The Heir To Benn
It seems that nepotism is live and well in the Labour party. Anas Sarwar has been selected to replace his father as MP for Glasgow Central, and John Prescott’s son wants to stand in his father’s Hull constituency. Now it is going even further, as not only is Tony Benn’s son an MP and in the Cabinet, his granddaughter [Hilary's niece - and like him calls herself a "Benn not a Bennite."] is the Labour candidate in East Worthing - despite not yet being 18.
That is absurd. Yes, 18 year-olds are legally able to stand for Parliament but they shouldn’t actually do so. Ever. It’s just stupid. They simply don’t have the life experience. Emily Benn hasn’t even finished her A-levels yet! What would Labour do if there was an election before the end of this academic year, and she somehow managed to overturn the 8,183 majority gained by Conservative Tim Loughton in 2005 since, under their own proposals, they think that everyone should stay at school until after A-levels. That would be hypocritical - but nothing new for Labour. Also, what would they do if a snap election was called? Emily Benn can’t stand for at least the next two weeks, not until she actually turns 18.
To field an eighteen year old in a parliamentary election is the height of idiocy and wrong on almost every level. An eighteen year old is not an appropriate person to represent a constituency at parliament, no matter who their grandfather - and uncle - are. They have no life experience at all, something her biography on her website shows. She hasn’t even left school yet, for crying out loud! Neither she or any other 18 year-old are capable of being an MP. They ability for them to stand should exist, but no serious political party should ever select them at such a tender age.
Image: Emily Benn’s Blog
Sources: BBC, The Guardian, The Times
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As I have the pleasure of living and working in this constituency I’m thinking of ways of having a little fun with this.
Oh and as our local DGH is one of those likely to be hacked and slashed she really doesn’t stand a chance.
Which may be why this was the area that was chosen
We spend half our time deriding young people for not getting involved in politics, not being contributing members of society and not “putting anything back”.
If a candidate, whoever he or she is, has the resourcefulness to run for parliament they should be applauded.
Anonymous, I applaud young people getting involved in politics. After all, I am just 22 myself. But not at the level of parliamentary candidate. As volunteers and even councillors, yes - but not at that level. No 18 year-old can possibly do the job properly. I very much doubt that many my age could either.
No serious political party should put an eighteen year-old up for election to become an MP, even in such no-hope constituencies for Labour as East Worthing. It’s not fair on them as much as anything else.
How can people that know Jack-all vote on matters that affect others? This girl ought to enrol into the University of Life for a couple of decades - then come back to the House.
I’m sick to death of career politicians telling me how to behave and passing laws they think I need. The Owl magnet, David Miliband comes to mind. He’s never done a day’s work in his life - school to Uni’ to office to think tanks and strategy forums to MP to Environment Minister to Foreign Secretary…. So what the hell does he know that I don’t?
Surely part of the reason she got selected for this seat is because she only has a very slim chance of winning the seat for Labour?
I’d be surprised to learn if Labour has ever won this seat . . . even way back during the ‘97 landslide.
It’s totally different scenario from the nepotism going on in Glasgow and Hull.
Darren, surely you’re not suggesting that an 18 year-old with a name that isn’t Benn is likely to get the candidacy for any other Labour seat - however winnable? The only reason she got it is because of her name and her family’s connections.
Yes it’s 99.9% certain that she won’t win the seat, but that doesn’t excuse the nepotism that Labour is displaying.
Personally, I would like to see every candidate having at least 5 years experience in the private sector before they can apply for a job as an MP.
Age is not the best indicator of maturity, however, experience is a great teacher and labour was always one for education, education, education!?!
I think there should be an age minumum for MP’s - 35 or even 40 sounds like a good level. After all, the number of Private sector Company directors, younger than that you could count on the fingers of one hand so why not take that market message on board? Come to that, how many senior Civil servents, senior military officers or members of the clergy might get under that guideline? And whilst you are at it - being a former journalist should provoke instant disqualification…
Collecting expenses and backhanders doesn’t require that much life experience does it?
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