Watching the Lib Dem leadership speeches on Sky News, I was most disconcerted to see Mark Oaten literally (again, that word!) transmogrify into Tony Blair!
Watching the Lib Dem leadership speeches on Sky News, I was most disconcerted to see Mark Oaten literally (again, that word!) transmogrify into Tony Blair!
Someone at the conference said they were reminded of David Brent. 🙂
Really? How bizarre, he looks nothing like him!
And David Brent is known to be a bad manager.
Mark Oaten is said by his employees to be
a very, very good one.
The other contestant who never makes a meeting
on time reminds me far more of the disorganised
David Brent.
Again I don’t think those commenting should really
comment on how someone looks should they boys.
The comparison with David Brent is well-made.
Ricky Gervase was sending up management speak and PR, both of which Mark is attempting to impose on British politics. (Thus far, the legal profession is infected with neither, so Ming and Simon are safe for the moment!)
What I want to see is the real Mark Oaten, not the PR creation. The Mark Oaten without the pale grey suits, the softly modulated tones and the policies derived from market research.
I want to see a Mark Oaten who genuinely believes in individual liberty and the international rule of law. Not the Mark Oaten who allegedly favours conscription and said to Bernard Jenkin on “Question Time” “I think they (the French) will come round”.
I would like to see some passion from him, and some talk about values.
My initial fear was that Kennedy had over-promoted Mark (a non-lawyer and polytechnic alumnus given the home affairs brief). I was wrong. The guy is clearly talented. But he needs to use that talent wisely. Cut the business school talk and speak to the people directly, in plain English. It might just win us round.
Leah,
I’d agree that he doesn’t look like David Brent physically. I think it was more the way this particular person felt that Mark talked.
Martin