Summary
These days when we talk about politicians we are more likely to discuss whether they are authentic than whether they are great orators or statesmen or women. Few of us take the time to listen to a speech or read a manifesto and when we judge politicians we more often focus on whether they seem sincere, warm or passionately committed to a cause rather than weighing up their policy programmes . We're turned off by spin and cynical about many politicians' motivations and we seek reassurance that they can really be trusted.
Professor Rosie Campbell asks how we can make judgements about a politician's authenticity. Are politicians more trustworthy if they stick to their principles without compromise? Or is authenticity about revealing our true character, warts and all? And what is better for democracy? Authentic leaders who are straight talking and stick rigidly to their ideals or leaders who are willing to negotiate behind the scenes?
Producer: Ben Carter.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Just before this BBC podcast gets underway, here's something you may not know. |
| 0:04.6 | My name's Linda Davies and I commission podcast for BBC Sounds. |
| 0:08.4 | As you'd expect, at the BBC we make podcasts of the very highest quality featuring the most knowledgeable |
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| 0:20.4 | makes podcasts about all kinds of things like pop stars, |
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| 0:36.0 | This is the BBC. |
| 0:39.0 | Thanks for downloading analysis, the program about the ideas behind the news. |
| 0:45.0 | This week Professor Rosie Campbell asks, |
| 0:47.6 | how important is it for our politicians to appear authentic. Authentic. |
| 0:54.0 | Authenticity is a buzz word today. |
| 1:00.0 | Whether it's the coffee we drink or the clothes we buy or the news we consume. |
| 1:04.8 | We want real genuine things. |
| 1:07.3 | In politics it's almost become an obsession. |
| 1:10.3 | Every time I pick up a newspaper or trawl through my Twitter feed, |
| 1:14.0 | there appears to be another story about politicians and authenticity, |
| 1:18.0 | or their lack of it. |
| 1:20.0 | We find it pretty straightforward to establish whether our clothes or food are authentic |
| 1:24.5 | so the same should be true of our politicians right? |
| 1:30.1 | Let's start with our Prime Minister, shall we? |
| 1:33.0 | So Theresa May, do you think she's an authentic politician? |
... |
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