SO WHO DIDN'T USE DRUGS ?

So Michael Gove snorted cocaine 20+ years ago, Rory Stewart has apparently smoked opium, Jeremy Hunt may have used cannabis, once, Andrea Leadsom smoked 'weed' 30 or more years ago, Dominic Raab smoked cannabis 20+ years ago and Boris Johnson has almost admitted to using cocaine and cannabis when at university, also 30+ years ago.

Do I care ?

When I was a student in the 1970s, I was aware that some of my fellow undergraduates used drugs, some were even stupidly proud of doing so, but I was never tempted. Indeed, I'd only ever tried smoking tobacco once, a small Hamlet-like cigar, 2 or 3 puffs on which made me cough and splutter; that was enough to put me off for ever. I really don't know whether friends, acquaintances and colleagues over the years have used elicit drugs or not and I really don't care; what has always been far more important has been their overall personality and ability.

Questions have been raised about the suitability of Mr Gove as a potential Prime Minister on the back of his admission and, by implication, the other contenders as well. Surely, if we are to condemn people forever for what they did decades ago, we are living in a world in which even Big Brother would feel uncomfortable. Gove has been criticised for comments he made in a newspaper article in which he railed against middle class drug users although he was, supposedly, himself using drugs at that time, but is this not ancient history ? What matters is what he is doing now, and what he has done in more recent times, as it does with the other candidates for leadership of the Conservative party.

Personally, I don't like Gove, I think he is duplicitous and utterly untrustworthy; he is a determined climber of the greasy pole who will do anything to reach the top. Sadly, I don't like most of the others either. Boris Johnson may be a likeable chap when out and about or on television, but do we really want a likeable buffoon as our next Prime Minister, regardless of whether or not he ever sneezed cocaine away ? Andrea Leadsom and Rory Stewart exude no great authority and give me no confidence that either would be able to resolve our current difficulties, again regardless of what they did or did not smoke, or otherwise ingest, in the past. Jeremy Hunt is far too suave, smug and self satisfied for my liking and Dominic Raab is simply too much of an unknown. Of course, there are other candidates who have yet to admit to, or deny, a drug taking past, but do any of them have what it takes to be Prime Minister at a particularly difficult time in our history ? In fact, who can name them ?

Sam Gyimah and Mark Harper, two real household names, not, have thrown their hats into the ring simply to be noticed; neither can be taken seriously. Sajid Javid may be serious about wanting the job but he's just another Gove, or Hunt, oily, greasy and prepared to say or do anything that will help his cause. His recent history isn't exactly good, either.

Esther McVey has a media presence but does she really have the gravitas needed ? Highly personable and determined, but what is her track record in government ? She might be a good choice as a running mate for one of the less resolute Brexiteers but Prime Minister ? Whether or not she's ever smoked, snorted, or injected dodgy substances, for me, she just doesn't cut the mustard. The last currently announced candidate, Matt Hancock, could almost be McVey in trousers; apart from being ambitious, what would he bring to the top job ? Being somewhat wishy-washy on the vexed subject of Brexit, he certainly wouldn't be my choice.

Which all leaves us precisely nowhere. We all know that politicians obfuscate and lie. Few go into politics for any reason other than to benefit themselves and few can be trusted, certainly none of those who seek high office. I really couldn't care less about whether they took drugs in the distant past, what I want is someone in whom I can have confidence, someone who will deliver on their promises. That means someone who will carry through on the promises made in 2016 and 2017, and get us out of the European Union, with or without an explicit deal.

Who fits that bill ? 

IT'S THERESA MAY FOR ME.

And so the Conservative Party has decided that our next Prime Minister will be either Theresa May or Andrea Leadsom, the final choice to be announced on September 9th.

 

Theresa May has many years of Parliamentary and government experience and seems to be the preferred candidate of Conservative Members of Parliament; she campaigned for the UK to remain in the EU, though was not exactly at the forefront of the campaigning. In truth, she was probably a rather reluctant 'remainer' who rather hedged her bets when it came to choosing sides and has already suggested that her negotiating stance with the EU will be quite tough.

Andrea Leadsom only entered Parliament in 2010 after a career in financial services. She has progressed fairly quickly to junior minister level but has no experience at cabinet level. It has been suggested that she may be a bit of a closet 'remainer' even though she was a leading light in the 'Brexit' campaign, and some of her comments suggest that her negotiating stance may actually be more liberal than that of Mrs May.

Some of Leadsom's supporters have said that her lack of senior government experience is no concern as she has plenty of experience at a senior level in her previous career. They also cite David Cameron's lack of government experience when he became Prime Minister in 2010 which, to me, is no recommendation at all; Cameron has hardly been a Prime Minister who has covered himself in glory and history will largely ignore him except for the glaring issue of the EU referendum.

Theresa May entered Parliament in 1997 and has been at a senior level in the Party since 1999. Appointed as Home Secretary in 2010, she has now been the longest serving in that post for over 60 years, surviving remarkably well in a job which has traditionally been a graveyard for politicians. Indeed, Mrs May seems to be something of a survivor, having come unscathed through the various turmoils of her Party over the last 20 years. Kenneth Clark has been heard saying that she's good but also that she's a 'bloody difficult woman', something which could easily be seen as a recommendation.

I don't have a vote in this contest and, as a committed 'Brexiteer', if I did I ought to be a supporter of Mrs Leadsom. However, I really think that her lack of political and diplomatic experience is a massive stumbling block. Mrs May, on the other hand, does have a track record at the highest level, has the confidence of an overwhelming majority of her Parliamentary colleagues and seems to know her own mind. Consequently, I find myself firmly in the corner of a 'bloody difficult woman'; let's just hope that, as our second woman Prime Minister, she proves to be as tough as our first.