UK Politics

[unholyteddy]

Is anybody else unbelievably angry at what is going on in Parliament now?

I am sorry if I am about to start ranting, but politics is supposed to represent the people. How do they think they can gain our trust again? I have been helping and campaigning for the local party I believe in around my constituency. Some of those in power have forgotten the grass root supporters have put them there. These politicians have been placed in their own power bubble- and now it has burst. I believe Speaker Martin still does not know how terrible the situation is on the ground level.

[Nik]

Politics, n: [Poly "many" + tics "blood-sucking parasites"]

But seriously I agree - the constitution needs a radical shake-up. This whole fiasco was a product of their doing and we can't trust them to sort it out.

[unholyteddy]

Politics, n: [Poly "many" + tics "blood-sucking parasites"]

Oh that is absolutely brilliant! Do you mind if I borrow it?

Anyway, I doubt Brown and the Speaker will last long. It's probably a matter of when rather than will they.

[TigerSwift]

I can't beleive the way the system has been abused by the politicians. There are many things that need to be changed in order for this to happen again. I wonder if these politicians knew they had claimed for some of the stuff they had done or whether they handed in a larger invoice and the numpties in the expenses department just paid everything... including carrier bags and chocolate bars.

However, this does not excuse some of the other major sums that have been on claimed; which should be in the public spending! While i agree they need travelling expenses this should be within reason. While i agree they need a london based home and one near their constituancy, i feel the one at their constituancy should be their own home and therefore not liable for expense claims. There should also be a limit on how much they can claim, and what they can claim for, on their london based home.

I beleive a third party should be brought in to sort this out as i beleive any changes will still allow them to 'look after number one'. We should get treasurers from voluntary and charity organisations to do it as they will make sure the politicians only claim for what they actually need to!

[unholyteddy]

The Green Book states the MPs' additional expenses should be used if it affects their immediate work (i.e. dividing their time between Westminster and their constituency). However, these are only guidelines and not enforced laws because we believe our politicians would have acted in good faith.

Young people will not want to touch politics with a barge pole now. But saying that, hardly any youngsters are interested in current affairs anymore. I became interested in following politics because I saw how it can change people's lives. Now instead of looking after us, Parliament is pre-occupied cleaning up their own mess and has alienated the wide public.

[TigerSwift]

You know what I found amusing about some politicians... they thought that by paying back some of their claims the public would forgive them. I'm sorry but its too little too late my friend. The worse thing is they even said, publicly, that they were doing it to win back public favour - not because they were doing it out of the goodness (if they actually have any) of their heart!

To quote the hitchikers guide to the galaxy radio series, quandary phase:
"Leave now. Before I set about you with this plaster Rhinoceros!"

[Sir_Dispensalot]

Under normal circumstances an issue this big would lead to a no confidence vote and a general election.

However because it in essence affects all three main parties, this won't come about.

I can't help but wonder how many independents will end up in parliament come the next election.

The sad thing is that this all could have been nipped in the bud long ago had the speaker been more pro-active in his department, and less concerned about trying to suppress any details.

[the old merlin]

I wrote quite a long comment but it seems to have got lost.

A lot of it is due to the Law of Unintended Consequences. The 1980's Tory Govt. opposed an "outside body recommended" rise in MP's salaries and instead vastly increased the claimable expenses, and called them allowances. MP's caseload has increased over the years and they need many more support staff. Housing costs in Central London have also considerably increased, although since the change in working hours it ought to be easier for London and Home Counties MP's to go home each night, as the MP for Cambridge does.
There's a degree of drift in these things. It's always good practice to have a SCHEDULED root and branch review of expenses arrangements every so often, otherwise such Spanish Practices develop.
Thirdly, publication's in the Torygraph which is desperate for an election before the public rumbles Dave the Chameleon (a better educated & dressed Max Clifford). It's prepared to sacrifice a few Tories for the "greater good" of getting its friends back into power.

Most people I've known who either got elected, or tried to do so, didn't do so for the money. They sincerely wanted to do some good for their fellow man.

Just my two-pennorth.

[Sir_Dispensalot]

Anyone know if Sandra Gidley was caught at the trough?

I hope not as she seems to have her head well screwed on, for the most part.

[Fleegle]

In Ireland they called it 're-zoning'. You own 100 acres of zoned farmland worth €2000 an acre...saleable value..€200,000. Talk to your mate, an old school chum, who is also a politician..Offer to give him a few bob. He arranges that the land can be re-zoned for private housing development. New cost per acre..€100,000...result..€10,000,000. Give him the agreed backhander. Everyone happy...until now..no-one is building, and the builder has gone bust...game over. In Dublin City, these figures can easily be multiplied.

Fleeg.