Psychological flaws

David

I don't get it - this place is usually one for extolling private sector practices and wishing them to be extended to the public sector. This sort of testing is standard for many senior appointments.

TGF UKIP

Sounds all soooo Dave & Hilton & Maude to me. But does anyone need psycho testing more than Maude himself. Can the man see a back without feeling the urge to stab it?

Gordon really must feel the Tories give and give and keep on giving.

Meanwhile, interesting and obviously briefed story in the Telegraph and comment on Political Betting on "Gordon's failing eyesight." Sounds to me like more feed in to the narrative of our heroic economic wartime leader with him risking blindness for the nation he loves by reading all those stats and market reports. Just wait for the white stick and the nation's favourite guide dog.

Ken

Not a bad idea really given the appalling track record of Iceland-bankster-local-authority officials, many of whom are in Tory-run boroughs. In my view all these feckless overpaid officials should be held criminally responsible for failure of fiduciary duty in respect of trust monies. Any of the Ice-deposits that melt away should be deducted from the pensions and wages of the treasurers, and bumped-up town clerks known as Chief Executives on 200,000 quid a year, for heeding Iceland bank investment "advice" from so far unnamed "professional advisors". In addition why not cut their wages to the London average of 25,000 quid so setting a good example. A former central banker was on R4 World at One today asking some pertinent questions about very dubious financial practise in the boroughs. Perhaps Inspector Plod should be called in.

Puncheon

These tests are complete bunkum in my view. Mainly because they depend largely on self provision of data, and can be easily manipulated. I once amused myself on an otherwise boring management course by providing information in the standard questionaire that I knew would result in my being classified as a dangerous psychopath. It was worth it just to watch the nervous look on the face of the idiot (female - they nearly always are)assessing me. This is just another professional class scam. Stay well clear, I say, if only because it is sooo 1990.

Chuck Unsworth

Complete craziness.

Who on earth believes that Ministers actually run departments?

That said, I'd be pleased to have the reassurance that some potential Ministers have a modicum of commonsense.

Now, is there any known testing regime for commonsense?

Anon

Similar tests have been around since at least the '60s - some of them asked men such things as: "Do you like women with hairy legs?"

In the '90s I heard of one that asked if loyalty was a quality of the test-taker and, if so, loyalty to whom. Someone answered: "Yes; loyalty to God and the Queen, King Charles pending."
... Not a sensible answer if you're in the US. However, knowing who had the contract for perpetrating the stuff, my friend anticipated that they'd misconstrue whatever answer he gave!

Dirty Euro

This is moronic idea. I help psychometric testing. It is BS human relations crap. .

Austin Barry

Madness. Would the near alcoholic, depressive Churchill have passed any kind of suitability test?

strapworld

Having worked with a professor who was in his sixties and whom had been studying psychometric testings for years. He advised me that to be accurate the person conducting the test should, indeed must, have been involved for at least twenty years to have the appropriate levels of knowledge to accurately interpretate the information.

Most of these tests are given by people who have the most basic of knowledge thus rendering the results useless.

There should be tests to check these people who aspire to run ourt country. You never know you could end up with a one eyed maniac in charge!

Dr Strangelove

JF:"Surely, this is something Tory high command should already be aware of from having worked with these people for the past few years?"

You're being unfair. Cameron could only have been able to form a view on the competence of the Shadow Cabinet if he'd spent any time working with them, trusting them, or involving any of them in the decision-process.

The real thinking here is pretty obvious: in the event of a Tory landslide in 2010 Cameron will want to parachute in as many of his chums as possible - so much more congenial than those frightful ring-wingers. What better excuse for a surprise purge of the Right on the morning after election day: so sorry, couldn't promote X, er, ahem, "psychological problems" you know.

Anna

Why on earth would you take any notice of what the Mail on Sunday says? It consistently stirs up stuff that later proves to be inaccurate.

If Coffee House is about to start regurgitating Mail gossip, please post a warning "Nothing useful here... move along"