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The worst stat is the one showing how few politicians these days have actully working outside of politics, let alone in a small business. Small businesses actually account for most of the jobs in this country, yet policians know so little about them.

I agree. The trouble is that usually when politicians have taken on directorships or paid advisory roles of big corporations they claim that they are doing that to keep themselves in touch with the world outside of Westminster. Nothing to stop them taking part-time jobs shelf-stacking in Tescos, volunteering for a charity for the homeless, clocking in at the local factory or similar. That doesn't pay as much though, does it?

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The worst stat is the one showing how few politicians these days have actully working outside of politics, let alone in a small business. Small businesses actually account for most of the jobs in this country, yet policians know so little about them.

I agree. The trouble is that usually when politicians have taken on directorships or paid advisory roles of big corporations they claim that they are doing that to keep themselves in touch with the world outside of Westminster. Nothing to stop them taking part-time jobs shelf-stacking in Tescos, volunteering for a charity for the homeless, clocking in at the local factory or similar. That doesn't pay as much though, does it?

I think GB1 meant before they came into politics. I share Mark Thomas's view on MPs having other jobs: when you're elected to Parliament, that *is* your full-time job. You shouldn't have time to take a directorship or to pen columns (even if, as Michael Gove admitted, they take minutes to write - and boy, don't it show!).

I agree with the view that the cadre of new MPs over the last decade has been populated by people from a very narrow area with very little life experience. It's a straight road from PPE at University to working as a researcher for an MP to party-led think-tank or SpAd to selection for a safe seat. The only hurdle is if the MP you've chosen to latch on to falls in favour or popularity (or on his or her own sword).