Unnecessary respite from reform
Peter Hoskin 12:26pm
This snippet from Jon Snow's latest blog-post (with my emphasis) is jaw-dropping:
It's easy to sneer at Nick Clegg's call for the Queen's Speech to be cancelled – particularly as it's little more than a reheat of his "No holiday for MPs" trick of a few months ago. But, crude politicking or not, he does have a fundamental point. In so many ways, politics doesn't seem to be getting the repair job it needs."To add to matters, I have learned that the Labour party is now going through its ranks of peers to determine where their 'principal residence' is. This after years of wholesale abuse of the system in which lords and ladies of all persuasions have claimed distant holiday homes to enable them to get the accompanying unreceipted travel expenses.I have also learned that 'arrangements' have been made to allow serving ministers in the Lords to claim a residence out of town 'for necessary respite', retrospectively protecting ministers and law officers who may have claimed for such provision."
Previous
Stepney
November 16th, 2009 12:59pm Report this commentThe only necessary respite we should offer is a very firm kick up the arse and a fortnight spent picking up litter or cleaning public toilets.
Public servant. The clue's in the title.
Minnie Ovens
November 16th, 2009 1:19pm Report this commentIf you think Westminster doesn't get it or give a damn.
Welcome to Brussels!!
Moraymint
November 16th, 2009 1:19pm Report this commentSince I asked the question on another Coffee House post, I am now increasingly minded to follow through with my growing desire to withdraw my consent to be governed ... by the political gangsters and shysters that are making such a hash of our democracy.
Slim Jim
November 16th, 2009 1:20pm Report this commentIt's not that the political class don't 'get it', it's we, the Great Unwashed who don't! Why do you think the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (?) was passed? They are utterly, utterly shameless, and shame on us for allowing it!
anne allan
November 16th, 2009 2:33pm Report this commentSlim Jim - we allowed it to happen because until a decade or so ago, British politicians were relatively honest (I'm talking financially, not the lying to us over Europe).
We still had politicians who were employable outside Parliament.
Most of the failed college lecturers, economics teachers, union jobsworths etc.... will never have a job again after next May. They knew that right from the start and so devoted their time to filling their boots and doing the Cabinet's bidding.
saddlweworth
November 16th, 2009 3:07pm Report this commentSome of the manure that has recently been disclosed about their Lordships' expenses habits has all the hallmarks of fraud. Will in be investigated by the Met? will it hell. The Met have become singularly spineless when faced with real policing.
Their Lordships don't have to face any elections, so we can't touch this morally bankrupt bunch of party hacks and time servers. We presumably pay for likes of ex-Speaker Martin until he decides he has got enough. Shame there isn't a public purpose test to be applied to each snout in the trough - must would be labelled "none"..
How can we cleanse this corrupt House? I am beginning to agree with other postings - how do I withdraw my consent to be governed?
Hugh Jeffery
November 16th, 2009 4:46pm Report this commentUKIP have shown the only way to deal with fraud.
Holly ......
November 16th, 2009 6:24pm Report this commentYeah...don't get caught.
Justicia
November 16th, 2009 8:12pm Report this commentPeter I think its incredibly cynical of you to call Clegg's position in the Independent today "crude politicking"
The most essential fact is that Labour is turning the queen's speech, and the rest of this parliament into an extended election campaign. There is absolutely no hope of legislation getting passed, and it will simply serve as a forum for electoral posturing within the House and beyond.
The tories are, given their electoral chances, going along with this completely so far, effectively sacrificing an opportunity to actually address the serious flaws that exist in the political system for a chance to join a mud slinging match.
I appreciate most members of this blog have strong Conservative sympathies, but Nick Clegg has made a strong case to actually use the next 70 days constructively: he might have overreached himself in demanding an elected House of Lords (possible, desirable but not doable satisfactorily in the time left) amongst some of his other constitutional demands, but it is very much a long term strategy for the future of politics in this country to at least begin procedural change of the Houses of Parliament now.
The other parties should welcome and support a chance to start the next parliament with at least an effort to remedying the disgraceful state it is in now.
Back to top