All the Same! Demographic Homogeneity and Careerism

Chapter 3 develops our understanding of how MPs are different, psychologically, to those they represent. The chapter is organised into two substantive sections. The first interrogates the model of candidate emergence presented in chapter 2 in more detail to show that the differences between MPs’ basic values by specific demographic characteristics – specifically gender and ethnicity – are actually smaller than those between MPs and corresponding demographic groups in the general public. The chapter tackles another psychological criticism of politicians: careerism. Analyses of survey data show that there are some descriptive differences in basic values between MPs by occupational background, but these are small and statistically insignificant. The data are used to question received truths about the professionalisation of politics.