Defying Stereotypes

We all have stereotypes in our mind, sometimes, indeed often, completely the opposite of reality.

When asked to describe a typical Conservative MP what comes to mind? Could it be public school, Oxbridge, stockbroker, toff? Perhaps not, straight from state school to work, redundancy and unemployment.

On the Monday before Christmas the House of Commons staged a debate on apprenticeships and skills. Look at these extracts from some of the speeches in that debate and note the political party the speakers represent.

Stuart Andrew (Pudsey) (Conservative): It is a pleasure to take part in this very important debate. Being unemployed is a terrifying experience that I went through a number of years ago. For me, that new year’s eve was not about looking forward to welcoming in the next year and everything that was hoped for, but about receiving my P45 and thinking what the prospect of unemployment would hold for me.

Graham Evans (Weaver Vale) (Conservative): I am very pleased to have a chance to speak in this debate, which is very timely given the recent focus on youth unemployment. Like my hon. Friends the Members for Pudsey (Stuart Andrew) and for Burton (Andrew Griffiths), I left school with few qualifications. I did not go to university, and I spent a wee while as an unemployed person. That is why I believe that apprenticeships are so important.

Oliver Colvile (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport) (Conservative): Thank you for inviting me to speak in this debate, Mr Deputy Speaker, and I shall begin by setting out the context to my remarks. I, like many on this side of the fence, did not go to university, and I have always felt slightly ashamed that I did not have the academic qualifications to do that.

Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) (Conservative): It has been fashionable for Government Members to say that they did not go to university. I went to university at the age of 48 to study politics, and look what happened to me............................. I experienced redundancy. It is not pleasant and we must do everything we can to encourage and support our young people with the training and apprenticeships they need. I congratulate the Government on what they have achieved in the past 18 months.

Study the backgrounds of MPs and it may surprise you that a considerable number across the political spectrum defy the stereotype. The democratic process throws up a varied array of politicians. Like the society they represent some are bad, some good, some indifferent, just what an assembly representative of the community could be expected to produce.

The great thing about democracy is that is injects a vitality and vision into our process of government that rule by experts can never achieve. One of the many reasons that we should be wary of the European Union is that it has forced undemocratic change in two governments.

But I digress (it doesn’t take much to get me to criticise the EU – with good reason!) perhaps we should all take a step back at the beginning of what is likely to be a difficult year ahead and reassess the stereotypes that we can all so easily form in our minds and find rather difficult to shake off.

If you would like to read the full Apprenticeships debate you can do so at

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm111219/debtext/111219-0002.htm#11121912000001