Bazj Posted March 23, 2010 Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 did anyone see the programme last night? What makes these two bit proper job dodgers think they are worth that sort of money? and why aren't they being prosecuted? Brown has suspended them from the PLC which is a start but they should be jailed for something or anything for being so pompous and greedy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wireless Posted March 23, 2010 Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 I'm sure they haven't broken any law...which is scary when you think how many MPs have probably done it without being filmed. At least they've ben shamed for life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 23, 2010 Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 Immoral maybe, but sadly not illegal Baz - don't you remember the alleged case closer to home a few years back, oiling the wheels of power?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted March 23, 2010 Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 Well a few days ago they might have thought that they were worth thousands of pounds per day, today the reality is they are worthless. And to think that they were at one time running Departments of State, no wonder that we are in the mess that we are in. I despair, I really do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted March 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 Mind you Paul, the Tory who expected to end up in the house of Lords was left looking a bit stupid this morning I'll bet.... no Ermine for him methinks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 23, 2010 Report Share Posted March 23, 2010 They keep telling us that we are a knowledge based society; these ex-ministers have knowledge of Departments of Gov; which they appear prepared to sell to any bidder. Seems a gagging clause is required upon becoming a Member of Parliament, consisting of a 30 year rule - break it, and it should be treated as an act of treason against the people - with the appropriate penalty for treason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted March 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 I think that prostituting themselves to the highest bidder is the least of the bad things they get up to....... I'd shoot them all just for wanting to be MP's in the first place because just wanting to be must mean a person is crooked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 24, 2010 Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 brilliant psychology Baz, perhaps a job in the thought police for you?! Can't blame them wanting a few jollies on the tax payer, after all the time they don't spend in the chamber; oops sorry - fact finding visits - errm Cyprus is nice and sunny, but Mauritius is really good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted March 24, 2010 Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 Mind you Paul, the Tory who expected to end up in the house of Lords was left looking a bit stupid this morning I'll bet.... no Ermine for him methinks! More than a bit stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted March 24, 2010 Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 I think that prostituting themselves to the highest bidder is the least of the bad things they get up to....... I'd shoot them all just for wanting to be MP's in the first place because just wanting to be must mean a person is crooked! Bit harsh Baz. I wanted to be an MP when I stood in 2005 and I'm certainly not crooked.....although a poster on the Warrington Guardian online described me in somewhat "colourful terms" Ps Funnily enough it was a variant of the 4th word in your post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 24, 2010 Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 Alas Paul, even a saint would be corrupted by the political club - perhaps we should have "one term" politicians - 4 years and you have to stand down and give someone else a go - that should nobble the careerists and get them into the world of reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted March 24, 2010 Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 You are right, but I thought probably two terms Observer, which would give time in the second term to move to a Ministerial post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted March 24, 2010 Report Share Posted March 24, 2010 I think they should have a 1 or 2 year course LIVING in "Deprived" areas and so find out what the real world is about before going to Westminster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 25, 2010 Report Share Posted March 25, 2010 OK Paul - 8 years tops, for all elected offices and no holding of two elected positions at one time (EG MP & MEP). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LymmParent Posted March 25, 2010 Report Share Posted March 25, 2010 But then the most experienced and knowledgeable politicians would be forced to move on and inevitably, somewhere down the line, you'll have a situation where there are no decent candidates left. We have a system whereby anyone not up to the job can be voted out after one term and replaced if that is the wish of the electorate. Let's stick with that. Then if I think I have a really good local Councillor or MP, and I want to keep them, I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted March 25, 2010 Report Share Posted March 25, 2010 But then the most experienced and knowledgeable politicians would be forced to move on and inevitably, somewhere down the line, you'll have a situation where there are no decent candidates left. That has already happened. BOTH Labour and Conservative got rid of their experienced politicians when Blair took over. Probably why the country has been in such a mess this last couple of decades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 26, 2010 Report Share Posted March 26, 2010 Does one have to have an intimate knowledge of the law in order to sit on a Jury? - NO, because points of law and advice are given by professionals to the laymen on the Jury. Likewise, we have an army of professional civil servants and advisors to guide politicians through the complexities of Governance - so no need for "experienced" politicians, just honest ones, hopefully with some common sense. Aside from which, longevity in office breeds arrogance and complacency, and uluimately corruption - so term limitation would possibly restore some trust in the system. Parliamentary governance is a device to save us all voting on every issue that comes along in a referendum; so, we empower people through an election to do the thinking, debating and voting for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LymmParent Posted March 26, 2010 Report Share Posted March 26, 2010 But then the most experienced and knowledgeable politicians would be forced to move on and inevitably, somewhere down the line, you'll have a situation where there are no decent candidates left. That has already happened. BOTH Labour and Conservative got rid of their experienced politicians when Blair took over. Probably why the country has been in such a mess this last couple of decades. Then all the more reason not to make it standard procedure, surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted March 26, 2010 Report Share Posted March 26, 2010 obs, are you suggesting that we vote for Civil servants because the MP's don't make decisions? Smacks of Yes Minister. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safeway56 Posted March 26, 2010 Report Share Posted March 26, 2010 The original purpose of lobbying was so that ordinary people could have access to their constituency MP via the lobby of the House Of Commons. It morphed into what it is now and that is for big business to attempt to influence legislation. Perhaps it's now time to make it illegal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted March 26, 2010 Report Share Posted March 26, 2010 Peter, surely you don't believe we have anything but a "yes Minister" arrangement now? The Council is now more Officer led than ever! The reality is: that power, and thus decision making relevance has gravitated from the people, first to Westminister, then to Brussels, and with our "global economy" to the boardrooms of multi-national companies - politicians decide little, but merely manage within the context of unelected and faceless economic forces. EG: when Healey was strapped for cash. he had to go cap in hand to the IMF. Today the Greeks are doing the same - and the price will be paid by ordinary people in terms of austerity. So, all in all, democracy is basically a facade, which prompts the question - why are we paying so much for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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