Debate Magazine

Etonians at Westminster

Posted on the 16 March 2014 by Markwadsworth @Mark_Wadsworth
From the BBC
In an interview in Saturday's FT, the education secretary said: "It doesn't make me feel personally uncomfortable, because I like each of the individuals concerned.

"But it's ridiculous. I don't know where you can find a similar situation in any other developed economy."

The FT said Mr Gove was reflecting on the number of those close to the prime minister who were educated, like Mr Cameron, at the boys' independent school.
The reason is the same as the reason why we've had 2 Milibands in parliament, a couple of Bottomleys, The Wintertons, Kirkbride/McKay, Mr and Mrs Dromey, Mr and Mrs Ed Balls, a clutch of Benns and the Eagle sisters, and that is that we have the First Past the Post electoral system and most of the world doesn't. And one of the results of that is you get "safe seats" where anyone can win for your party. So why bother picking the best candidate when you can give the job to your mates/wife/brother?
And it's also why the USA has the same problem with Kennedys, Clintons, Bushes, Ron and Rand Paul and so forth. Because they have the same rotten electoral system with little competition for most seats.
That's not to say that there shouldn't be these connections, but if you look at genuinely competitive markets, you see a lot less of them. Take football: there's lots of footballing families, but you don't find many cases where someone who hit the top of the game has a son or brother who also hits the top of the game. There's the Charltons, the Redknapps and the Nevilles, and that's about it.

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