tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-991669976900376595.post3207298450091451339..comments2023-10-19T16:27:42.021+01:00Comments on Western Independent: Phyllida Lloyd’s 'The Iron Lady'Western Independenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04368666195785602803noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-991669976900376595.post-50199554361488607272012-01-26T21:07:47.378+00:002012-01-26T21:07:47.378+00:00Thanks for drawing my attention to your earlier pi...Thanks for drawing my attention to your earlier piece on siblings and handedness. Even though the samples are fairly small (as is the above sample of eight long-lived PMs) the traits identified do seem to be more than matters of chance. I'd have expected the influence of parents to have been stronger, but of course this is not something as open to measurement.<br />David MartinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-991669976900376595.post-14698067497223763992012-01-23T18:23:24.153+00:002012-01-23T18:23:24.153+00:00Thank you for this insightful comment. I don'...Thank you for this insightful comment. I don't doubt that you are right about the resilience required - and exceptional stamina when in office. An earlier post here concerning the traits of top politicians might also be of interest: http://westernindependent.blogspot.com/2011/08/top-politicians-birth-order-and.htmlWestern Independenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04368666195785602803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-991669976900376595.post-27420144970981261422012-01-23T14:53:45.652+00:002012-01-23T14:53:45.652+00:00The stresses of the job causes PMs to age more qui...The stresses of the job causes PMs to age more quickly? This interesting article, and particularly that point, led me to check the ages of pre-Thatcher post-war PMs (the 6-month 'stress' per year in office add-on in brackets - though my calculations are probably less accurate):<br /><br />Attlee 84.6 (87.7)<br />Churchill 90.1 (95.9)<br />Eden 79.8 (81.7)<br />Macmillan 92.9 (96.4)<br />Douglas-Home 92.3 (92.8)<br />Wilson 79.2 (83)<br />Heath 89 (90.5)<br />Callaghan 93 (94.6)<br /><br />What seems to emerge is that the office of prime minister is associated with longevity, whatever the stresses might be. Even allowing for the probability of them receiving the best medical care etc., half of these men survived into their 90s and the youngest died in his eightieth year. Is the explanation that an above average resilience, both physical and mental, is necessary to achieve such high office?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com