When a political leader lies on their CV - can you trust them?

Hopefully Polanski is being caught out on too much too soon.

In my opinion Polanski is a power junkie. He left the LibDems for the Greens because the LibDems wouldn't indulge his race to the top. I doubt he could recognise a scruple if it jumped up and hit him in the face. The sooner he fades back into obscurity the better.

I know, I don’t think Polanski is a career politician somehow though, he’s more of an activist than purely out to make money for himself. I can’t see him settling for the relative mundanity of politics.

Casdon

Do you think M0nica? The jury is out for me on whether Polanski is a long term prospect for the Greens, or whether he will fade back into obscurity, possibly even of his own volition.

I always hope that people like Polanski get their come uppance as soon as possible, but look where being untrustworthy has got Farage and oris Johnson got to become Prime Minister despite well documented career as a liar.

Some do step down and go....depending on the extent of the lies - e.g Boris Johnson.

The public rightly expects political leaders have integrity, be honest and transparent. Yet all politicians are human and some will lie or have lied in the past. Some of those lies will be much more significant than others. Some untruths will be current and some historical found out by investigative reporting. Some lies/untruths/embellishments will be inadvertent and some intentional. Those differences matter.

The press will always be on the hunt to uncover such things tof political leaders and their senior colleagues- its makes good copy and influences public opinion.

A political leader, or senior party member, lying on a CV, or lying on any other matter, makes me question that person- not the party in the first instance. I would consider the degree and extent of the lie/s, inadvertent or intentional and how far short have they fallen below the standards of integrity we should expect.

However, being human I do compare the numbers and extent of reported incidents across the parties. Is there one party worse than any of the others for example.

For example Reform has Farage (current £5million furore as just one example), Tice (alleged to have underpaid or avoided tax between (£100,000-600,000) and Zahawi (had to pay £5million to HMRC for unpaid tax PLUS an addition penalty, when chancellor of the exchequer and had to stand down- he also never made public what the penalty was for, or how much or the HMRC investigation outcome) Suella Braverman broke the ministerial code by using her own personal email address etc.

Those figures far exceed anything Ive seen ever reported for other parties. Eg Farage £5 million form Harbrone v Boris £1million from Harborne. Reform current leader's figures appear to far outweigh unpaid council tax, embellishment on a CV or Rayner's, seemingly inadvertent, £40k underpaid tax on a house sale contained within a complicated trust /second home purchase.

Being older, in politics for longer, having more contacts etc etc would lead me to expect that politician to be even more honest and transparent in their dealings, not less. They've been around the block more, have seen their peers "cop it in the press" also. Indeed they may have commented on those copping it, i.e. saying they deserve it and must go/people shouldn't trust that party. When they are found out the same rules apply.

Do you think M0nica? The jury is out for me on whether Polanski is a long term prospect for the Greens, or whether he will fade back into obscurity, possibly even of his own volition.

Polanski may not yet be a s big a blagger as Farage, but Farage is older and had more time to develop his skills and contacts . Give Polanski enough time and I am sure he will eventually be as confident and successful as Farage, and as untrustworthy.

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love0c

DAR And there she goes again!

This also seems to be nothing to do with the subject and everything to do with attacking me.

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love0c

DAR And there she goes again!

Do you think not learning from others is a good thing?

What I find more discouraging is the five millions worth of manure, that Farage was trying to hide.
The stench of his corruption is difficult to miss.

DAR And there she goes again!

What I do like is Zack Polanski's "Bold Politics". The latest edition is an interview with the New Economic Forum’s CEO, Danny Sriskandarajah.

Polanski gives his interviewees plenty of time to extrapolate on the point they are making. That gives listeners time to form a rounded opinion. It is very far from the gossip and name calling so often offered as political argument.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LhsxyjO5Mg

I think you may have missed the point I was making, Oreo. I’ve been saying that personal attacks on politicians, without discussing any actual policy, stop being meaningful political debate.

It’s a distraction to talk of the US and how different their politics is.
Do you admire Polanski DaisyannReturns ? Even if you do, many others do not.

Sorry if people aren't talking in the way you would like them to DAR, I know that can be very difficult for some people.
I happen to think there are certain values that are important in leaders, integrity, bravery, critical thinking, etc.
I am not sure why discussing those is linked to an americanisation of politics, and let's face it there would be many worse places to be, Afghanistan, Iran, etc.

love0c

When the Conservatives left they did not leave a lovely smell of roses. However, I would much rather have a faint smell of roses than the stench of manure now permeating the air from Labour!

That too is not about politics but populism love0c. You sound like a Conservative voter who doesn't want to discuss real political policies but would rather attack people or groups of people. You are, of course, entitled to do that, but it is not discussing politics.

When the Conservatives left they did not leave a lovely smell of roses. However, I would much rather have a faint smell of roses than the stench of manure now permeating the air from Labour!

Galaxy

Disappointing for Starmer certainly Maremia

I don't see him as such a bitter character: I wonder why you do.

I didn't say you shouldn't ask question about integrity of leaders Galaxy but that this isn't, as you suggested, the Green Party being subjected to scrutiny. It is just more Americanisation of our politics. More "playing the man not the ball."

Our democracy is very different to theirs and personally I would rather have ours than theirs. I do not want a country with no NHS, no statuary holidays, no maternity leave and little or no help when people are in need.

Disappointing for Starmer certainly Maremia

MaizieD

If you have read the preceding posts, MOnica you’ll find some equally questionable CVs offered by politicians of various parties, many who achieved responsible posts in government.

Why is one particular politician being singled out?

It's a spectrum of "optimising" your experience so it looks more impressive than it is. It can be from exaggerating occasional duties to make it sound as if they were a normal responsibility, within an honestly stated job title (which is pretty universal), up to falsly claiming a medical or similar degree based on a certificate purchased from an overseas provider (which is gross).

So I think a blanket "their CV wasn't accurate" isn't v helpful. Tbh, Rachel Reeves' inaccuracy over her job title was pretty blatant but Zac & his "working at the Ministry of Justice" is even more of a whopper. The daft thing is, in politics they don't need to do it. If you're electable, public "gets" you, then your job history isn't make or break like it would be in a corporate appointment.

I wish Caroline Lucas was still in charge but I can see Zac might appeal to the younger target-Green voters better.
So

How very disappointing, for some, that Angela Raynor has been cleared by HMRC of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness over her tax affairs.