Candidate Checklist

Please feel free to use this to assess the merit or otherwise of the candidates in your constituency. Careful reading of campaign literature will reveal some information but a face-to-face discussion would be more enlightening and informative.

The candidate	Yes	No	Unclear
Supports complete transparency regarding their expenses.
Supports the practice of having no other paid employment while an MP.
Will put the needs of the country above the needs of their party.
Will put the needs of their constituents above the needs of their party.
Supports the ‘recall’ proposal.
Supports an elected second chamber.
Understands that the reputation of Parliament is very low – and will do all they can to reconnect with voters.
Supports the wide-ranging and thorough reform of Parliament and the House of  Commons.
Supports the urgent introduction of a fairer voting system
Is not, and has never been, a member of the ‘political class’
Agrees that the use of anti-terrorist laws to restrict  the right of protest is an attack on civil liberties?

Kings of Spin

A few years ago, England spinner Ashley Giles was awarded a testimonial by Warwickshire County Cricket Club in recognition of his service. He ordered thousands of commemorative mugs to help with the proceeds. Unfortunately the makers misunderstood the order and captioned the mugs, ‘Ashley Giles, King of Spain.’

The same maker would make a fortune putting the correct caption on photos of each of our leaders. All we get is spin, spin and more spin.

Look at the personnel involved. For the Tories we have Andy Coulson, ex editor of the News of the World. He was editor when hundreds of phones were bugged. He was also named as the person responsible for one of the worst cases of bullying. The victim received a record payout. Coulson is now Communications Director for the Conservatives i.e. a King of Spin.

For Labour, m’Lord Mandelson (who wears a £21K wristwatch) and the returning Prince of Darkness Alistair Campbell. Their infamy goes before them. A right pair of spinners.

The LibDems have their team too including Danny Alexander who is officially ‘Chief of Staff’ aka Spinner.

So plenty of Spinners. And plenty of mugs who let them get away with it.

Illegal Aid

Brown, Cameron and to a lesser extent Clegg, all want to talk about their own chosen issues. And then what happens? The ‘Elephant in the Election’ comes bounding in and reminds those with short-term memories what they have been missing. And each time the elephant arrives, it brings with it even more staggering news of just how shameless these ‘allegedly’ venal, skuldugerous and execrable MPs are.

A news report in The Times sets out the basics.

“Three former Labour MPs accused of fiddling their parliamentary expenses have won taxpayer money to help pay their legal bills just weeks before the introduction of “means testing”.

David Chaytor, Elliot Morley and Jim Devine are accused of stealing almost £60,000 in allowances through false mortgage claims, rent claims and invoiced services.

They have been told they are eligible for legal aid to fund their defences which includes the argument that they are protected from prosecution by the ancient right of parliamentary privilege.

The former MPs’ total legal bill is expected to reach tens of thousands of points (sic) but could reach six figures if they continue their legal appeal all the way to the Supreme Court.

Lord Hanningfield, a Tory peer who is also accused of fraudulently claiming expenses, has not applied for legal aid.”

So there you have it. This one will run and run.

Is it any co-incidence that their next court appearance is scheduled for May 6^th?

Marginal Seats

The following little gem emerged when listening to the radio today. Under our ‘first past the post’ system there are about 150 marginal seats that are considered vital targets by all parties. All it takes to change a government in the UK is for 200,000 people across those seats to change their minds in a similar direction. The voters in the remaining 500 seats may as well stay at home.

All the money, energy, personal appearances and canvassing will be concentrated on those 150 seats.

What a farce. It is little wonder that so many people are disengaged and disenchanted when their vote counts for very little. The last Labour Government had a majority of over 60 with just over 21% of the electorate’s support.

Safe seats are the home of the party apparatchik, the party crawler, the arrogant, the lobby fodder and the out of touch MPs.

A proper democratic election (insert preferred system here) where every vote counts would help reduce some of our worst excesses and engage voters in a more meaningful way. 

Planet Peculiar

What a strange world this is. Our politicians keep having a pop at each other about ‘efficiency savings’, which to everyone else means cuts and job losses. The numbers involved in our debt are huge - £160+ billion a year to service the debt. That is like paying off the interest on a mortgage but it does nothing to reduce the overall debt, which is in the trillions. All we hear about are £6 billion here and £2 billion there. Doesn’t even begin to tackle the problem. We are in danger of becoming another Greece.

They are not being honest with us. That the remnants of the ‘Rotten Parliament’ are less than straight should not be a surprise to any of us. They seem wilfully to want to exclude us from their plans. Photo opportunities here, Leaders wives there, bullshit everywhere.

We need and should demand complete honesty and settle for nothing less. We should prick their balloons. [This last sentence is suitable for spoonering]

Anyone for Reform?

Is there anyone out there still unsure that reform of our democratic system is necessary?  Take a look at the ‘Dissolution Honours List,’ compiled by the Prime Minister at the end of a Parliament. Party Leaders nominate retiring MPs for positions in the House of Lords. There they will join ex-Speaker Martin who used all his powers to try to suppress the expenses scandal. They will also enjoy extremely lax expenses rules – far more so than the old Commons ones.

And who are the ‘glitterati’ that are among those expected to grace the ermine? According to the Mail on Sunday, “Mr Brown is expected to reward Labour MPs Sion Simon and Jeff Ennis. Ex-Minister Mr Simon stood down in Birmingham Erdington - allowing Harriet Harman’s husband Jack Dromey to find a safe seat. In 2006 Mr Simon was forced to apologise after featuring in a spoof of the Tory leader’s WebCameron site in which he masqueraded as ‘Dave’ and invited people to sleep with his wife.

Mr Ennis’s surprise resignation in Barnsley has paved the way for former No10 spin doctor Michael Dugher to enter the Commons.”

So here we have political nonentities being rewarded so that the party’s elite will get safe seats. This is the way the political class keeps control. Safe seats are really bad for democracy.

“Mr Cameron will also run into criticism over plans to include Mr Ancram and Mr Gummer, despite their expenses scandals. Former Conservative Party chairman Mr Ancram was forced to repay more than £6,000 in second-home expenses. He claimed £98 to service his swimming pool boiler, £159 for repairs to a tractor and £72 for servicing a boiler in a cottage attached to his second home. Ex-Cabinet Minister Mr Gummer had to return nearly £30,000 - including £612 for repairing a lawnmower.

Sir Michael Spicer, outgoing chairman of the Tories’ 1922 backbench committee, is also thought to be off to the Lords despite an expenses record which included claiming for a ‘helipad’. He said it was a ‘family joke’.” (ibid).

Cameron’s claims about reform are 99% bullshit. He sounds sincere and is quick to condemn government inaction but his deeds are revealing. In addition to the above he has blocked much needed reform in the Commons.

John Prescott is set to receive a peerage along with Ex-Home Secretary John Reid, the former hard-drinking, hard-smoking Scot who was Tony Blair’s feared bruiser through most of the New Labour reign. This is the man who successfully used his powers to block an investigation into his bullying activities in his constituency. John Prescott will abandon his reputation as a class warrior because apparently his wife Pauline fancies being ‘Lady Pauline.’ What role models and what ideals.

Let us hope that these representatives of the ‘Rotten Parliament’ do not get to enjoy their unearned privileges for too long.

Fancy That

Would many of these businessmen on massively inflated salaries be the same businessmen who have ruthlessly outsourced their suppliers to China and the far east, thus removing thousands of jobs from the country?

Are these the same Tories who lecture us about the economy the same ones who deregulated financial controls, demutualised building societies, squandered North Sea Oil profits and sold off the family jewels to their mates in the City?