Here's to a transparent 2009
Peter Hoskin 5:31pm
What's this? Yet another delay to the publication of ministers' private interests? Yep, and this time it's because some of the "new minsters" introduced during the last reshuffle have - according to the Times's source - "required quite a bit of investigation". The Times adds 2 + 2 together and comes up with Peter Mandelson; who's "declared the bare minimum in a voluntary entry to the Lords Register of Interests."
Sure, it's easy to speculate over this kind of thing; especially with the prompt that Mandelson hasn't yet clarified his "links to Oleg Deripaska". But even if the situation's completely innocent, it's still rather disspiriting. At the very least, the constant delays suggest that keeping the public informed isn't a priority for the Government, despite frequent claims to the contrary.
But this isn't just an issue for those in power. After the Derek Conway affair, there were signs that all the major parties were moving towards a "new politics" of greater honesty and openness. By the end of 2008, that was still mostly all talk. Let's hope for more action - and more transparency - in 2009.
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Verity
January 2nd, 2009 5:38pm Report this commentPete writes: "Let's hope for more action - and more transparency - in 2009."
Yeah. And I'm also hoping for a million pounds in 2009.
Bob
January 2nd, 2009 6:03pm Report this commentWhat 'gifts' will Marrakesh Mandy have to declare after his latest holiday?
Max Kaye
January 2nd, 2009 6:05pm Report this commentCan someone enlighten us about Mandy's Xmas hols with Nat Rothschild at his villa in Klosters and/or Marrakesh?
Alfred T Mahan
January 2nd, 2009 6:23pm Report this commentTalk to the hand, Peter. The face ain't listening.
Gordon Musgo
January 2nd, 2009 6:54pm Report this commentVerity, you have a pretty good chance of getting a million pounds in 2009. The question is what will you be able to buy with it? A stamp? 4.54 litres of petrol?
Wilhelm
January 2nd, 2009 7:16pm Report this commentBest advice for 2009
Emigrate.
Anyone with brains emigrates from Britain. Sad but true.
Polly and Alice's mum
January 2nd, 2009 8:25pm Report this commentYo Verity - I am also hoping for a million pounds in 2009.... and I reckon I am more likely to get it than "more action and more transparency".
Here's hoping, eh?
Nicholas
January 2nd, 2009 8:34pm Report this commentThe only thing transparent about New Labour is their spin.
Mark
January 2nd, 2009 10:55pm Report this commentI suspect that Lord Mandelson's generous pension from Brussels needs some handling.
Not least if he is pressing for us to join the wretched Euro.
Derek Holmes
January 3rd, 2009 5:01pm Report this commentI've come to the conclusion that this government is staffed by idiots. Anyone with an ounce of financial acumen could see that giving banks a handout would not encourage them to lend and that the VAT reduction was positively crass. We really have got lunatics making a right royal mess of running the asylum.
john problem
January 4th, 2009 9:30am Report this commentAny more transparency and I'll go mad. It's bad enough as it is knowing that the House is empty most of the time, that the mission of our august representatives is allowance-enhancement, and to clock up more air miles on such jollies as Select Affairs Committee trips to 'find facts', that Ministers arrogantly leave explanations to 'spokespersons', that we're all going to end up broke, sad, probably tagged, and, worse, lectured on the 'successes' of the last ten years. If transparency means our leaders will tell us more about themselves and their policies, I'm off on the next boat to Calais.
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