Rory Stewart on the problems of politics and what he thinks could change things

Great pins. Thanks.

Rory is an incredibly intelligent person. What he has to say regarding the state of politics is so true. I never did like the guy. However, I don't mind admitting how wrong I was. Whatever he chooses to do - and I believe he's considering standing as an Independent for London Mayor, that he succeeds.

Rory is a true Statesman and we need his honesty and talents back governing this country. One of the problems is that those of the public who are interested in politics are totally disillusioned with those we see running this country , of all parties. We need you back Rory and more like you!

Excellent interview. Get it on mainstream TV.

Brilliant. Thank you. Best that you work hard Rory. There is so much work that needs doing.

I think the way that British politics changes from the left to the right and then back again is what actually keeps it moving in roughly the right direction.

DAVID Rymell

I don’t know where to start…

Brilliant interview, well done 👍🏽 Thank you!

Very good and very enlightening - so unusual to hear the TRUTH about how we are REALLY GOVERNED !???

I've ordered the book for later on today and after this preview, looking forward to a good read.

He says that this is a universal story, but as a Bolivian (that has also lived a few years in the UK) I can't help but see this as a very British story. While I do see some similarities with Bolivian politics when he talks of politics as a public performance, the relationships between the electorate, politicians, the media, civil servants and the law are completely different to those I see in the UK. I see the Bolivian people are generally much more engaged with politics than the British, but we tend to do it through various middlemen that stand between the political parties and society (e.g. unions, pressure groups, "neighborhood federations", guilds, etc.) while the media has a relatively peripheral role. There's much less of a pretence of acting for the good of the country or to uphold morality, whereas in the UK I see the people as being a lot more detached, and those who are more engaged often come together through ideology (as opposed to the naked self-interest that I see in my countrymen), and vent their frustrations through the media, and also by writing to their MP, by answering the questions of polling companies, and ultimately by voting. Bolivians are much, much more prone to use those middlemen I mentioned to create chaos when they don't get their way. The more disturbance they have the capacity to create, the more likely they'll be able to get the government's ear, and the more influential they'll be. There's much less need for ideology or institutional solutions. Ministers are appointed through chumocracy, proximity to the middlemen, or both, and our Presidents don't have as much appreciation for differences of opinion within their cabinets (compared to UK PMs), there's usually very little expectation among ministers that, if they raise their media profile high enough, they could some day be promoted to a higher ministerial position, let alone the Presidency (which seems to be pretty standard in UK politics).

Hi!! Spaniard here!! This guy is great. He confirms the fact that no one is really in charge. By the way, this is what I always has been suspecting. The journalist thinks that politicians are in charge, politicians think that the economy, the electorate and what not is in charge, some conspirationist think that dark powers run our life. I think that this, the world, is too complicated to be runned by one, two, 3 etc entities, and what prevents chaos are the rules, the believe that if you don´t pay taxes for example, som nasty letter from the IRS will arrive etc.

I don't agree with all of Rory's views but he makes some excellent points. I think the last few years has hammered home how useless and clueless politicians really are and media makes it worse. Where does that leave us?

The $64 billion dollar question is where are the other Rory Stewarts? I refuse to believe that he is unique. There have to be others who also see through the system. Our system is absurd from top to bottom. And yet as Rory says our society runs well enough to satisfy a very large percentage of the population. Maybe at the end of the day it is the people and not the system that counts and maybe that is the reason that it is so important not to allow a clown like Johnson to get into power. I suppose we have to be grateful that our system spat Johnson out although it took 3 years. This interview should be seen by every sensible person in the UK.

It's not that I'm into populism, but if Rory can nibble on biscuits in an entertaining manner, I'll vote for him.

I'd love to see Rory back in politics myself.

Be horrible for Rory to find out he was on the wrong side all along..

When he described the reasons he become a conservative, for example to protect what we have, there was an obvious response; if science now tells us that how we do things is a threat to our future, surely it is necessary to change. If the threat is accelerating and needs attention fast, how can you avoid the case for radical and rapid change?

A brilliant and very depressing book. Thanks Rory