What qualifies you to be a leader?

I am having problems leaving comments on fellow bloggers' sites, so unfortunately couldn't leave a comment for Jo Hayes about Nick's qualifications.

To be honest, it shouldn't matter a jot. If we think our leaders should all be blessed with Oxbridge 1sts to be worthy of the job we miss the point completely. I certainly don't think the fact that Cameron and Brown have 1st does anything to commend the award at all! One may need a certain level of intelligence in order to lead, but one also needs a hell of a lot more in terms of people, managerial and generally human skills.

For those to whom it does matter, I have checked and Nick got a 2:1 from Cambridge (and Masters) and he won the Cambridge-Minnesota Scholarship Award, studying for a year in the US, and also has a postgraduate diploma from the College D’Europe in Bruges.

While training as journalist he won the prestigious Financial Times David Thomas Prize for new writers.

So no, he doesn't have a 1st, frankly to me that makes him more attractive, probably spent his student career like me, learning in the school of life as well as the hallowed halls!