Isabel Hardman, Why We Get The Wrong Politicians

 Isabel Hardman, Why We Get The Wrong Politicians (Atlantic Books, 2018)

310pp, pb

I enjoyed this look at the Westminster Bubble, though perhaps it would have been best read when it was hot off the presses. 

Part One looks at how politicians get in, start out, get out there, get on, get caught, get ill and get out. Hardman argues that it is far too expensive and time consuming to become and MP, and that is one reason why Westminster does not have the diversity which would lead to better outcomes. 

A briefer Part Two looks ta why we get the wrong policies. 

Hardman is basically sympathetic to most MPs as hard working decent people. But she thinks the system is broken. 

The main burden of the book is that the culture of Westminster rewards those who want to get into government (normally by being Yes-Men) and that MPs tend to neglect their elected duty of legislative scrutiny either by aiming to be ministers or being pre-occupied by constituency case work and becoming glorified social workers. Hardman also suggests how the role of select committees could be further enhanced to make this a kind of parallel career path as an alternative to government office.