Much was made of Angela Rayner's working class upbringing during her rise to power and subsequent fame. But, argues The Herald's Carlos Alba, we should not celebrate such values for their own sake

What do we look for in political leaders? It is a question that has always perplexed me, and continues to do so, perhaps because the criteria appear to shift constantly.

In the not-so-distant past, voters wanted leaders to be educated, articulate and experienced in the ways of the world, to make important decisions about things they didn’t properly understand, like the gold standard, the balance of trade and the war in Abyssinia.

For much of the last century, huge swathes of the working class in these parts voted for the Scottish Conservatives, who were seen as benign and paternalistic and whose views on the importance of king and country chimed with their own.

Today these things matter less, as a more discerning and emboldened electorate demands greater access, empathy and accountability from politicians.

It’s no longer relevant that political leaders come from the “right” background or even that they are appropriately qualified, as long as they are seen to be authentic.

Voters quickly saw through Eton and Oxford-educated David Cameron’s insistence on being called Dave, and buying his clothes from Asda, for what it was.

Read more by Carlos Alba

They initially found favour in Boris Johnson and were prepared to overlook his privileged background because he behaved like a normal person rather than a politician, even if that person was a smirking buffoon.

When it was revealed that he was, in fact, the worst and most cynical leader ever........

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