Trust Me, I'm a Politician
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- This Michael Cockerell documentary was shown in early 2003 and deals with the issue of trust in politics. Features some behind-the-scenes video from the original 'State of Play' and an interview with star David Morrissey.
Other interviews: Nicholas Soames, Oona King, Kenneth Clarke, Deborah Mattinson, Tony Benn, Michael Portillo, Clare Short, John Humphrys, Michael Heseltine, Max Clifford, Tim Bell, Piers Morgan, Edwina Currie, Neil and Christine Hamilton, Max Hastings, Geoffrey Robinson, Peter Bazalgette.
Transmitted 8 February 2003.
There are two reasons politicians don't answer (many of) the questions they're being asked:
1. They know that the media will create from their answer a headline that distorts what they really were saying. For instance, you've had there a bit where Jeremy Paxman asks William Hague (when he was leader of the Conservatives), "do you ever wonder whether you're up to the job?", and Hague answers "no, not at all". Now, maybe he did sometimes wonder whether he was up to the job, which is a very humane, and even responsible thing. But if he'd answer something like: "well, sure, I sometimes wonder if I'm up to the job - you'd have to be a narcissist not to wonder that - but I think I am very much up to the job", the title of the UA-cam video (had UA-cam existed back then) would have been: "William Hague: 'I sometimes wonder if I'm up to the job'" (and that's best-case scenario; worst-case scenario is that the title would have dropped the word 'sometimes'). This title would create in the eyes of those who've seen the title but haven't seen the interview (probably the majority) the image of Hague as someone who's so unfit for the job that he himself sometimes believes he's unfit for it.
2. In a democracy, politicians are elected by the voters, and so - in order to get elected - they have to say what the voters want to hear. And, unfortunately, it seems that the public isn't interested in the complex truth - they're interested in magic solutions (that don't really exist). So, for instance, if a politician who wants to be prime minister is asked, shortly before a general election, "will you raise taxes?", and if that politician believes that they will raise taxes, but also thinks that saying so will cost them more votes than it will earn them, they're probably either going to say "no" or, if they don't want to be lying, they're going to try and avoid answering the question. Politicians who don't do it tend to remain unknown, because they don't get elected. So, the problem is with the voters: the politicians think - and are probably correct - that, if it comes down to a battle between a politician who offers them fairytales and a politician who offers them the (somewhat harsh) truth, the politician offering the fairytales will win.
A very resounding "No" from Michael Portillo at 0:53... such grace in his voice even when he just says one word!
I like the honesty of Portillo. He should have been our leader.
This was made before the expenses scandal came out. Many of those commenting on others had their snouts in the expenses trough.
As a man who has always believed himself to be a socialist I think the expenses scandal was a strange exercise in throwing people under a bus. Salaries for MPs were held down, and they were encouraged to claim everything and more besides on expenses. Then when the music stopped and there was a shortage of seats anyone who couldn't get a chair under their bum hit the floor with a bump. The problem was it appeared to be X, but it was misdirection and the deep swamp corruption was ignored. How on this planet did mendacious Mandy continue to play the game for so long being so bent in so many terms of that word.
The spin era of politics of the 2000’s onward has destroyed the trust in all politicians
Most of the non-politician talking heads on this are far less trustworthy than the politicians- Clifford, Mackenzie, Morgan and Bell.
Al Fayed as well
Quite right Max "their private lives speak volumes" ....and the whole world now knows what you spent your life doing!! Quite remarkable that he thought he lecture anyone on morality!
Just look a Hancock. How very true all flakes S
Looking back, during that era, the public had been tranquilised by years of consumerism and above all, cheap credit. It's amazing how quickly things changed once that was withdrawn by the crash in 2008. It uncovered a very unhappy nation, ill at ease with the world, and seemingly confused as to who to blame now that credit cards, mortgages and loans weren't so easy to get
And Max Clifford his his sins for years until it finally got him
It seems that the late Mr Clifford's views on personal morality and his real self finally surfaced not long before his death.
23:57 has to be one of the best and honest opinions ever given on TV, especially back then. I properly giggled at the brutal honesty in it from the Hamiltons 😂
They told a lot of tall tales before getting there and took a lot of cash and prizes.
Politicians can be completely trusted to serve those in whose ever deepening pockets they are kept like so many nickels and dimes.
Strange quirk of fate that this documentary was made just before, perhaps the single greatest issue to erode trust in British politics: the Iraq War.
Brilliant documentary.
Isn't that the Clare Short that had to pay back £8000 in expenses claimed off the tax payer for re-decorating her own home, then blamed officials for not spotting it.
Politicians have never been trustworthy
John Humphrys a truly awful person - Max Clifford hoist to his own petard? Sir Max Hastings the voice of reason here - dignified indeed.
Look at Bliars face at the start, Especially when that person hugs him.
Look at his face it says everything about him
"... you're going to get two invoices..." says it all!
"The House must take back control " as Ian Blackford had very much stressed in one of PM'sQ
And all this led to BREXIT 🇬🇧
The thumbnail
It's funny isn't it - talking about alienation and how people don't care about politics. Fast forward to the Brexit referendum, a country divided and torn in two, a political event dividing generations. Be careful what you wish for. Many people now looking back at the Blair years as a relative golden era
It wasn't torn in two. Most English citizens voted for Brexit. It's the Scots and the other hangers on who voted for the Fourth Reich. I say if they want to stay part of the EU then we should cut them all loose.
Blair years a golden era? Delusional.
@@white-dragon4424 The Fourth Reich? Grow up. As if Hitler would have allowed a referendum and accepted the result if it went against him. BTW your hero Farage (the one controlled by foreigners Putin and Murdoch) used to sing Nazi marching songs as a teenager.
@@MrDavidht I think the key word TH used is 'relative'. And for the record I hate Blair.
@@PNETriffid "Reich", meaning German Empire. In the case of the "Fourth Reich", it means the EU under German control: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Reich#:~:text=He%20defined%20the%20Holy%20Roman,term%20refers%20to%20Nazi%20Germany.
He’s great 👍🏼
Q: Do you think red trousers on trains look cool?
A: 0:56
I'd as soon trust a hungry alligator
I'm I seeing things? That isn't a young David Cameron pulling off that cover F1 car at 36.54?
It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is. Have a nice day?
No, we don't, Tony.
20:16
NOT A SINGLE ONE
The protection of British traditional values, borders and people would do for starters, your basic job!
It most certainly isn't the function of the state to "protect our culture" in that way. The culture of the nation is for the nation to choose, collectively and individually. It's quite wrong for a political authority deriving from a majority vote to impose its version of culture on others.
@@DBIVUK It seems that a "majority vote" is all that political authority care about.
You sound like a politician spouting meaningless clichés. How on Earth does one define 'British traditional values'? Are British values unchanging? I suspect even your values are a little more advanced than those of your 12th century ancestors.
@@PNETriffid Yes, it is difficult to define ones place these days, and i shall even drop the comment on People which leaves one comment about the border and all that entails
@@martinbennett9578 Feel free to define what should be done in regards to the border, or indeed what the problem is.
22:19 lol is that the theme from House of Cards?!?!
I just like to know who in the hell said that politicians have a job. Being a politician is not a job. You don't get paid for being a politician.
You do, rather well at that. Be that as a councillor, an MP, a Lord, as Leader of a party-or indeed thru other, more “arcane” ways.
And that's all without the upcoming expenses scandals of 2009
Just because it wasn’t public yet don’t mean they weren’t finger grabbing!!!!!!
@@liamb8644 As far as I can tell, they were even doing it in the 80s.
London 20 years ago more affordable, easier to navigate and not owned by Russian oligarchs.
Worked with Blair at LP Smith Square SW1 1970s
Smoothie
.greasy pole etc
I don't know which Blair you worked with, but it wasn't Tony. He didn't work for the Labour Party at any point - he went from Oxford to pupil barrister to practicising barrister.
24:24 meow 🐈
Are you related to Betty ?
Probably - there are not many of us. But family tree searching back to the 1790s hasn't found the connection yet
From John mayjor onwards England went downhill from there😊🤮
Not really. Government wasn't trusted but things got way better for the average person.
Mb Lone Wrong.
🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Politicians are mostly self serving failures. I hold Tony in the lowest form of human life
Clare Short's bitterness with Blair/New Labour was disturbing.
Not for me it isn't.
With good reason. She had seen the system work from back in the Shadow Cabinet