Go Back to The Fucking Drawing Board, Gordon

British PM recruting professional asshole

Observers of politics have often suggested that a mean streak often proves to be a real asset in politics.

But if it's Simon Cowell's mean streak that has attracted British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to attempt to recruit him into the Labour Party, he may want to think again. There are some varieties of mean that simply cannot be tolerated in public life.

"Simon Cowell is a rare combination. He's incredibly rich and comes from a posh background but has the common touch," explained Chas Newkey-Burden. "He can push so many different buttons and this makes him a red hot prospect for politicians. They would run over each other to get to his side. The public is so cheesed off with politics at the moment and an endorsement from him could just swing it for one of the parties."

Speculation has it that if Cowell agrees to run for the Labour Party, Brown will have him knighted.

But although Cowell's often-vicious barbs could make him very effective for the Labour Party during Question Period -- either as a government or opposition MP -- the idea in politics is generally to attract voters, not repulse them.

Cowell's vicious treatment of would-be pop stars is one thing. But Simon Cowell's venomous nature very likely wouldn't stand in the public eye.