We're getting off topic now, but the issue of neophyte politicians runs throughout politics these days. If you think back to any era until Major, politicians who reached the top had usually been in parliament for decades and held serious offices of state for years. Healey, Callaghan, Wilson, Jenkins, Thatcher, Whitelaw, Butler, Heath and so on.It changed with Kinnock - who'd been an MP for less than a decade and without any ministerial experience when elected Labour leader in 1983. Major, elected 1979 - PM 1990, with more ministerial experience but only very brief cabinet experience before Mrs Thatcher fell. Starmer was only elected in 2015 and is already leader of the Opposition. Sunak also 2015. These people could have their political career behind them in less than 15 years in the Commons.Interestingly, given our political systems tend to run broadly parallel, this is the opposite problem to that of the US, where those at the top of the parties are (very) old: Biden and Trump late 70s, Nancy Pelosi 81, Chuck Shumer (Senate Maj leader) over 70; Mitch McConnell (Senate Min leader) over 80, Steny Hoyer (House Maj leader) 82. To bring it back to Sadiq, I think a major part of his problem is that his political "upbringing" was in opposition on Wandsworth council. He had a very short period in govt, but essentially came to the mayoralty steeped in not having had responsibility for anything and therefore not having to take responsibility for anything. I don't think he's ever managed to escape that mindset: it's always someone else's fault.
Adam Gray ● 1216d