The ageing effect of politics

Just a little experiment. Everyone's been commenting on how much the last decade has aged Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. But is this standard for men of their age? Or is it their tough jobs and the cares of office?

So here's some pictures to help make a comparison. First we have Tony Blair, born in 1953 and his contemporaries Peter Mandelson, Griff Rhys-Jones and Graeme Souness. On the left are these four gentlemen in 1997 and on the right we see them today.

Then we have our new Prime Minister, born in 1951, the same year as saw the birth of Sir Bob Geldof, Kevin Keegan and Anthony Worral Thompson.

I'd say that it seems like you age a lot in a decade and not that much more if you go into politics.

Tony Blair

Peter Mandelson

Griff Rhys-Jones

Graeme Souness

Gordon Brown

Sir Bob Geldof

Kevin Keegan

Anthony Worrall Thompson

Comments

[GARTH STRONG]

Blair's power really did not age him all that much.

However, it did age Britain, and the British people.

The worst effects was felt in Iraq...where many people dropped dead from old age.

[Tapestry]

Try doing the same for non-celebrity university lecturers. they seem not to age at all. must be all the sex.

[charlotte, London]

I feel sorry for Griff Rhys-Jones and Gordon Brown- now that's depressing! But Peter Mandelson clearly dies his hair and should be disqualified!

[Andrew Milner]

Interesting that you should put Peter Mandelson just below Tony Blair. Subliminal message, perhaps? People do age over a decade. I use the portrait in the attic method to ward off Father Time's cruel blows. Seems to be working.
So what's aged Our Tony? Can't be guilt over all those deaths for which he is culpable. Because that would assume he was capable of remorse, and dent his "I'm never wrong" self-image. So perhaps it’s Cherie giving him grief.

[H.D.]

Actually I think they (mostly)look better now!-more gravitas etc.....

[Ian]

I really don't think that Peter Mandelson is dyeing his hair. There seems to be much natural progression to the grey and the lighter colour - I am going through the same thing right now - and I am only a few years younger than Mandelson.

There is also a problem with the 1997 picture of Mandelson - note that what should be white is actually darker (i.e. shirt collar) and that the photograph from 1997 is much more dark as opposed to the photograph from the current year. This could also contribute to a mistaken comparison of "Mandelson 1997" and "Mandelson 2007".

In fact, when you look at it, the photographs from 1997 for all of the people mentioned are from different lighting and different perspectives as opposed to those from the photographs taken in 2007. In that case, it is no wonder that some people will see larger changes in one individual as opposed to another.