No Expense(s) Spared In The Queen's Speech

Are we surprised?

Yesterday, the Queen's Speech, setting out the government's final plans for the country before facing the electorate in next year's general election, was conspicuous by one very large omission - there was no mention of any legislation relating to MP's expenses.

Following one of the biggest political scandals of the last few years, you would think that regaining the trust of the public in politicians (should I, instead, have said gain?) would be right up there at the top of the agenda but apparently that is not the case.

Perhaps, they are hoping we will become so distracted, by experiencing the inevitable financial cuts and increased taxation we are all about to face, we will simply forget the scams and fiddling that has been so rife in the Palace of Westminster - they think they will simply carry on as if nothing happened.

Well, just like the proverbial elephants, we must send the strongest possible message that we definitely won't ever forget!

Government Need Autumn Election - We Don't!

While Gordon Brown spends his summer vacation in Scotland, possibly looking for a new job, and his 'stand-ins' try to make the headlines in the national press, it is time to start wondering how Labour is going to survive the next few years.

Given the public's disappointment over recent political events and our perception of a lack of leadership in all things that matter to us mere mortals, it seems almost a certainty that the Conservatives will be asked to form a government after the next election - due by the Spring of next year.

That timing causes another problem for the present government, as all the difficult and unpopular decisions (to save us from ourselves) need to be implemented before then, meaning the government will face even more resentment from the voting public before polling day arrives.

The financial pain created by paying back the huge public borrowing deficit will be an enormous burden to the average voter.

Added to which, there is also the likelihood there will be attempts to replace GB as leader before, or during, the Autumn party conference.

If the Conservatives do gain power next year, they will be able to claim that none of the hardship we are all suffering was of their making and they will probably retain power for years - especially if the financial conditions gradually improve and we all start to feel better.

Not a very attractive proposition for Labour, so how do they tackle it?

The easiest way would be to accept they are going to lose, but limit the fallout.

If they were to call a snap autumn election this year, they will almost certainly place the Conservatives into government and thereby force them into the spotlight to take the blame over what will be necessary, but unpopular, decisions.

They will avoid the PR nightmare of having to force out their leader and be able to gently sideline him, while he eventually steps down to 'spend more time with my family'.

They will have sidestepped having to make the difficult decisions over our increasingly unpopular role in Afghanistan and will be able to criticise our new government from the safety of the opposition benches.

In short they will be able to re-build quietly and covertly.

It is very likely that the Conservatives will have been exposed as being nothing more than hype and, have themselves become so unpopular after their first four year term, they will be removed at the following election.

The new re-invented shiny Labour will, by then, have regained the public's confidence enough to return to power.

See? it's easy really...let's just hope they don't think of it!!

Time For 'Dinosaur' MPs To Be Extinct!

Just when we thought the public scandal over the expenses claimed by our parliamentary representatives was dying down, one of their number seems to have woken up from a coma and announced that he thinks the salaries of his buddies should be doubled, in exchange for not claiming some of the living expenses of the past.

Sir Patrick Cormack, who was one of the candidates for the recent Commons Speaker vacancy says the salary of an MP should be doubled from £64,766 to over £130,000.

He appears to be oblivious to the fact, that most people living in the UK are struggling to pay for one home and keep their jobs, without even a thought about claiming an increase in pay.

Sir Patrick said:

"I have reluctantly become convinced over the last few weeks that the most effective way of restoring public confidence in parliament is for there to be a significant increase in members' salaries and an abolition of all allowances, save for the allowance to pay staff and a constituency office"

One of his colleagues, Douglas Hogg, who you probably remember claimed for the cost of cleaning out his moat, agrees and has declared the pay of an MP has now fallen so low, it is no longer sufficient to support the lifestyle "to which most professional and business classes aspire"

If, as they like to claim, they are members of either a professional or business class, they have shown they have no understanding of the product they represent and have enough arrogance to completely disregard the public outcry of the past few months.

Like the majority of their dinosaur colleagues, it is time they became extinct!

Speaker Of The Commons Quits!

Following yesterday's witch hunt in the Commons, the Speaker, Michael Martin, has now announced he will be leaving his post on June 21st.

It will be interesting to see, who will be put forward as his replacement, as it seems that very few politicians are able to 'walk tall' while still claiming a clear conscience.

One can only wonder where the spotlight will settle next in the Parliamentary blame game but there is one thing that no MP needs for a while and that is a General Election!

All change!!

Don't Fall For The Blame Game!

"We all bear a heavy responsibility for the terrible damage to the reputation of this House. We must do everything we possibly can to regain the trust and confidence of the people."

These words by Michael Martin, Speaker of the House of Commons, were part of his 'apology' this afternoon to a packed Chamber of MPs and could not have contained more truth.

Martin bears a large amount of responsibility for the present crisis in Parliament, after leading the fight to keep details of MPs' expenses secret, We should not, however, forget it was the large number of those who stood listening to him this afternoon and who were supporting calls for him to step down from office, who have actually been exposed for being up to their necks in the pot of gold.

Their response to the present situation is predictable; find a scapegoat and divert the public's attention away from their individual wrongdoing. We must not let that happen.

The culture of excessive claiming has been propogated by MPs of all parties, over a number of years; it is a culture born from greed. They should all have demonstrated better judgement but, instead, they thought of it as their right. It was, therefore, in all their interests to back the Speaker's attempts to block publication of their dubious claims. They are, collectively, responsible for their present circumstances.

That is why it is unfair to try to focus blame and claim a lack of confidence in just one man.

If they really want to do everything possible to regain the trust and confidence of 'the people', they should do the honourable thing and, as one, fall on their individual swords!