures who only speak well but have no policies or substance are not winners. That seems like a capitulation and an inevitable race to the bottom. There are examples in very recent history of traditional parties have been abandoned ( France, Ukraine ... ) The mechanism for change is there. The party that most offends me has little chance of ever winning in my constituency and the party with a safe majority has a more acceptable 'idealolgy' but neither have ever represented me. Therefore, I have the luxury of voting for a party closest to my principles and, if nothing else, raising the profile of those issues. Vote on principle if you don't have to vote tactically in order to prevent dangerous people forming a dangerous government.
@@monkeytennis8861one who builds infrastructure in 3rd world villages, reconstruction in Kabul and was aiding recovery of the marsh lands in S. Iraq. Putting one label on someone and purely letting your prejudice and hate rule your mind shows that you will never be fit to run anything unless you can overcome this shameful character flaw.
Such a beautiful mind behind all of that. He has real charisma and charm. He is erudite, thoughtful, considered, and has great retention and recall. On top of this he is confident in himself and his delivery. Thanks for sharing this with us. And look at what Britain has been through in the last 6 months. They have hamstrung their society with Brexit, an utter disaster, with society tearing itself apart! A great shame there are not more people like Rory in positions of power.
@@mogznwaz Utter nonsense. They have railroaded all sorts of policies through on the back of Brexit, and it has fucked the UK up from one end to the other. People like you just don't get it.
I love this guy, not just because he's probably the only decent MP conservatives have ever had but his humour and story telling is amazing, you can't help but warm to him and I hope he makes a return to politics
These are the very qualities that seem to disqualify someone from hold high political office in the public’s eyes. That’s how dysfunctional the political process has become.
@@cthoadmin7458 you are correct; the electoral balance will in most countries be on the side of those taken in by simplistic, vacuous 3 word slogans a la Cummings; that is why society's problems will not be solved; I blame the voters (which of course a politician could never say) and the media
The biggest load of common sense and honesty I've heard from a politician's mouth for many years. I wish I lived in London so I could give him my vote. Londoners, you have a gem waiting to be your jewel.
Very encouraging to see principled people like Mr. Stewart acting as a brake against nihilism. Very humbling to see how respectful he is of other people's skills and knowledge, and ability to make decisions. His father sounds like the kind of man whose story deserves to be told in more detail too! (I guess I need to read some of those books!) It's pretty funny to hear the account of his escapades in Iraq. I get the feeling nothing changed since pre-World War One when Gertrude Bell was showing a better understanding of the tribes of the Arabian deserts than almost any other officials of the time. Gold from the interviewer after the "African" stories: "How long have you felt like this?" Bwahahahaha Sounds like we need a compilation of Boris quotes... "Oh come on, what's the capital of Uganda?" is a pretty good start! May the Lord save us... Looking at the last question (absolutely excellent question!), I doubt Mr. Stewart is not in the least surprised by how Afghanistan has been retaken by the Taliban.
I was a Labour supporter, I have a left wing political view, but I have genuine respect for this man. They shitheads in charge of the country make me ashamed to be British. What a missed opportunity
Not with this voting record: against increased local authority and governance, FOR increased centralisation at Westminster against tranferrig more powers to the devolved nations' elected parliaments against PR against removing hereditary peerages against slowing the rise in train fares against fees issued to tenants by letting agencies against greater regulation on gambling against greater regulation of fracking against financial incentives for low carbon emission methods for electricity generation (REALLY?? Yes Really) against measure to prevent climate change (REALLY?? Yes really.) against using public funds to create jobs for long term uemployed young people against paying higher benefits to disabled and peoplewith long term illness unable to work against raising social security benefits in line with prices or inflation against increases on tax rate over £150K against taxes on bankers bonuses against higher taxes on banks against lawas to promote equality and human rights FOR reducing Corporation tax even further than at its lowest levels For forced academisation of schools For increased tuition fees at tertiary levels For removing support for 16 - 19 year old in FE or training For reducing fuel for vehicles taxes For mass surveillance For secret courts For privatisation of Royal Mail For restricting legal aid For the sale of the Forests held in Trust by the State For reduction in spending on social security For reducing housing benefits to tenants (paid to Landlords anyway) For reducing Capital Gains Tax For increasing VAT For restrictive regulations on Trade Union activity
U.S. here, England is fortunate to have a quality man in public service. I've been following this man for quite a few years and wish we had him here😎🌻😎
I still can’t get over the fact that one of the leaders of the free world cannot get his act together enough to pull a a bloody comb through his mop of unruly hair each day…and that he meets with the Queen in that deplorable state every single week. Seriously?!
@@jamesbell621 Hello James fancy meeting you on here ! Lol . Rory might be ugly but he is prettier than Sadiq , a squashed potato is , so good luck to Rory , I liked his book 'Occupational hazards'..
It's people like him who remind me not to be so vitriol and partisan in my political opinions. Coming from Liverpool the term tory is more of a slur. He reminds me that equally there is nefarious people on the left ( where I slightly lean ) and there is also good people who are conservatives.
This gye is a national treasure,he would be a great home Secretary And that's coming from a lefty. Good luck and thank you for Your wisdom & candour. 😎
A quiet, compelling voice in the noisy maelstrom of politics. He wishes to be operational, practical and useful but perhaps he is now where he should be. Being on the outside looking in and critiquing with clarity, credibility and conscience looking in may be a more powerful and purposeful place to be than we yet know.
SO.ON.POINT. Has a lot to say and says it well. As a fellow centrist, it's been depressing of late and I am hoping someone like him can galvanise us going forward.
I hope he rises to the highest level of politics and decision making. As a German, despite the UK not being part of the EU anymore, I am sure it would be good for Europe as well as all the countries the UK interacts with.
He makes a lot of sense. He obviously understands Parliament in a way few others do. I can't agree that he doesn't understand that a single ideology has dominated the ruling party since about 1979 to just about now. We have been ruled by 'majority' governments who have been voted in by fewer than 40% of voters and around 25% of electors for years. Most if us vote in 'safe' constituencies and most votes are wasted. A majority of electors are powerless (disempowered) observers of the political process. London has been allowed to become so dominant that the union is cracking, even in England. Labour and the Tories represent two rumps of committed activists and supporters. The rest of their voters are either unenthusiastic or are voting against something else. Most of us are being herded fairly gently on the surface, but actually rather roughly, down paths which our rulers seem to think are predetermined by the workings of global capitalism. But actually much of what is painful about modern Britain is to do with the political system and the way the country is structured.
And we’ll said here, yes RS is I think a person of integrity yet still misses the point, most politicians (except RS) have no regard for their constituents ie M Thatcher who ushered in a planned high finance directive with council house sweeteners which ultimately led to 2008 black hole, papered over. EEC became EU but British people have very little say in anything until the Cam referendum. The establishment were shocked with the result! Being out of touch with ‘broken Britain’ and the High Street. RS supports parliamentary decision making yet admits how divorced from reality it is. He admits his flaws. Blair took a country to war despite ‘not in my name’ protests, across the country. Demos in UK is flawed when those who run it are flawed. If mp’s are truly of service then the parliamentary process can rub along, if not, people suffer.
Yes most votes are wasted. But every Brexit vote counted- yet people like Rory tried to undo it undermine it and denigrate it just to keep an elitist status quo in place that concentrates more and more power into fewer and fewer hands in more and more globalist supranational bureaucracies. If you don’t understand why the British public used their vote to instinctively reject that then you need to eduction yourself about history, read some Orwell and pay more attention
My most favourite person in politics.Such an honest sincere and loveable person please please please come back to politics god bless you kind regards Jeremy Allfrey.
Completely riveting. Thought provoking and educational. Well balanced. Superbly put together. Thanks for posting this. 5* work which is greatly appreciated. Love, peace and understanding.
Rory Steward is a lovely speaker and excellent on explaining problems. His weakness seems to be a relative weakness when it comes to thinking of solutions. In the end, frustrating and not very helpful but one spends a long time listening intently to him hoping for insight that will help.
Been trying to work out what it is that impresses me about Rory Stewart though - I am a socialist ! I think most important is his integrity and sincerity. He is very likeable ! He seems trustworthy. Rare qualities in politicians ! So he is a valuable member of Parliament and and an asset to our country whatever he undertakes.
Really enjoyed that. Refreshing. I would sooner vote for him than any of our main party leaders. I think he is an unusual pragmatic idealist with ideas on how to change what is to what ought to be.
How did this failed Tory politician get a live show ? .He has always talked a good talk but he has done nothing in politics of note after many years and he just cannot understand why he is not London Mayor or the P.M. He is one of those M.P.s who sniped at the edges against fellow M.P.s and the Brexit vote that was British democracy at it"s highest . You can bet at the future elections he will not be any part of Westminster - again ! .
Wow two years late watching this man something or someone has kept him a low profile in this circus country we live in being run by yes a clown Boris I’ve lost count on how many kids I have Johnson,Rory Stewart is a huge blow for this nation what a human being for starters and what true honesty and what an amazing brain he’s sharing with us all , I’m just a uneducated comprehensive guy who suffered from underfunded schools in the 70s and 80s but watching this man tells me we have missed the boat for a true honest leader .
If you’ve not seen it, watch the debate between Stewart and Reese-Mogg on whether there is such a thing as ‘universal human rights’. It is the modern equivalent of the Federalist Papers in quality and professionalism.
The sad thing is I dont think Rory or someone like him would be selected to be a Tory candidate at the moment . The main thing they look for is absolute loyalty to Johnson .
Certainly a deep thinker. I saw him do an interview where the interviewer asked him a question and he took 28 seconds before he answered. He sat their thinking the whole time about what he wanted to say. It made for interesting viewing.
What Rory Stewart fails to understand is diverse political parties offer a safety valve for a nation undergoing almost unprecedented changes. The Conservative Party had incrementally become a neo-liberal party. His views would have fit Blair's Labour, Clegg's LibDems, Cameron's Tories, without moving the political furniture. Britain had become a one-party state with a different spin put on the same solutions. That is bad for democracy.
Yeh you’re applying this new very American obsession with classical definitions of liberal and conservative. The Conservative party has never been the kind of ‘conservative’ your thinking of; not under thatcher, not under Churchill, not even Salisbury. The Conservatives have always been outward looking and pro-deregulation from the days of Lord North. Also too many ‘diverse’ parties would make the country prone to coalition, the very scenario the british system is meant to avoid. Two big parties allow the inevitable switching of power and therefore moderate politics without messy coalition governments. This is why 2010 was such a big deal - one if only 4 coalitions in British history (discounting the War ministry)
@@tommycundy Yes and no. Yes, the Conservative Party aren't really conservative, which is why I've always been a Labour voter (until now), and no, I'm not using the US definition but something more like Peter Hitchens' notion of conservatism. The Labour vote contains more working class social conservatives, Labour membership is generally middle class and "progressive", a euphemism for left wing. The Tories have always provided a political career for the sons of gentlemen, but since Thatcher have adopted scorched earth economics and free market radicalism, which are not conservative by any but the most oxymoronic definition. Brexit has been the catalyst for a long-needed political realignment whereby radical and conservative lines have been drawn across parties. This in turn has exposed other fault lines, among them what nationalism means. For instance Scottish nationalism is seen as a fight for "progressive" economic independence where English nationalism is framed as exclusively far-right. The age of Humpty Dumpty political taxonomies is under threat.
The likes of Putin ... Jing Ping .... Rouhani ..... Kim jon .... Trump etc etc: care not a jot for his decency or likeability, the most dangerous leaders of the world need to respect you, maybe even fear you a little, Rory looks what he is .... a junior minister that is very nicey nicey ..... but not alot else, and certainly not capable of standing against the big boys.
Whatever your political position of views on Brexit this was a very interesting listen. Speaking as a civil servant, his views on British politics, the constitution, the rhetoric are bang on.
Dinand Brocker Sadly it’s not the right moment in our history for a “Smart guy” prime minister. We’ve had a run of well-spoken, educated & ‘political’ leaders. It’s time for ‘Big Personality’ characters who deliver twitter like slogans, verbalised memes with plenty of ‘verve’...I think the USA getting so sick of it all that they voted in a reality-television star to run the country says it all really!! 🤣😱
Saw him few times on youtube. All thoughts are so brilliant and so clear to non-english visitor that i am surprised he's not Prime minister - compared to..errr .. should stop now. But still gives hope that modern world politics still have chance to deal with challenges to come. Thanks for this converstion!
Rory Stewart is truly my favourite politician. How he lost the Tory leadership is a mystery to me. I’d follow him to Iraq and back. Such an intelligent and honest man
He lost because he is too sensible and true to his beliefs and has integrity . The Tory MPs instead elected a ' funny , entertaining showman ' who has wider electoral appeal as most voters dont engage with politics further than the soundbites .
He is a party MP. That disqualifies him from being called "great" anything but criminal. Zero integrity, complete stranger to the truth, snout well and truly in the public purse and about as accustomed to what a democracy is as those tribal warlords in Afghanistan he sometimes refers to. Definitely an exemplar of the modern day career politician
@@Telcontar1962 Yes running about with a bunch of medieval warlord worshippers crying 'Allah o Akbar' hardly qualifies as a diplomatic mission. Probably learned to wipe his arse with sand.
@@Telcontar1962 Apparently, you did not hear a word he said but judged him on your own pre-conceived ideas. He resigned from the party and is an independent who wants to do real work on the ground instead of pontificating. As he said, at the end of four years as Mayor , if you do not see any improvements in security, housing and commuting, you have every right to vote him out of office.
@@duprattcarol I have listened to this twat for years. I might (though I stand to be corrected) have known of him even before he went into Parliament. I don't care what he does as long as he does it behind bars. He stands for something that he needs to his spend life in prison contemplating its flaws. As for voting, I can hardly stop laughing. If you think there is any value in voting while people like Rory are in control you really are delusional. It is you that did not hear a bloody word this guy says. Maybe you ought to listen to me, because I damn well know what position within the state people like the Rory Stewarts of this world ought to occupy, how far their power legitimately runs and what remedies there should be in place to take them down when they breach them.
Edifying, deep and meaningful. Add to the list of hypocrisies and charade, here's the man who told the truth about 31 Oct and he's our on his ear, while the bum who lied about it all along is in the top job. What are we doing to ourselves?
I always have believed Brexit is the right thing for the country, and I believe that quite strongly (though the no deal concept didn't sit well with me) however I always wanted Rory to win the leadership. I remember first coming across his name when watching a human rights debate between him and Jacob Rees mogg, and I was captivated by Rory' attention and clear method of communication
Joseph G. How is Brexit going for you? Do you still strongly believe that is the right thing for the country? I agree on Rory Stewart though. A missed chance
@@Elsa-yo8pi hi Elsa, thanks for asking. Of course the last 2.5 years have not been a roaring success but yes I remain convinced that it's preferable and more reliable to have a more accountable democracy than a centralised technocracy like the EU has become.
I was watching a lot the last time to the discussions in the Commons and I agree with mister Rory that there were few real discussions, mostly it were only one way statements between backbenchers among another or with a minister!!!! But it was very helpfull for understanding British politics.
Re his final words - he is so right. On a day to day basis what are we doing to prevent crime & deliver social order & local needs. Too many people sit back and say nothing, do nothing. How many know of a neighbour making claims they are not entitled to or driving a car without a licence.... Crime, order, society & local politics is all our responsibility. Many are heavily involved in society's needs & issues, but far more of us are closed to the idea that its anything to do with us.
He is not PM material ..... far too weedy and polite ..... you need to garner respect, nice and polite with decent morals won't cut it on the world stage.
@@gavinmcgrath2303 Yes it is I agree, but the most powerful, and some would say dangerous leaders on the planet care not a jot for nice, decent, guys like Stewart, Putin, Rouhani, Jing Ping, Kim Un etc etc would eat him alive, he simply does not have a world stage presense .......
Also agree with police in the beat. I grew up in South London in the 70’s and we liked our policeman PC Quigley. Good man. I was a child but had respect for him because he knew us.
@@peterembranch5797 a conservative leadership race isn’t a public vote, they are different things. No doubt people voted for Boris during the election to “get brexit done” the alternative was Corbyn though so it’s hardly a ringing endorsement. I don’t think he’ll go down in history as a great PM, maybe you think differently.. I liked him / found him funny as Major but more embarrassed that he’s made it to PM representing us internationally.
@@Sam-jy5tj You're quite right of course, about the leadership race not being a public vote. I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that. But I think to say that he won't "go down in history as a great PM" is a whopping understatement. He's an habitual liar. No good can come from him and no good has come from him.
@@Sam-jy5tj "a conservative leadership race isn’t a public vote"; yes it is an interesting process that a tiny percentage of people (MPs) chosen by a very small percentage of people (local party activists/members) decide who is put forward as a future PM
I’m 56. I’m not affiliated. I’ve followed British politics since I was teenager. I’ve very rarely heard a politician so knowledgeable, so measured, so pragmatic, so honest - and (not by Tory party members in a leadership contest, but) so electable. If only …
Conservatives should be conservatives and Labour should be the party of the working classes. Under Blair and Cameron the 2 became almost indistinguishable, this is very bad because it means stagnation and non representation for millions of people which is not healthy and causes a backlash.
@@alexpotts6520That’s not a perfect solution either. PR systems often result in paralysing stalemates and can be quite unstable. Belgium didn’t have a functioning government for over a year .
@@mogznwaz FPTP majority governments can also be problematic, because the two big parties are these huge juggernauts that have many different factions, that in a proportional system would probably be different parties. They still have those squabbles regardless of whether they're in the same party or not, so why not let voters have more of a choice by allowing them to actually be different parties and letting us pick between them?
If we had more politicians of this calibre we would be in a better place.
I love listening to Rory Stewart. Erudite, interesting, passionate about his subject, fair, empathetic. Polite and well-spoken. A sense of humour.
I completely agree, Sandra. Unfortunately, after many similar situations, I'm also waiting for him to veer off track and become corrupt, or for the media to destroy him. The latter would confirm he's still probably doing something right, such as leaving the Conservative party. Had he stayed, however, it would have been interesting to see if they put him forward as P.M.
He is probably the most honest, authentic, capable person I have witnessed in politics in a very long time. I watched his documentary on the BBC about Afghanistan and it was tremendously insightful, chock full of many salient observations and wise analysis about the history and situation of the country. Watching this documentary convinced me that he is a serious person of character and would be proud to have him as a politician representing my district. Unfortunately I am in Canada and we don't seem to have people of this character in our politics.
Unfortunately, neither do we.
With love from U.K.
Ditto for the United States.
Agreed. It is a shame. I have been bemourning the lack of or inspiring characters at the top level of political leadership in the most powerful countries of the western hemisphere for quite some time now. We seem to systematically and deliberately not place our best & brightest at the top.
Germany still got quite lucky with Angela Merkel though now our future is uncertain as well, with nobody of equal caliber on the horizon.
In the last leadership race Rory was the only person I would even have considered. A Tory with a moral backbone is rare thing indeed these days!
@@l.sabiabyrne9259 Why though, do these politicians that obviously do have a crowd that takes interest in them rarely rise to the top in their own parties or in general?
I remember something similar with andrew yang / general mcraven etc. and I find it very intruiging that we often disqualify genuinely competent and caring human beings in favor of some incompetent corrupt old cookiecutter politician who's main job is to read from the telepromter while faking empathy.
Not only that he was an authentic MP. Taking care of on the ground issues which affected us and our neighbours. Always grateful to him.
I like him, I really like him. He has a wonderful persona. He has grown on me. I love listening to him.
I can see why with your name...
This was one of the very best discussions I have ever experienced. Rory Stewart is marvellously intelligent, proven leadership doing real things and an authentic person. His stories are both chilling as his parliament works and hugely educational.
You can literally see the agony written on his face expressing the expanse of hopelessness he has experienced and endures on a day to day basis. Really feel for the guy. Great attitude and pretty much what the country needs to have a future that isn’t one blunder after another.
@bina nocht I rile against that viewpoint but , I agree, it is an argument I hear too often.
Political figures who only speak well but have no policies or substance are not winners. That seems like a capitulation and an inevitable race to the bottom.
There are examples in very recent history of traditional parties have been abandoned ( France, Ukraine ... )
The mechanism for change is there.
The party that most offends me has little chance of ever winning in my constituency and the party with a safe majority has a more acceptable 'idealolgy' but neither have ever represented me. Therefore, I have the luxury of voting for a party closest to my principles and, if nothing else, raising the profile of those issues.
Vote on principle if you don't have to vote tactically in order to prevent dangerous people forming a dangerous government.
You have to wonder what levels of daily hopelessness you yourself have endured to think that this Tory OBEs face is etched with it.
Life is suffering
The fact that this man missed being our prime minister is a desperately sad loss.
I didn't know a thing about him, but as soon as I heard his ideas, history and speaking ability I instantly wanted him to win. A big shame.
He. Is. A. Tory.
@@monkeytennis8861 wh.at.i.s.yo.ur.po.in.t?
@@monkeytennis8861one who builds infrastructure in 3rd world villages, reconstruction in Kabul and was aiding recovery of the marsh lands in S. Iraq.
Putting one label on someone and purely letting your prejudice and hate rule your mind shows that you will never be fit to run anything unless you can overcome this shameful character flaw.
Basically all the Tories who picked 🤡 Bojo 🤡 over Rory should never vote again and have legal guardians appointed
Such a beautiful mind behind all of that. He has real charisma and charm. He is erudite, thoughtful, considered, and has great retention and recall. On top of this he is confident in himself and his delivery. Thanks for sharing this with us.
And look at what Britain has been through in the last 6 months. They have hamstrung their society with Brexit, an utter disaster, with society tearing itself apart! A great shame there are not more people like Rory in positions of power.
Brexit would be just fine if our politicians had actually done what they should have done. People like you just don’t get it.
@@mogznwaz Utter nonsense. They have railroaded all sorts of policies through on the back of Brexit, and it has fucked the UK up from one end to the other. People like you just don't get it.
I love this guy, not just because he's probably the only decent MP conservatives have ever had but his humour and story telling is amazing, you can't help but warm to him and I hope he makes a return to politics
Can you imagine having this man as prime minister - erudite, thoughtful, well travelled, insightful and above all, hard working.
These are the very qualities that seem to disqualify someone from hold high political office in the public’s eyes. That’s how dysfunctional the political process has become.
@@cthoadmin7458 you are correct; the electoral balance will in most countries be on the side of those taken in by simplistic, vacuous 3 word slogans a la Cummings; that is why society's problems will not be solved; I blame the voters (which of course a politician could never say) and the media
Hmm with him as Priminister we would be back in the EU in no time.
@@chris-non-voter Hmm, heaven forbid we should lose control again. :D
dissappointing how we ought to elect asinine, incoherent, & dysfunctional politicians.
One of the most experienced people, who has the knowledge to make things happen.
Rory Stewart is too good to be Prime Minister... There's something bigger and greater than that that he will become, and i look forward to that day.
Put it on a postcard.
I hope you're right
Jesus Christ?
King off the worlddd
At least we would have a thoughtful , informed person in charge.
THE BEST ACCOUNT OF MODERN POLITICS I HAVE EVER HEARD. THANK YOU RORY!
The biggest load of common sense and honesty I've heard from a politician's mouth for many years. I wish I lived in London so I could give him my vote. Londoners, you have a gem waiting to be your jewel.
Very encouraging to see principled people like Mr. Stewart acting as a brake against nihilism. Very humbling to see how respectful he is of other people's skills and knowledge, and ability to make decisions.
His father sounds like the kind of man whose story deserves to be told in more detail too!
(I guess I need to read some of those books!)
It's pretty funny to hear the account of his escapades in Iraq. I get the feeling nothing changed since pre-World War One when Gertrude Bell was showing a better understanding of the tribes of the Arabian deserts than almost any other officials of the time.
Gold from the interviewer after the "African" stories: "How long have you felt like this?" Bwahahahaha
Sounds like we need a compilation of Boris quotes... "Oh come on, what's the capital of Uganda?" is a pretty good start! May the Lord save us...
Looking at the last question (absolutely excellent question!), I doubt Mr. Stewart is not in the least surprised by how Afghanistan has been retaken by the Taliban.
I was a Labour supporter, I have a left wing political view, but I have genuine respect for this man. They shitheads in charge of the country make me ashamed to be British. What a missed opportunity
Well said, Nomad.
Not with this voting record:
against increased local authority and governance, FOR increased centralisation at Westminster
against tranferrig more powers to the devolved nations' elected parliaments
against PR
against removing hereditary peerages
against slowing the rise in train fares
against fees issued to tenants by letting agencies
against greater regulation on gambling
against greater regulation of fracking
against financial incentives for low carbon emission methods for electricity generation (REALLY?? Yes Really)
against measure to prevent climate change (REALLY?? Yes really.)
against using public funds to create jobs for long term uemployed young people
against paying higher benefits to disabled and peoplewith long term illness unable to work
against raising social security benefits in line with prices or inflation
against increases on tax rate over £150K
against taxes on bankers bonuses
against higher taxes on banks
against lawas to promote equality and human rights
FOR reducing Corporation tax even further than at its lowest levels
For forced academisation of schools
For increased tuition fees at tertiary levels
For removing support for 16 - 19 year old in FE or training
For reducing fuel for vehicles taxes
For mass surveillance
For secret courts
For privatisation of Royal Mail
For restricting legal aid
For the sale of the Forests held in Trust by the State
For reduction in spending on social security
For reducing housing benefits to tenants (paid to Landlords anyway)
For reducing Capital Gains Tax
For increasing VAT
For restrictive regulations on Trade Union activity
Agreed
A very good talk about the state of the nation from a well rounded politician. Some hope for the future. whoever he belongs to.
We need people like him in government not leaving? Enjoyed this whole talk very. Insightful and felt genuine
Such a shame that this man is not our prime minister. Such an eloquent & intelligent gentleman. we desperately need someone like this in a parliament
U.S. here, England is fortunate to have a quality man in public service. I've been following this man for quite a few years and wish we had him here😎🌻😎
You have them America …unfortunately like in the UK they are pushed out and scorned in favour of some chimp who knows nothing…
We need many more like him UK politics
I wish the U.K had more leaders like him ….instead we have Boris…🙈
Which tells you all you need to know about the modern Conservative party.
English people need to stop pretending to be a stone in the shoe, simple.
I still can’t get over the fact that one of the leaders of the free world cannot get his act together enough to pull a a bloody comb through his mop of unruly hair each day…and that he meets with the Queen in that deplorable state every single week.
Seriously?!
@@OrcusMaximus ...or the electorate
@edoggy There is alot to dislike about Johnson . But , as always he has his apologists .
Best prime Minister we’ve never had
If Mick Jagger and Keith Richards could have a love child; Rory the tory would definitely be it.
LOL , POOR BUGGER HE IS VERY UGLY .
@@jamesbell621 Hello James fancy meeting you on here ! Lol . Rory might be ugly but he is prettier than Sadiq , a squashed potato is , so good luck to Rory , I liked his book 'Occupational hazards'..
@@bedebill Yes, I agree he's not handsome, but I still like him, LOL.
Fantastic man,cant think of any one like him. We would be privileged to have him as Prime Minister.Will hé stand as an M.P.?
Not used to this much integrity from a politician. Inspiring. From embarrassment about what's happened about Brexit to hope for the future.
UTTERLY compelling....ESSENTIAL listening...
It's people like him who remind me not to be so vitriol and partisan in my political opinions. Coming from Liverpool the term tory is more of a slur. He reminds me that equally there is nefarious people on the left ( where I slightly lean ) and there is also good people who are conservatives.
Honorable comment. As a person on the Right, I acknowledge there are also good people who are liberals.
Unfortunately all the honourable Tories were deselected during the 2019 elections.
He’s the only one.
@@biscuit4259 Still, that's 1 for conservatives, 0 for labour.
They were more self important lib dems in reality.
This gye is a national treasure,he would be a great home Secretary
And that's coming from a lefty.
Good luck and thank you for
Your wisdom & candour. 😎
A quiet, compelling voice in the noisy maelstrom of politics. He wishes to be operational, practical and useful but perhaps he is now where he should be. Being on the outside looking in and critiquing with clarity, credibility and conscience looking in may be a more powerful and purposeful place to be than we yet know.
SO.ON.POINT. Has a lot to say and says it well. As a fellow centrist, it's been depressing of late and I am hoping someone like him can galvanise us going forward.
Since it seems we're stuck with the conservatives for the time being, I'd prefer this one in charge.
I hope he rises to the highest level of politics and decision making.
As a German, despite the UK not being part of the EU anymore, I am sure it would be good for Europe as well as all the countries the UK interacts with.
He has left politics
@@ebor8402 sad
I enjoyed listening to Rory
He's the Man 👞👞 of the moment ☺️ exceptionally awesome 😎👍🇬🇧 Enjoy while you can. Extraordinary! Brilliant!
Rory Stewart really good bloke, should have been prime minister?
He’s a joy to listen to.
Seems such a hard working and logical man
He makes a lot of sense. He obviously understands Parliament in a way few others do. I can't agree that he doesn't understand that a single ideology has dominated the ruling party since about 1979 to just about now. We have been ruled by 'majority' governments who have been voted in by fewer than 40% of voters and around 25% of electors for years. Most if us vote in 'safe' constituencies and most votes are wasted. A majority of electors are powerless (disempowered) observers of the political process. London has been allowed to become so dominant that the union is cracking, even in England. Labour and the Tories represent two rumps of committed activists and supporters. The rest of their voters are either unenthusiastic or are voting against something else. Most of us are being herded fairly gently on the surface, but actually rather roughly, down paths which our rulers seem to think are predetermined by the workings of global capitalism. But actually much of what is painful about modern Britain is to do with the political system and the way the country is structured.
And we’ll said here, yes RS is I think a person of integrity yet still misses the point, most politicians (except RS) have no regard for their constituents ie M Thatcher who ushered in a planned high finance directive with council house sweeteners which ultimately led to 2008 black hole, papered over. EEC became EU but British people have very little say in anything until the Cam referendum. The establishment were shocked with the result! Being out of touch with ‘broken Britain’ and the High Street. RS supports parliamentary decision making yet admits how divorced from reality it is. He admits his flaws. Blair took a country to war despite ‘not in my name’ protests, across the country. Demos in UK is flawed when those who run it are flawed. If mp’s are truly of service then the parliamentary process can rub along, if not, people suffer.
Yes most votes are wasted. But every Brexit vote counted- yet people like Rory tried to undo it undermine it and denigrate it just to keep an elitist status quo in place that concentrates more and more power into fewer and fewer hands in more and more globalist supranational bureaucracies. If you don’t understand why the British public used their vote to instinctively reject that then you need to eduction yourself about history, read some Orwell and pay more attention
London is dominant in the UK like Brussels is dominant in Europe - but I bet you think one of those is brilliant don’t you. Well you’d be wrong
Rory should be leader of the country at some point in the future. After he's cleaned up London.
@Merrill Matzen cant say I give a fuck to be perfectly honest)
Rory Stewart is a wise man. He should become prime minister.
It would be so different to the chaos, division, bullying, and smooth talking flattering of the PRIME MINISTER we have now 😖
I do like him very much too. And I'm not even a UK citizen. I've just read on Wikipedia that he is fluent in 11 languages ... WOW
My most favourite person in politics.Such an honest sincere and loveable person please please please come back to politics god bless you kind regards Jeremy Allfrey.
Completely riveting. Thought provoking and educational. Well balanced. Superbly put together. Thanks for posting this. 5* work which is greatly appreciated. Love, peace and understanding.
I’m watching this in July 2022, Rory’s very last statement is so true. The power for change has to be with the people.
Rory Steward is a lovely speaker and excellent on explaining problems. His weakness seems to be a relative weakness when it comes to thinking of solutions. In the end, frustrating and not very helpful but one spends a long time listening intently to him hoping for insight that will help.
Been trying to work out what it is that impresses me about Rory Stewart though - I am a socialist ! I think most important is his integrity and sincerity. He is very likeable ! He seems trustworthy. Rare qualities in politicians ! So he is a valuable member of Parliament and and an asset to our country whatever he undertakes.
Yeah he seems trustworthy but if you're a socialist I'd look at his voting record.
He believes in tight spending controls as in austerity spending. I'm sure I heard him say that's the most important thing.
He tells the truth as he sees it and that's very rare for a politician.
@@BeardedSte he lies about his real positions which is ten a penny in a Tory
I like him as a person. I don't like his slavish devotion to the EU.
Brilliant. This was great theatre and poetry.
Watching this interview is in my view worth reading many books!
What a simple minded illiterate twat you must be
That must be the Koran and Hadith then??
I agree honest, insightful, capable what a shame we did not appoint him as PM
Awesome man. What a great loss to our corrupt disgraceful political system. We have lost a great asset. Shame on us.
Oh my word...;just chanced on this. Can't wait for Rory to start talking.
I love Rory stewart. Also shoutout to the interviewer as well she is incredibly articulate and well-spoken.
A wonderful man..keep exposing the frauds.
BRAVO bravissimo Rory!
This man is my favourite politician
Why do we have Bojo in power when we have people like Rory Stewart around who also have the desire to serve and could do a competent job?
For the same grave reason Love Island is so popular...
Vested interests of narcissists.
Because the majority of people are uneducated morons.
Not Machiavellian enough.
People want action, not more intellectual wank
Great talk, always honest and sincere. It's their loss., you are the future politicians we need.
Really enjoyed that. Refreshing. I would sooner vote for him than any of our main party leaders. I think he is an unusual pragmatic idealist with ideas on how to change what is to what ought to be.
Vote Corbyn and McDonnell! And ignore the smears. Jeremy is NOT anti-Semitic!
How did this failed Tory politician get a live show ? .He has always talked a good talk but he has done nothing in politics of note after many years and he just cannot understand why he is not London Mayor or the P.M. He is one of those M.P.s who sniped at the edges against fellow M.P.s and the Brexit vote that was British democracy at it"s highest . You can bet at the future elections he will not be any part of Westminster - again ! .
Good man, unfortunately Boris the liar Johnson threw him out. I hope brexit turns out to be a disaster!
great speaker i like him.bill in limerick ireland
Wow two years late watching this man something or someone has kept him a low profile in this circus country we live in being run by yes a clown Boris I’ve lost count on how many kids I have Johnson,Rory Stewart is a huge blow for this nation what a human being for starters and what true honesty and what an amazing brain he’s sharing with us all , I’m just a uneducated comprehensive guy who suffered from underfunded schools in the 70s and 80s but watching this man tells me we have missed the boat for a true honest leader .
I like Stewart. He seems like a bit of an oddball, but certainly much a more principled and, I daresay, much deeper thinker than the average Tory MP.
If you’ve not seen it, watch the debate between Stewart and Reese-Mogg on whether there is such a thing as ‘universal human rights’. It is the modern equivalent of the Federalist Papers in quality and professionalism.
@@StrategicWealthLLC do you have a link?
@@andreaslind6338 - ua-cam.com/video/VO2Ry4j79LU/v-deo.html
The sad thing is I dont think Rory or someone like him would be selected to be a Tory candidate at the moment . The main thing they look for is absolute loyalty to Johnson .
Certainly a deep thinker. I saw him do an interview where the interviewer asked him a question and he took 28 seconds before he answered. He sat their thinking the whole time about what he wanted to say. It made for interesting viewing.
Too intelligent, too humane, too scrupulous and too honest to ever be the Prime Minister of Little England.
You nailed it .
Absolutely well said. I have voted Labour all my life, but this man is absolutely brilliant and may have changed my mind.
@@tracyfenton7412 he’s definitely a rarity .The genuine “one nation “ tories ( all purged by Johnson now ) always had some substance to them.
Yes. Too thoughtful for today's kind of politics.
Exactly what we need 🌟
What Rory Stewart fails to understand is diverse political parties offer a safety valve for a nation undergoing almost unprecedented changes. The Conservative Party had incrementally become a neo-liberal party. His views would have fit Blair's Labour, Clegg's LibDems, Cameron's Tories, without moving the political furniture. Britain had become a one-party state with a different spin put on the same solutions. That is bad for democracy.
Yeh you’re applying this new very American obsession with classical definitions of liberal and conservative. The Conservative party has never been the kind of ‘conservative’ your thinking of; not under thatcher, not under Churchill, not even Salisbury. The Conservatives have always been outward looking and pro-deregulation from the days of Lord North. Also too many ‘diverse’ parties would make the country prone to coalition, the very scenario the british system is meant to avoid. Two big parties allow the inevitable switching of power and therefore moderate politics without messy coalition governments. This is why 2010 was such a big deal - one if only 4 coalitions in British history (discounting the War ministry)
@@tommycundy Yes and no. Yes, the Conservative Party aren't really conservative, which is why I've always been a Labour voter (until now), and no, I'm not using the US definition but something more like Peter Hitchens' notion of conservatism.
The Labour vote contains more working class social conservatives, Labour membership is generally middle class and "progressive", a euphemism for left wing. The Tories have always provided a political career for the sons of gentlemen, but since Thatcher have adopted scorched earth economics and free market radicalism, which are not conservative by any but the most oxymoronic definition.
Brexit has been the catalyst for a long-needed political realignment whereby radical and conservative lines have been drawn across parties. This in turn has exposed other fault lines, among them what nationalism means. For instance Scottish nationalism is seen as a fight for "progressive" economic independence where English nationalism is framed as exclusively far-right. The age of Humpty Dumpty political taxonomies is under threat.
@@borderlands6606 "for a nation undergoing almost unprecedented changes". who's incrementing all these changes?
@@donaldduck4403 A heavily built bald man stroking a white cat in an underground bunker. Alternatively, just follow the money.
@@borderlands6606 Exactly
Not British but follow a little. Rory is among my favorite British politicians.
I wish he was PM he has so much common sense and logic and is realistic
The world leaders that matter, and are indeed the most dangerous, would make mince meat of him.
The likes of Putin ... Jing Ping .... Rouhani ..... Kim jon .... Trump etc etc: care not a jot for his decency or likeability, the most dangerous leaders of the world need to respect you, maybe even fear you a little, Rory looks what he is .... a junior minister that is very nicey nicey ..... but not alot else, and certainly not capable of standing against the big boys.
So exciting!
This man should be in Government.. Ideally as PM.
Imagine Britain run by him and not the endless clown show of Cameron, May, Boris, Truss, Sunak...
Rory.at.is.best❤️
A brilliant bloke. His last comment about Afghanistan was very true.
Such a pity Rory didnt become the leader of the Tories. He is an intelligent , ethical , honourable man.
Rory must be getting close to something here the daily telegraph are doing a hatchet job on him.
Go for it Rory!
Whatever your political position of views on Brexit this was a very interesting listen. Speaking as a civil servant, his views on British politics, the constitution, the rhetoric are bang on.
He doesn't understand why what's happening is happening, though
What impresses you most about the 'Tory boy', is that there's hardly any difference between you and him politically.
@@martingonzalez6915 Infinitely better Tory boy than Commie lad
He should have been the prime minister. Smart guy.
Dinand Brocker Sadly it’s not the right moment in our history for a “Smart guy” prime minister. We’ve had a run of well-spoken, educated & ‘political’ leaders. It’s time for ‘Big Personality’ characters who deliver twitter like slogans, verbalised memes with plenty of ‘verve’...I think the USA getting so sick of it all that they voted in a reality-television star to run the country says it all really!! 🤣😱
Agreed. Very wealthy man, for doing very little with no discernible success. It's a special skill milking those charities, for your own gain.
the mans a bloody fool !!!
MCI
He needs the p’s to keep his smack habit going , Florence of Arabia is well known for it
Saw him few times on youtube. All thoughts are so brilliant and so clear to non-english visitor that i am surprised he's not Prime minister - compared to..errr .. should stop now. But still gives hope that modern world politics still have chance to deal with challenges to come. Thanks for this converstion!
Wonderful analogy of centre ground.
The trouble with politics is as an MP you don't have a say you have to vote the way your party tells you to or there's consequences
Rory Stewart is truly my favourite politician. How he lost the Tory leadership is a mystery to me. I’d follow him to Iraq and back. Such an intelligent and honest man
He lost because he is too sensible and true to his beliefs and has integrity . The Tory MPs instead elected a ' funny , entertaining showman ' who has wider electoral appeal as most voters dont engage with politics further than the soundbites .
Pity he is not the PM
really great man i saw his video and was delighted with.I have worked in the middle east,saudia arabia and Algeria.My respect to you Rory.
He is a party MP. That disqualifies him from being called "great" anything but criminal. Zero integrity, complete stranger to the truth, snout well and truly in the public purse and about as accustomed to what a democracy is as those tribal warlords in Afghanistan he sometimes refers to. Definitely an exemplar of the modern day career politician
@@Telcontar1962 Spot on. Another Blair clone.
@@Telcontar1962 Yes running about with a bunch of medieval warlord worshippers crying 'Allah o Akbar' hardly qualifies as a diplomatic mission. Probably learned to wipe his arse with sand.
@@Telcontar1962 Apparently, you did not hear a word he said but judged him on your own pre-conceived ideas. He resigned from the party and is an independent who wants to do real work on the ground instead of pontificating. As he said, at the end of four years as Mayor , if you do not see any improvements in security, housing and commuting, you have every right to vote him out of office.
@@duprattcarol I have listened to this twat for years. I might (though I stand to be corrected) have known of him even before he went into Parliament.
I don't care what he does as long as he does it behind bars. He stands for something that he needs to his spend life in prison contemplating its flaws.
As for voting, I can hardly stop laughing. If you think there is any value in voting while people like Rory are in control you really are delusional. It is you that did not hear a bloody word this guy says. Maybe you ought to listen to me, because I damn well know what position within the state people like the Rory Stewarts of this world ought to occupy, how far their power legitimately runs and what remedies there should be in place to take them down when they breach them.
Edifying, deep and meaningful. Add to the list of hypocrisies and charade, here's the man who told the truth about 31 Oct and he's our on his ear, while the bum who lied about it all along is in the top job. What are we doing to ourselves?
I always have believed Brexit is the right thing for the country, and I believe that quite strongly (though the no deal concept didn't sit well with me) however I always wanted Rory to win the leadership. I remember first coming across his name when watching a human rights debate between him and Jacob Rees mogg, and I was captivated by Rory' attention and clear method of communication
Ay well that went well then didn’t it joe u nob head now me might not be having Christmas dinner
@@mattysav4627 sorry I think you need an ambulance
Rory would have been the best person to minimise the damage of Brexit. A background in conflict resolution is just what we needed in a PM.
Joseph G. How is Brexit going for you? Do you still strongly believe that is the right thing for the country? I agree on Rory Stewart though. A missed chance
@@Elsa-yo8pi hi Elsa, thanks for asking. Of course the last 2.5 years have not been a roaring success but yes I remain convinced that it's preferable and more reliable to have a more accountable democracy than a centralised technocracy like the EU has become.
I was watching a lot the last time to the discussions in the Commons and I agree with mister Rory that there were few real discussions, mostly it were only one way statements between backbenchers among another or with a minister!!!! But it was very helpfull for understanding British politics.
Refreshingly honest.
Now I'm a super fan
Re his final words - he is so right. On a day to day basis what are we doing to prevent crime & deliver social order & local needs. Too many people sit back and say nothing, do nothing. How many know of a neighbour making claims they are not entitled to or driving a car without a licence.... Crime, order, society & local politics is all our responsibility. Many are heavily involved in society's needs & issues, but far more of us are closed to the idea that its anything to do with us.
Surely one of the best PMs that the UK never had...
He is not PM material ..... far too weedy and polite ..... you need to garner respect, nice and polite with decent morals won't cut it on the world stage.
@@Broomehall Surely that's a rather sad indictment of what's required to garner respect...
@@gavinmcgrath2303 Yes it is I agree, but the most powerful, and some would say dangerous leaders on the planet care not a jot for nice, decent, guys like Stewart, Putin, Rouhani, Jing Ping, Kim Un etc etc would eat him alive, he simply does not have a world stage presense .......
Gavin McGrath world leaders are supposed to be alpha, strong,scary people.
@@chichi-iw2ik In short, bullies.
What an extraordinary man...
Also agree with police in the beat.
I grew up in South London in the 70’s and we liked our policeman PC Quigley. Good man.
I was a child but had respect for him because he knew us.
I really like Rory, I think he restores FAITH in British politics 🇬🇧
outstanding final statement 👏
We could have had this amazing man as a prime minister.... imagine that
I truly hope we get him back into front line politics. The state of the current crop is dreadful in comparison.
Yes; and The People preferred Boris Johnson. Reflect on that and weep.
@@peterembranch5797 a conservative leadership race isn’t a public vote, they are different things. No doubt people voted for Boris during the election to “get brexit done” the alternative was Corbyn though so it’s hardly a ringing endorsement. I don’t think he’ll go down in history as a great PM, maybe you think differently.. I liked him / found him funny as Major but more embarrassed that he’s made it to PM representing us internationally.
@@Sam-jy5tj You're quite right of course, about the leadership race not being a public vote. I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that. But I think to say that he won't "go down in history as a great PM" is a whopping understatement. He's an habitual liar. No good can come from him and no good has come from him.
@@Sam-jy5tj "a conservative leadership race isn’t a public vote"; yes it is an interesting process that a tiny percentage of people (MPs) chosen by a very small percentage of people (local party activists/members) decide who is put forward as a future PM
Wow enjoyed listening I understand a lot more now Thankyou
So how do we do it? As people that regard democracy as important. The thing that we have and some others don't. Surely it must be done.
Love Rory, he should be leader.
I’m 56. I’m not affiliated. I’ve followed British politics since I was teenager. I’ve very rarely heard a politician so knowledgeable, so measured, so pragmatic, so honest - and (not by Tory party members in a leadership contest, but) so electable. If only …
Conservatives should be conservatives and Labour should be the party of the working classes. Under Blair and Cameron the 2 became almost indistinguishable, this is very bad because it means stagnation and non representation for millions of people which is not healthy and causes a backlash.
Or, better yet, we could have a voting system that allows space for more than two parties, like every other European country has.
@@alexpotts6520 Spot on .
@@alexpotts6520That’s not a perfect solution either. PR systems often result in paralysing stalemates and can be quite unstable. Belgium didn’t have a functioning government for over a year .
@@mogznwaz FPTP majority governments can also be problematic, because the two big parties are these huge juggernauts that have many different factions, that in a proportional system would probably be different parties. They still have those squabbles regardless of whether they're in the same party or not, so why not let voters have more of a choice by allowing them to actually be different parties and letting us pick between them?
@@alexpotts6520 Both systems are imperfect. At least FPTP has given the biggest party the ability to ACT. I’m