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Tim Dunlop blogs about Ordinary and extraordinary political voices...

Polls and Politics: Monopoly of the Elite?
Exactly how Gerard gets from start to finish in this column is something of a wonder to behold, contestable as it is at almost every point. Because the whole column could be readily criticised, and because this would take too much time, Back Pages will be content to to dish out a minor correction to Henderson for describing politics as a 'profession'. In ordinary meaning, a profession requires special training, whereas standing for parliament is open to all citizens. Insisting on this is itself, of course, a 'populist' notion.
· A 'populist' notion
[See Also Gianna on Politics]