The problematic lifestyles of political leaders

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Today with David McCullagh 11 min 2 speakers 7 chapters transcribed just now

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Why are politicians facing increasing physical and online attacks?

David McCullagh 0:01

Now, as we heard earlier in the programme, Kerry TD, Michael Healy-Ray, was hospitalised after being assaulted in Dublin yesterday. Thankfully, he's now at home and his son says, while he's a bit shook, he's not too seriously injured. But physical attacks on our public representatives are relatively rare, but threats and abuse online and in person are not. So how do politicians protect their safety and their privacy, for that matter, in a society which expects and demands frequent access to politicians? Let's look at how this affects affects politicians here and across the globe. I'm joined in studio by Graeme Finlay, lecturer in the School of Politics and International Relations at UCD. Graeme, good morning to you.

David McCullagh 0:37

Thanks

Graham Finlay 0:37

for coming

David McCullagh 0:37

in. Michael Healy-Ray, probably one of the most recognisable politicians in the country, driving a branded car. He was targeted because of his job, it would appear.

Graham Finlay 0:46

Yes, and it's really, really worrisome and it's not for the first time as we've heard on the radio earlier today. And I have to say it is one of the best things about this country that we have such great access to our politicians that I can go down and meet the Taoiseach or like a local minister in their clinic probably every week somewhere in the constituency that people live in their own homes. And we've seen that under pressure over the last few years where we've had politicians, including Taoiseach, targeted in their homes and Talk about moving them into farmland and things like that. But it's a really, really different dynamic. If you look at larger countries or countries with other security issues, it really has a profound effect on the politicians and the relationship with the public.

David McCullagh 1:29

Yeah, I mean, we even saw, I mean, famously Michael D. Higgins queuing at the ATM,

Graham Finlay 1:32

you

David McCullagh 1:32

know, where you would never get that in another country. And obviously, I mean, physical assault is beyond the pale, of course. But some people seem to feel entitled to direct abuse at politicians, either in person or more often online.

How does the “celebrity” status of politicians affect their security?

David McCullagh 1:46

And a lot of politicians report it's getting worse.

Graham Finlay 1:48

Yeah, I mean, I think it's both online and we can think of the horrendous sort of tragedies which have happened involving politicians in this country who were hounded by violence. by online abuse, we can think about how online abuse is driving people, especially women, out of politics. Because it

David McCullagh 2:04

is much worse for women politicians,

Graham Finlay 2:06

apparently. But physical threats are also a lot worse for women politicians. And it's part of the general colonization of the real world by the online world, which is extremely concerning. I mean, I thought about celebrities in general, and the celebrity aspect of politicians is is one of the most interesting developments. And the celebritification of politics is one of the big trends of our age. But, you know, people used to be cool about celebrities in this country as well, right? If, you know, Billy Connolly was walking down the street as I saw him, people would just, yeah, it's Billy Connolly. They just let him alone. They might say

David McCullagh 2:41

hello.

Graham Finlay 2:42

Yeah, they might say hello, but they're not going to stalk him or anything like that. But for the negative stuff, this is – it's really, really – I mean who would want it given that our society is so small? People have to publish their schedules. People want to be seen in public. They want to be on the media, but they end up being confronted by people who just don't really have the public good or solidarity in mind.

David McCullagh 3:03

And the worry obviously is that things can get worse and you only have to look across the water, Joe Cox, David Amos and Whitacombe, not to mention the climate in the USA, that things can get worse.

Graham Finlay 3:16

Yes, and I think those are really, really serious warnings for us because the kind of security which politicians have to have increasingly in the UK because of a string of, as you say, murders of MPs,

What challenges do politicians face in balancing constant public access with personal privacy?

Graham Finlay 3:28

And of course, in the US, I mean, one of the things about this remarkable interview with Eric Trump on DriveTime was his talking about a lot of topics, but one of them was the effect of having to have the kind of security you have to have if you're a Trump in the United States.