UKH

If you had to have a politician as a climbing partner, which one would it be?

I thought Michael Gove as he ought to be competent with the gear and rope handling, although he'd probably tell you your climbing was all wrong and mutter constantly about dealing with the BMC blob.

I'd think for an evening at Anglezarke, Maggie might be useful in overcoming

Corned Beef Dictator (E1 5a)

Falkland Groove (VS 4c)

I'd like to climb with Johnson. In fact, if you see him, why not mention it? He'd be perfectly safe with me... 

Mrs May claimed to be a strong and steady leader....not sure I want to be on the other end though!

Well, I climbed Eliminate A once following behind a team led by Janusz Onyszkiewicz - Polish Solidarity politician and latterly eminent European parliamentarian. His partner that day, and in life I believe, was the late Alison Chadwick.

Chris Smith, Labour Environment Secretary under Tony Blair was a successful Munroist. 

Not quite a politician as such, but Norman Smith, BBC Assistant Political Editor, was for a number of years a member of our own mountaineering club. 

Lord Hailsham (Quentin Hogg), Tory leadership contender in the 60's, was I believe a competent mountaineer. 

And Pierre Mazeaud, prominent French politician, was an alpinist of note and first Frenchman to ascend Everest in 1978.

So mountaineering/climbing has it's adherents in all walks of life, politics included. I suspect I would happily have climbed with any of the above.

Martin

How about climbing with Maggie to enable Various Obscenities Directed at Margaret Thatcher (HS 4a) at that classic quarried grit venue Nab End Quarry?

Winston Churchill, Robin Cook, Caroline Lucas, all had/have a certain fortitude about them I think.

I believe, too, that there's an ex-MEP by the name of R Messner; sounds like he might know his way round a karabiner.

My Grandfather used to climb with Ernie Marples, one time minister for transport and postmaster general. Responsible for introducing postcodes, opening the M1 and quite a lot of philandering and tax evasion.

Marples that was, not my Grandad.

Nixon - write fake descriptions

Trump - get me out of trouble

Mussolini - handle porters

Attila the Hun - base camp

Lenin - guidebook writer

Risky. You could well find your ascent invalidated if he tested positive.

This week, Gavin Williamson. Indian Face I think. Not my lead. 

The late Sam Galbraith, onetime MP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden and Minister for Education in the Scottish Parliament was an excellent climbing partner_ not many politicians have done Point 5 on the Ben and climbed in the Himalayas. He could also more than hold his own Inthe pub. Was a brain surgeon  by trade.

Wasn't Donald Tusk a climber of some sort in his youth?

Stephen Milligan certainly had an interest in ropework although perhaps needed to practice a little more.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Milligan

..and in the interests of political balance I should also nominate a so far anonymous Labour MP who seems to also share a fascination in ropework.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7967413/mp-cut-bondage-session-sex-dungeon/

Don't knock it till you've tryed it

this picture remains pretty amazing for a high level politician: https://twitter.com/KasiaMichalska_/status/1093208270427312128

This one:
https://www.thebmc.co.uk/climbing-mp-named-as-a-sports-parliamentarian-of-t...

Winston Churchill climbed the Wetterhorn as a youth

I was picturing him as an enduring mountaineering sort. 

Danny Alexander. He's as daft as I am and I know he doesn't mind how much I inevitably talk about helicopters.

None of the current government would be any good at seconding as they are incapable of saying "that's me"!

If MSPs are included there must be a few more, don't think he climbs anymore but I used to climb with Andy Wightman MSP when we were both students. Sure he can't be the only MSP who climbs/has climbed on a regular basis;

From a different part of the political spectrum, Michael Forsyth, once a minister in Thatcher's cabinet & now in the Lords, used to work at the Clachaig when a student. He is/was a keen hill walker but was he ever a climber ?

Probably Dominic Cummings for an attempt at the West Face of Siula Grande.

I'd take Corbyn, look at them guns.

https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2020/05/22/13...

For some reason Conservative politicians are coming to mind, Douglas Hurd seems like he'd be an alright climbing partner, like he's a decent character. 

I don't know how he's voted on things relating to equality though, gay rights and women's rights, and working practices too, but I've always thought he seemed decent.

Like he wouldn't want to skedaddle if things got tricky...

I climbed with a pair of politicians recently as a rope of three. Can't say I'd repeat the experience: first one lead up to an easy overhang, dithered for what seemed like months, then handed the lead to her colleague and abseiled off. This joker decided the route we were on was a bit dull so headed off up an unknown wall. Pretty soon we were in a holdless vertical no man's land. Every time I suggested the original route might have been better he just shouted down something about " getting it done" and carried straight on. Hopeless.

If I had big ambitions and just wanted to crack on with the leading with someone to hold the rope and take the flak for any mishaps and cock-ups along the way, I'd get Nick Clegg on the case. To entice him, I'd promise he could do Proportional Representation (HVS 5a) but then shaft him with the alternative Casting Vote (E1 5c).

Any volunteers to partner Failing Grayling?

Johnny Mercer. I don't condone his politics but he seems to be a top bloke otherwise.

pretty sure Ted Heath would have been a decent companion  - plenty of people sailed with him and he served as an artillery officer during the liberation of Western Europe

Would be my choice too, can't say i agree with him with a great deal politically but he seems a fairly decent fella.

Does Rory the Tory still count as a politician? Good for a long walk if nothing else.

John Smith the former Labour leader was ticking Munros before his untimely death. I met his parliamentary assistant a couple of weeks later in the Clachaig, and he had to remove Smith's Munro chart from the office wall after he died. Quite sad really.