Grandee or Political Has-Been?

Nigel Farage?

Ah yes, Paddy Pants Down. At least the leave voters may have got out of their own beds.

Sorry, digressed. I nominate Kenneth Clarke.

I think grandees are still in situ rather than retired.
And it's a term usually linked with the Conservative party than Labour or Libdems. It implies a certain amount of reverence.
One person's has-been is another person's hero. I would rather like it if David Miliband were to resurface and rescue the centre ground of British politics, but now that Brexit has been triggered it might turn out to be a futile gesture

Alima!! ? Peter Mandelson, Lord Kinnock (he has kept quiet though so perhaps unfair to name him) There must be others!!

Only Tories can be "grandees"

Kenneth Clarke, definite political has -been,
Tony Blair, ditto
Paddy Ashdown ditto
Also Major
No doubt 'Mandy' is still plotting so maybe not a has been yet.

Some cultivate being a grandee rather than have grandeeship thrust upon them, I think Heseltine rather likes being one and Clarke in an 'off hand I don't care' sort of way'. I think there are less than there were and do wonder if they are a dying breed? Some just don't cut the mustard do they? I think DM is too young at the moment. I suppose my first thought is Heseltine - he had an interesting political life in the Commons, took on MT and seems to have some real beliefs - anyway I like his good head of hair - do you remember his Spitting Image puppet with the helicopter in it? I'm fond of KC also - I suppose what I think both have is some sort of integrity

www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/19/who-are-these-labour-grandees-backing-labour-leadership-quiz

If it's good enough for the Guardian to name Labour Party Grandees then it's good enough for me to use the term grandee in connection with All political parties.

Paddy Ashdown
John Prescott
Peter Mandelson
Baron George Foulkes

Bring back "Spitting Image". Lots of good material out there nowadays!

Labour grandees?

Always been Tory grandees . Labours big beasts

I got them all correct in the Guardie link , but did receive emails from those who were supporting a candidate so suppose I cheated

Yes Annie - John Prescott is certainly a Big Beast - but I think Peter Mandelson will become a Grandee - too effete for Big Beast status.
On the female side I think Shirley Williams is a Grandee and Margaret Beckett will become one if/when she moves from the Commons to the Lords - but can Grandees have caravans?

I always think of the term 'grandee' applying after the age of about 80!

'Big beast' - someone with power and influence, although I got told off when I called a Labour politician a Big Beast on here
because someone said I was being nasty (daft). Tories are often referred to as 'Big Beasts' too in the media.

Has-been - someone who just won't go away.

Worrying that I'm the same age as these 'has beens'! I do think some of them are worth listening to otherwise, why would anyone listen to us?

Yes, a lot of older ex-politicians have the experience but sometimes the same old faces are trotted out for their opinions time after time.
Now, is Nigel Farage a has-been or not? Mission accomplished therefore opinion not needed any more.

3/10 Oh dear! You haven't been paying too much attention to what these 'big beasts' of the party have had to say. Perhaps their view won't sway your decision too much?

Well, it was ages ago.

I think poor Jezza has become a Has-Been before making it as a Big Beast or Grandee. On the Tory side Norman Tebbit, and without a doubt Paddy for the LDs. Everyone in UKIP, including the party itself.

Sorry, don't include Norman Tebbit, he has had much to deal with and consequently never achieved what he could have done.

Nothing wrong with calling labour politicians big beasts, the media have called them this for many a year.

Mandelson is no way a big beast, neither is Blair.

Brown is , we have very few now , no fire in them,

Jezza is not s has been , if you mean Corbyn Fitzy, he is a never was and a never will be.

Teetime Nigel Farage is a not a grandee or a has-been; he's a never wozzer.

Jalima one can only sympathise with NormanTebbit, and in many ways admire his resilience, but he was a major political figure and remains an old school Thatcherite through and through, and those guys have very much had their day.

thinking about this last night Dennis Healy's put down of Jeffrey Howe, - it's like being savaged by a sheep,- came to mind.

There is no passion in MP's now ,

ab it was even better than that - savaged by a DEAD sheep. Agree about Brown being a big beast - perfect description in a positive way IMO