This topic runs Fishy:
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I expect people with good statesmanship qualities [ or potential ] are put off pursuing a career in politics because politicians have [ perhaps deservedly ] got themselves such a bad name.
Perhaps there are some good potential statesmen & Stateswomen in the HoC now, but keeping a low profile due to Brexit kerfuffle.
Chuka Umunna seems like a good potential candidate for a future statesman, every time he says something it seems to be very agreeable that’s well worth listening to.
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We do seem a little light on stateswomen nominations though…surely Diane deserves a vote?
Now Ms Abbott, how much were those extra 10,000 ‘police-persons’ going to cost again? mmmmmm 
Despite his shortcomings I still have a soft spot for Teflon Tony. Who held public relevance in communications.
Watching Andrew Marr interviewing the Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay the other morning, it was like they were both talking another language.
Andy asking pertinent and exasperated questions with Steve giving a calm stream of politic mayonnaise.
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Thanks for (some) of the responses but unfortunately Brexit has crept it to what was a meant to be about a subject that is bigger than just the UK. One thing I’ve noticed just how much inward looking you guys have become in recent years.
And MikeD I did see your post (it’s since been blocked, understandably) and while I agree with the sentiment violence is never an answer.
Richard, if you looking can you please shut this post down, sorry.
You were right.
Pete,
It’s inevitable that most responses will focus and be related to the responder’s country or region of residence. And since most participants here are from the U.K. and the USA it will focus on our politicians, and be dominated by current events including Brexit. That’s life !
Your initial post was a good one IMHO, you can’t easily control the subsequent direction - look at my “Brexit or Bust” post or its predecessors “Sleepwalking” etc. Very few of us keep the initial post in mind when responding and the subject inevitably drifts all over the place.
That’s forum life !
Cheers, Don
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Yes I do agree, I just didn’t want it turning into another “Brexit or Bust” thread.
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I actually agree with Debs, I think Chuka Umunna is one of a very small number of politicians who do display statesman like qualities.
Outside the UK I think there may be a few others who could be candidates (but I know less about them)
Moon Jae-in
Jacinda Ardern
Justin Trudeau
Possibly also
Angela Merkel
Bernie Sanders
Aung San Suu Kyi has fallen off the list due to her failure to control the military in their excesses.
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I think Gareth Southgate is very statesmanlike in his attitudes and approach to his obligations / responsibilities. He is brave in his decision-making and clearly believes in the teams he picks.
As ever, politics and business can learn a lot from good sporting examples (imho).
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I actually know quite a lot about our Chuka - he’s the MP for the constituency next to mine. The politician he most resembles is Nick Clegg - in other words, an unprincipled two-faced turncoat who would do anything to get within a sniff of power. So careful what (or who) you wish for… But I suspect you only regard him as “statesmanlike” because you agree with him on Brexit. One of the most depressing features of the UK in 2019 is the complete and utter lack of credible political leadership - and a vacuous nonentity like Umunna won’t fill that hole.
As for the others you list… well, the Sainted Justin T is embroiled in a huge scandal (google ‘SNC-Lavalin’). Added to that, he’s a bit of a lightweight, politically and intellectually.
Mr Moon is doing a good job, especially considering the mess left behind by his predecessor, but the South Korean economy is beginning to sag and Moon’s approval ratings are sagging with it. And really, what is his international reputation based on outside of the Moon-Kim-trump tripartite talks?
Jacinda Ardern was hugely impressive in the wake of the Christchurch massacre, and she talks a good game but she is still unproven on both the domestic and international stages. She’s young, and hasn’t been in the job long. Let’s give her some time.
Merkel, on the other hand, has had plenty of time, and she’s now a busted flush: partly because she is a technocrat (not a stateswoman) who happens to have been leading the dominant European economy and who has long since run out of ideas; and partly because of her disastrous decision to invite a million migrants into Germany without consulting her countrymen/women .
Bernie Sanders has been elected to a position of power, as a senator. He’s a good campaigner and has an odd kind of charisma, as well as a radical (for the US) agenda. If anyone was going to beat Trump in 2016, it was him, but the DNC made the disastrous decision to appoint the entitled Hillary Clinton as its candidate. Who knows - if he stands - if he’ll get in come 2020? He has all the right ideas, especially on the crucial issue of economic injustice, but it remains to be seen if he gets the top job, and if he’s up to it (he’ll be 79).
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Yes, absolutely. 
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Thinking about it, perhaps the thread is asking the wrong question. Maybe the problem is not so much a lack of statesmen and women but a lack of ideas, and a lack of moral focus (on both the left and right; among liberal and economic elites; among status quo-ers and insurgents).
This is why neoliberalism is failing, why the EU is failing, why identity politics is failing, why the left is failing, why conservatism is failing… there is simply nothing there; no moral centre, no creativity, no big ideas (not even any small ones).
There was a very good piece on this in The New Statesman last year, which is well worth five minutes of your time:
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Yep you’re probably correct. There is a complete lack of morals, accountability and ideas from the current bunch. Baby boomers hay, maybe we’re not as smart as we thought we were.
It’s hope there’s a brighter lot behind us.
… they have all gone right into the corporate lobbyist hands, or who is making the biggest payout.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Priest, Politician, or fill in the blank _, Power Corrupts Absolutely!
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The problem is, and I’m only speaking for myself, is that I believe most couldn’t give a stuff about the left/right’s ideology. Most of us are centralists, not radical rat bags. We just want the opportunity to live peacefully. These types get a elected and it ends up about them, not us. There’s examples in Aus where their electorate has voted overwhelmingly one way, yet they vote the opposite.
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Hi Kev. Bernie has zero chance of being selected, or of winning, in 2020. The Marmalade Moron is going to run hard on the economy and, especially, “socialism.” And he’ll probably win on both those arguments.
At this point (and barring seismic shifts), the only person with a hope in hell of denting the prospects of a feared second term is Joe Biden, who hasn’t announced he’s running. Ol’ Joe, who does occasionally exhibit some statesmanlike qualities, fails on your crucial “big ideas” question.
Right, off to follow your New Statesman link.
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We should recognize that most statesman/stateswomen are beholden to those who put them in that position. In a democracy, to a certain degree, it’s the voters but in practice, it’s the backroom political party hacks and their lobbyist enablers. I see the increasing dysfunctional nature of governments in the developed world as a consequence of too many people gaming the system, the hypocritical something-for-nothing entitlement crowd that doesn’t contribute more to society than it takes out. I don’t know of a statesman today, or in history that could reverse the trend, but a few of the more fascist-oriented dictators could probably hit the reset button. I’m not in favour of that, but losing faith there’s another path…
The idea of a benevolent dictator has been an idea of mine for a few years, as much as it scares me I think that you might be right. A reset.
Think it’s the same everywhere, but in Aus the rise of smaller single issue parties has split the voters as well. Governments are forced into alliances with these fringe parties that really only suit them. The result is groverments that get nothing done, and what does get done seems to be on the extreme left or right depending on their the ideology. We’ve even had a right wing party caught trying to get financing from the NRA, in their words “to take control of the government and weaken the gun laws”. What also sickens me his that I contributed to their salary. We’ve had a senator blame the Christmas shooting on the victims, prick got his seat with 16 votes, don’t about you but my family is bigger than 16. Got it cause the other redneck was sacked for not being an Australian citizen.
I’ve lost faith in all politicians.
It’s always puzzled me, that any thing that maybe remotely for the good of all Americans is hailed down as socialism. They’re the only developed country that doesn’t have a universal health cover, mentioned it (as I did on a flight from LA to NY once) and they cut you down, label you a commie. These people have been fooled by the rich and powerful. Think they’re also the only developed economy that most still only get 2 weeks annually leave. Don’t get me wrong, I like most Americans I’ve met, been there on many occasions. But I’m stunned by the way they allow these governments supported by the rich that keeps them feed on lies to continue. The French would have thrown them out long ago.