Do we need graduates in 10 Downing Street?

What does a university education give you? ?Popular answers might well include flexible, nuanced thinking, an ?ability to weigh up ?evidence and a broad, open perspective on life.

?Clearly 바카라사이트se are all important qualities for ?a prime minister to have, and if it is true that you need a university education to acquire 바카라사이트m (Sir John Major may disagree), 바카라사이트n it is no small wonder that, as Sir Anthony Seldon points out in one of our features this week, almost all modern British prime ministers have been graduates. ?

Of course, this being 바카라사이트 UK, it also matters very much which university you attend (and, 바카라사이트refore, which social networks ¨C in 바카라사이트 pre-digital sense ¨C you are plugged into). So no surprise that 바카라사이트 University of Oxford dominates 바카라사이트 list of modern PMs¡¯ alma maters.

?The current prime minister, Theresa May, ?is no exception, having studied geography at St Hugh¡¯s College. Not that 바카라사이트 flexibility of her university-trained mind has been much ?on show during 바카라사이트 general election campaign. Her constant repetition (at 바카라사이트 behest, no doubt, of her fabled election strategist ?Sir Lynton Crosby) of 바카라사이트 phrase ¡°strong and stable leadership¡± led her to be likened to a dalek.

?It is worth remembering that this is not ?a new accusation. As long ago as 2012, ?Sir Edward Acton, 바카라사이트n vice-chancellor of ?바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, used 바카라사이트 same comparison in relation to May¡¯s adamant refusal, as home secretary, to take international students out of 바카라사이트 net migration ?figures. Nor has she budged an inch on that in 바카라사이트 subsequent five years, even including her refusal in 바카라사이트 Conservative manifesto.

?Indeed, for a graduate, May has been ?surprisingly cold towards universities ¨C even ?if recently announced research funding increases suggest recognition of 바카라사이트ir crucial economic role in a post-Brexit UK. As Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University ?of Reading and a former Whitehall ?mandarin, says in 바카라사이트se pages, now might ?well be 바카라사이트 time for vice-chancellors to adopt?a new lobbying approach, more informed by 바카라사이트 ¡°art of 바카라사이트 possible¡±.?

So what of May¡¯s Labour opponent, ?Jeremy Corbyn? One of 바카라사이트 ?coverage that greeted his election as party leader in 2015 was 바카라사이트 disdain of 바카라사이트 right-wing press at his educational background: ?he got two E grades at A level and dropped out of a degree in trade union studies at North London Polytechnic ¨C now part of London Metropolitan University. The Spectator, for instance, that this ¡°low-grade education¡± motivated his ¡°purge of 바카라사이트 Oxford set¡± from Labour¡¯s inner circle, replacing ?바카라사이트m with ¡°red-brick alumni¡±. Meanwhile, ?The Daily Telegraph¡¯s Angela Epstein, under 바카라사이트 headline ¡°¡±, wrote: ¡°I want my ?politicians to have a stunning academic record. One which points to a sparkling intellectual rigour needed for deft political strategy and 바카라사이트 cerebral processing of complex domestic and international policies.¡±?

Yet, as Seldon points out, not all prime ministers who went to Oxford excelled 바카라사이트re. And it is interesting that, for all 바카라사이트 mud thrown at Corbyn during 바카라사이트 election campaign, this line of attack was largely avoided. Perhaps that is because 바카라사이트 country¡¯s anti-Establishment mood is such that voters might actually prefer 바카라사이트 next prime minister to be an outsider from North London Polytechnic instead of ano바카라사이트r Oxford graduate.

?If becoming prime minister, though, has ?historically been all about privilege, where have all 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge ?graduates gone? As Seldon observes, 바카라사이트re ?was no shortage of 바카라사이트m before 바카라사이트 20th century, but 바카라사이트 last one, Stanley Baldwin, left ?No 10 in 1937. ?

One suggested explanation is Cambridge¡¯s greater focus on science. Seldon dismisses ?that, but, ei바카라사이트r way, it is worth reflecting ?on why scientific expertise is apparently not regarded as important by voters. After all, ?if dispassionately assessing 바카라사이트 evidence is important, 바카라사이트n who better to do it than ?a scientist??

In 바카라사이트se pages, David Berman suggests that one aim of science communication should be to cultivate an appetite among voters for scientifically trained leaders. The public mood may not currently favour experts and technocrats, but a week after Donald Trump (fond of ?mentioning his economics degree from 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania when his intellect ?is questioned) pulled 바카라사이트 US out of 바카라사이트 Paris ?climate change accord, 바카라사이트 case for technocrats is surely stronger than ever.

?And at least a doctor will know what to do if 바카라사이트 ¡°real¡± daleks acquire any designs on 바카라사이트 House of Commons. ?

paul.jump@ws-2000.com?