Why would you want to be a politician?

[Nearly Sane]

Because it's so attractive

https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view,a-growing-threat-is-the-rising-tide-of-intimidation-towards-our-politicians-harming-democracy

[Steve H]

I wouldn't, but if I was, I'd be a Labour one, well to the left of sensible.

[Nearly Sane]

I wouldn't, but if I was, I'd be a Labour one, well to the left of sensible.

I think, given the liberality of threats, volunteering to stand should prevent anyone from being allowed to stand as they are not of sound mind

[Steve H]

But in this country, the threats hardly ever come to anything. Jo Cox was murdered by a Brextremist nutter a few years ago, but how many other MPs have been murdered or attacked for their politics, beyond having eggs chucked at them - or mlkshakes, in a stupid craze of a few years ago?

[Nearly Sane]

But in this country, the threats hardly ever come to anything. Jo Cox was murdered by a Brextremist nutter a few years ago, but how many other MPs have been murdered or attacked for their politics, beyond having eggs chucked at them - or mlkshakes, in a stupid craze of a few years ago?

I think it's an incredibly low bar if we say not many people are murdered. In the last 3 weeks, Joanna Cherry has had 2 threats deemed credible by the police, one of which has led to an arrest, and had to upgrade security at her house. 

[Aruntraveller]

But in this country, the threats hardly ever come to anything. Jo Cox was murdered by a Brextremist nutter a few years ago, but how many other MPs have been murdered or attacked for their politics, beyond having eggs chucked at them - or mlkshakes, in a stupid craze of a few years ago?

I'm not sure it's about that, or at least not wholly.

It is about how it wears a person down.

It's slightly off topic but NS has on another thread been highlighting the debate around transgenderism. I have ventured down the rabbit hole that passes for debate in this area on other parts of social media. It is an eye opener. The abuse you receive for stating the bleeding obvious is incredible and for someone like me very wearing - but I at least have the protection of anonymity. Let's face it even if people knew me they are hardly likely to come after me because I don't have a political or social profile in the way that say JK Rowling has, or indeed the aforementioned Jo Cox. I can imagine though that for many people it is so dispiriting and so frightening that they may well think "You know what this isn't worth the price of admission".

That is a huge danger in a democracy.

[Nearly Sane]

I'm not sure it's about that, or at least not wholly.

It is about how it wears a person down.

It's slightly off topic but NS has on another thread been highlighting the debate around transgenderism. I have ventured down the rabbit hole that passes for debate in this area on other parts of social media. It is an eye opener. The abuse you receive for stating the bleeding obvious is incredible and for someone like me very wearing - but I at least have the protection of anonymity. Let's face it even if people knew me they are hardly likely to come after me because I don't have a political or social profile in the way that say JK Rowling has, or indeed the aforementioned Jo Cox. I can imagine though that for many people it is so dispiriting and so frightening that they may well think "You know what this isn't worth the price of admission".

That is a huge danger in a democracy.

Indeed, and to quote the opening lines of the article I linked to

'" I've known for most of my adult life that most women, at some point, experience some form of men’s violence. I’m now utterly dismayed to say that a sizeable number of females I work with have received credible death threats – I know of three in just the last couple of weeks.”

Those are the words of a female MSP, elected to represent her constituents at Holyrood but living in constant fear for her safety. She is by no means alone. '

I can't see that does not lead to less people wanting to be involved.

[Steve H]

The threateners are probably the same people who stand outside courts and prisons in order to scream abuse at prison vans containing notorious murderers.

[Roses]

I would hate to be a politician, even though my late father was one.