Why are MPs so ugly?

Adam Boulton, the Political Editor of Sky News, in the name of furthering the public's understanding of politics has produced his annual top ten list of most fanciable MPs. I'm a little disappointed for two reasons. First, Adam Afriyie has not made the cut. Nor has Tobias Ellwood and Jeremy Hunt who both display a certain boyish charm. More importantly, while the top ten are nice enough, the talent seems pretty thin. MPs, by and large, are not a pretty bunch (let's face it, it says a lot about the environment that political journalists find themselves in that David Cameron regularly gets described as good-looking).

The late Auberon Waugh was convinced that ugly men were drawn to politics and journalism as a way of revenging themselves on society; which seems a reasonable explanation for politicians and their policies. Politics still looks like showbiz for ugly people. This is peculiar for two reasons as you would think the "media age", where politicians have to perform on TV, would have driven up standards - just as it has in the movies or in entertainment or even in TV news anchors. And secondly, the British population is undoubtedly becoming better looking - blame affluence, health consciousness, the rise of the gym. So what accounts for politics, which is dominated by the middle classes who tend to be better looking, being immune to this social change?

Is it that politics simply attracts life's misfits? Or do those who run the political game harbour a deep suspicion of good-looking people (ie they are lightweight, lack bottom and intelligence)? Maybe we the voters don't think that the serious business of government, can be entrusted to people who moisturise? I suspect that (cod) evolutionary biology holds the answer to this deeply important issue. If you're not good-looking how do you get a mate or gain a higher place in the pecking order? Well, becoming an MP gives you alpha status and power. So there are many more incentives for the facially challenged to go through the rigmarole of schmoozing people they don't like, attending public meetings, campaigning on the streets and all the other dreary aspects of climbing the greasy pole.

Am I right?

Robbie Millen

Comments

[Daggo]

It is noticeable that as the media has become more middle-class, the hacks have gotten better looking. They tend to look like City types now.
But it is far more common with women. There are a strikingly high percentage of stunners - the reason is I suspect that the editors tend to be brow-beaten middle-aged married blokes who can be easily flattered. The women in mags and papers seem to be almost a different species from the 10-doughnuts a day brigade I meet in the Council

[ted harvey]

I'm not bad looking (I'm told) but I'm wee. It's often struck me that I'm just about average height among men in politics; especially those on the left - same as radio. I hope your observations about ugly men don't extend to us wee men... we have an awfully big chip on our shoulders you know, and tend to retaliate to perceived insults rather robustly; just to prove that we are nice people being got at.

[Andrew Beale]

I couldnt agree more Robbie, in fact I have a similar theory to Auberons about small men and the legal profession. Surely then for a small ugly solicitor politics is the only way forward. As an aside, I note from Jeremy Hunts website that he is a 'local conservative type 1', are the type 2's then really ugly?

[Gillian Barty]

Personally, I wish that there were indeed some "good looking" MP's and professional women out there. All too often, I'm not taken seriously due to my apparant fake-tan obsession and blonde highlights! Surely you don't have to dress like your mother, have mousy brown hair and blend in to have something important to say?

[Sally Roberts]

What do you actually MEAN by "ugly"? Surely it means different things to different people!