Dolly Parton could teach our politicians a thing or two, according to Gavin Esler. The former Newsnight interviewer is at the Bath Literature Festival today, with festival artistic director Viv Groskop tweeting to say that Esler has said he considers the country and western singer to be “one of the world’s greatest communicators”.
Groskop explained Esler’s argument. “She has killer lines which tell us why we should respect her,” she said. “She’s created a narrative for herself for the public to grasp, just like Thatcher did.” Esler is an expert in top politicos, having profiled leaders Angela Merkel and JFK in his book Lessons from the Top.
A quick glance at Parton’s back catalogue is enlightening: Nick Clegg may find resonance in 9 to 5 (“Want to move ahead but the boss won’t seem to let me, I swear sometimes this man is out to get me”), while Cameron himself may have avoided Rebekah Brooks if only he knew Jolene, Parton’s plea to ignore a woman with “flaming locks of auburn hair”.
