New Statesman letter on principle and passion

It is difficult to disagree with Ian Leslie`s analysis of the "bonfire of the experts" and the need for "cool logic" in politics (Power and the passion, 22nd July, 2016). Indeed, a morsel of the latter would have countered the arrogance of David Cameron, and prevented the EU referendum from seeing the light of day. Similarly, an iota of joined-up thinking would have alerted Labour MPs to the need for the appearance, at least, of solidarity at a time of apparent Tory implosion.

   There is, however, a problem with Leslie`s conclusion: if our political leaders are to be "effective", he says, they need to be experts in "policy, diplomacy", and "legislative process", and where better to acquire these than by studying for a PPE degree from Oxford? Furthermore, they need to have the self-confidence so that they don`t "screw up an interview"; expensive private schools have many faults, but producing students with low self-esteem is not one of them!

  Been there, done that! Having posh boys, who don`t know the price of milk, running the country for six years wasn`t exactly successful, leading to disillusionment with politics, increased inequality, and Brexit. Give me someone with passion and principle every time, as long as those qualities are allied to a propensity to listen to the advice from the experts!