A New Blogging Dawn?

Well this is the first time I have set down with the intention of making regular postings, hopefully it will be a new year resolution that I can actually keep.

The main focus of this Blog will be on Education but also with some attention directed towards Politics.

One thing that really makes me despair is the way that politics has become a career for many and it is no accident that these people say and think and do exactly the same things as each other. If you look at the backgrounds of the vast majority of current politicians in the cabinet or in opposition, you will see that they are very similar:

Let's take a a look at the Labour Shadow Cabinet, can you see any similarities between the people in terms of education?

Ed Milliband - Leader of the Opposition

Oxford - Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

Ed Balls - Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer

Oxford - Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

Yvette Cooper - Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department / Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities

Oxford - Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

Andy Burnham - Shadow Secretary of State for Health

Cambridge - English

Stephen Twigg - Shadow Secretary of State for Education

Oxford, - Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)

Most of them studied the same subjects at the same places!

Let's now turn to look at the (current) government:

David Cameron - Prime Minister

Oxford - Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)

Nick Clegg - Deputy Prime Minister

Cambridge University - social anthropology

William Hague - First Secretary of State / Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Oxford - Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

George Osborne - Chancellor

Oxford - Modern History

Ken Clarke - Lord Chancellor / Secretary of State for Justice

Cambridge - law

Theresa May - Secretary of State for the Home Department / Minister for Women and Equality

Oxford - Geography

Philip Hammond - Secretary of State for Defence

Oxford - Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)

Vince Cable - Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

Cambridge - Economics

Chris Huhne - Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

Oxford - Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

Michael Gove - Secretary of State for Education

Oxford - English

Andrew Lansley - Secretary of State for Health

Exeter - Politics

So the most represented in sample of politicians is those who went to Oxford and who studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics. This does not look like a representative sample of the United Kingdom.

I think it is fair to ask some questions:

How many of these politicians have ever been long term unemployed (for a year or more)?

How many of these politicians have ever had to worry about getting help to cope with day to day living expenses?

Is it no wonder that the general population are apathetic when all these politicians hold the same points of view, come from the same backgrounds and are just interchangeable careerists?

It really is time for a change but I fear that we will be defeated by general apathy and indifference as the public have become used to such a low standard of political leadership that they no take the current state of affairs as being normal.