Thursday 14 May 2009

Thoughts on MP's expenses

There really is no need for me to say much. Blue Eyes said what I was thinking. Twice. I only have one thing to add, which is that yesterday Gordon emphasised "the importance of transparency" and said that "every MP has a duty to restore confidence" (link here at 12:07). If every MP has this duty, then that includes him. If that duty is to restore confidence in the political system as a whole, then that includes injecting some democracy into the system.

Call a General Election, Gordon. Restore some confidence by giving us a PM who has a mandate. Now.

He won't, of course. He can talk about transparency, but decline Cameron's call to publish all expense claims immediately. He can talk about leadership, but his idea of leading is to say that the Commons must decide. He can talk about confidence in the political system, but only after elbowing his way to the top without acquiring any democratic mandate on the way.

The problem is not the system, Gordon. It's you.

2 comments:

  1. The more I think about it the more I like my idea of expenses being an individual issue rather than a "system". After all, we must be able to determine our representatives' integrity. I think an election on the basis of integrity as well as policy would be a breath of fresh air.

    Thanks for linking yet again!

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  2. I just like the way Gordon says Transparency.
    Trens-Pear-en-cee.
    Like Miss Jean Brodie.

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