I feel out of sorts today and I think I know why. I wanted to write something intelligent and to the point about the latest scandal to hit the UK, but I just can’t seem to get my poor mind round the question. Part of me says we’re all human and I would probably be among those taking advantage of the system if I happened to be an MP. On the other hand, what on earth is the point of making a big issue of calling oneself Labour or Conservative if, on matters of personal integrity, there’s not a blind bit of difference between the two parties? And wouldn’t it be nice if, just once, malpractices in public life were denounced by somebody on the INSIDE, rather than “leaked” to the press? That those concerned found a situation intolerable BEFORE it came to light rather than afterwards?
Repentance after the event is better than nothing, but it is suspect to say the least.
Greetings Barnaby
ReplyDeleteMPs really only have themselves to blame. Mostly when they have had to vote themselves an annual pay rise they have avoided awarding themselves a decent salary commensurate say with the pay some of the journalists now vilifying them, because of their fear of public perception. Instead it turns out that many of them have used creative accounting and in some cases possibly fraudulent
claims. The prevalence of spin and public perception concerns in politics rather than reality even difficult real issues being to the fore of their concerns has leads to the current moral morass.
Hello Jerry,
ReplyDeleteYou make a very good point. There's an interesting article on the BBC website comparing the salaries of MPs across Europe. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7961849.stm
What interests me in particular is the case of Sweden. Why can't we be as transparent and honest as the Swedes?