Monday, December 05, 2005

Vagabonds, fakirs, footpads, n’er do wells and Jeffrey Archer need not apply

Filling in my application form to join the House of Lords recently, a little accompanying leaflet spelt out exactly what Lordshippyness is all about. The rather grandly monikered House of Lords Appointments Commission gravely spells out the very minimum requirements to realise a successful application.

The supporting literature, in Baronial black & white and headed ‘The Seven Principles of Public Life’ is unbending in the sort of talent they’re after.

The seven principles are –

Selflessness
Integrity
Objectivity
Accountability
Openess
Honesty
Leadership

Now maybe it’s the old cynic in me, but I reckon the best club in town – The House of Lords would be pretty well deserted apart from Lord Jesus of Judea and Lord St Francis of Assisi if everyone had to comply with these 7 principles.

And the prospect of people like Jeffrey Archer, Neil Kinnock and Margaret Thatcher qualifying for even 1 of the 7 is a fairly expansive leap of surreal thinking.

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