Beorn
05-10-2009, 03:28 PM
MAIL ON SUNDAY COMMENT: Dissolve this rotten Parliament before it corrupts public life altogether
This Parliament has now lost all moral and political authority and ought, by rights, to dissolve itself.
It is now not only the Government that has ceased to deserve our trust. So many members of the House of Commons have disgraced themselves so completely that their right to make laws for the rest of us has evaporated.
Nothing comparable has happened to British politics in modern times. The revelations of surreptitious greed - sometimes pathetic, sometimes outrageous, often both at the same time - are uniquely damaging.
We have always known that MPs are human and imperfect, like the rest of us. In fact, it is important, for the sake of our democracy, that they are. But we also assumed that on election to that hallowed chamber, they recognised the seriousness of their tasks, the long, honourable traditions of freedom and courage which they had been elected to defend and the need to be honest above all things.
Nobody can assume that now. Grubby, grasping, shameless, these essentially little men and women are now shown to have become worse, not better, to have shrunk rather than grown, once they took their solemn oaths and added the letters 'MP' to their names. What did they think those letters stood for? Manipulate and Profit?
They seem to have been gripped by a sort of collective madness, combined with an astonishing heedless arrogance.
How did they dare to finance their unearned profiteering and nest-feathering using taxpayers' money - and then actually exempt themselves from tax?
Like the members of some pampered rubber-stamp Soviet in the old days of communism, their relationship with the State has been the exact opposite of that suffered by ordinary citizens.
More...
Speaker's scapegoat: Official who signed off MPs' expenses didn't even have accountancy qualification (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179937/The-Speakers-scapegoat-Official-signed-MPs-expenses-didnt-accountancy-qualification.html)
NORMAN BAKER: Never in my 20 years in politics have I seen the public as angry as today (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1179927/ANALYSIS-Never-20-years-politics-I-seen-public-angry-today.html)
Did leak come from the same mole who revealed Hutton Report? (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179954/MPs-EXPENSES-Did-leak-come-mole-revealed-Hutton-Report.html)
Commons boss who called in police has four homes in three countries, including grace and favour mansion (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179951/Commons-boss-called-police-homes-countries-including-grace-favour-mansion.html)
And guess whose idea it was to put Gordon Brown on YouTube (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179953/And-guess-idea-Gordon-Brown-YouTube.html)
MAIL ON SUNDAY COMMENT: Dissolve this rotten Parliament before it corrupts public life altogether (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1179911/MAIL-ON-SUNDAY-COMMENT-Dissolve-rotten-Parliament-corrupts-public-life-altogether.html)
Kitty Ussher claimed £20,000 for 'bad taste' Artex ceilings (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179990/MPs-EXPENSES-Kitty-Ussher-claimed-20-000-bad-taste-Artex-ceilings.html)
Sinn Fein MPs claim £310,000 expenses for rent on flats in properties all owned by one Irish landlord (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179988/Sinn-Fein-MPs-claim-310-000-expenses-rent-flats-properties-owned-Irish-landlord.html)
Tom Watson spent so much at M&S that store gave him pizza wheel as free gift (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179989/MPs-Expenses-Tom-Watson-spent-M-S-store-gave-pizza-wheel-free-gift.html)
Stephen Byers claimed £125,000 for flat his partner owned (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179991/MPs-Expenses-Stephen-Byers-claimed-125-000-flat-partner-owned.html)
Kevin Brennan had £450 TV delivered to family home (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179992/MPs-Expenses-Kevin-Brennan-450-TV-delivered-family-home.html)
Tony Blair's £296,000 mortgage on constituency home he bought for £30,000 (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179994/MPs-Expenses-Tony-Blairs-296-000-mortgage-constituency-home-bought-30-000.html)
John Reid sent a bill for £199 pouffe and £29.99 glitter loo seat (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179993/MPs-Expenses-John-Reid-sent-199-pouffe-29-99-glitter-loo-seat.html)
John Gummer claimed £36,000 for gardening and mole-hunting at his estate (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179995/MPs-Expenses-John-Gummer-claimed-36-000-gardening-mole-hunting-estate.html)
Brown most unpopular PM since polling began - half want him to go now (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179918/Brown-unpopular-PM-polling-began--half-want-now.html)
Millionaire Tory Greg Barker made £320,000 profit on flat funded by taxpayer (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179913/MPs-Expenses-Millionaire-Tory-Greg-Barker-320-000-profit-flat-funded-taxpayer.html)
Keith Vaz claimed £75,500 for a Westminster flat while family home is 12 miles from Commons (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179912/MPs-Expenses-Keith-Vaz-claimed-75-500-Westminster-flat-family-home-12-miles-Commons.html)
'I'm just too honest' says Phil Woolas who 'claimed' for women's clothes (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179930/MPs-Expenses-Im-just-honest-says-Phil-Woolas-claimed-womens-clothes.html)
Millionairess Barbara Follett had own private police force (paid for by £25,000 of your money) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179904/MPs-Expenses-Millionairess-Barbara-Follett-private-police-force-paid-25-000-money.html)
Solicitor General Vera Baird claimed for Christmas trees (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179920/MPs-Expenses-Solicitor-General-Vera-Baird-claimed-Christmas-trees.html)
Uniformed chauffeurs to football club for Michael Martin (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179932/MPs-Expenses-Uniformed-chauffeurs-football-club-Michael-Martin.html)
Care services minister claims £37,000 on furnishing tiny four-room flat (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179910/MPs-Expenses-Care-services-minister-claims-37-000-furnishing-tiny-room-flat.html)
‘Police probe’ Minister Tony McNulty still defiant (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179922/8216-Police-probe-8217-Minister-Tony-McNulty-defiant.html)
Did leak come from the same mole who revealed Hutton Report? (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179954/MPs-EXPENSES-Did-leak-come-mole-revealed-Hutton-Report.html)
Flipper Hazel Blears and the £18k tax bill that never was (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179916/Flipper-Hazel-Blears-18k-tax-was.html)
And guess whose idea it was to put Gordon Brown on YouTube (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179953/And-guess-idea-Gordon-Brown-YouTube.html)
Article continues here. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1179911/MAIL-ON-SUNDAY-COMMENT-Dissolve-rotten-Parliament-corrupts-public-life-altogether.html)
This Parliament has now lost all moral and political authority and ought, by rights, to dissolve itself.
It is now not only the Government that has ceased to deserve our trust. So many members of the House of Commons have disgraced themselves so completely that their right to make laws for the rest of us has evaporated.
Nothing comparable has happened to British politics in modern times. The revelations of surreptitious greed - sometimes pathetic, sometimes outrageous, often both at the same time - are uniquely damaging.
We have always known that MPs are human and imperfect, like the rest of us. In fact, it is important, for the sake of our democracy, that they are. But we also assumed that on election to that hallowed chamber, they recognised the seriousness of their tasks, the long, honourable traditions of freedom and courage which they had been elected to defend and the need to be honest above all things.
Nobody can assume that now. Grubby, grasping, shameless, these essentially little men and women are now shown to have become worse, not better, to have shrunk rather than grown, once they took their solemn oaths and added the letters 'MP' to their names. What did they think those letters stood for? Manipulate and Profit?
They seem to have been gripped by a sort of collective madness, combined with an astonishing heedless arrogance.
How did they dare to finance their unearned profiteering and nest-feathering using taxpayers' money - and then actually exempt themselves from tax?
Like the members of some pampered rubber-stamp Soviet in the old days of communism, their relationship with the State has been the exact opposite of that suffered by ordinary citizens.
More...
Speaker's scapegoat: Official who signed off MPs' expenses didn't even have accountancy qualification (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179937/The-Speakers-scapegoat-Official-signed-MPs-expenses-didnt-accountancy-qualification.html)
NORMAN BAKER: Never in my 20 years in politics have I seen the public as angry as today (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1179927/ANALYSIS-Never-20-years-politics-I-seen-public-angry-today.html)
Did leak come from the same mole who revealed Hutton Report? (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179954/MPs-EXPENSES-Did-leak-come-mole-revealed-Hutton-Report.html)
Commons boss who called in police has four homes in three countries, including grace and favour mansion (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179951/Commons-boss-called-police-homes-countries-including-grace-favour-mansion.html)
And guess whose idea it was to put Gordon Brown on YouTube (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179953/And-guess-idea-Gordon-Brown-YouTube.html)
MAIL ON SUNDAY COMMENT: Dissolve this rotten Parliament before it corrupts public life altogether (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1179911/MAIL-ON-SUNDAY-COMMENT-Dissolve-rotten-Parliament-corrupts-public-life-altogether.html)
Kitty Ussher claimed £20,000 for 'bad taste' Artex ceilings (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179990/MPs-EXPENSES-Kitty-Ussher-claimed-20-000-bad-taste-Artex-ceilings.html)
Sinn Fein MPs claim £310,000 expenses for rent on flats in properties all owned by one Irish landlord (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179988/Sinn-Fein-MPs-claim-310-000-expenses-rent-flats-properties-owned-Irish-landlord.html)
Tom Watson spent so much at M&S that store gave him pizza wheel as free gift (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179989/MPs-Expenses-Tom-Watson-spent-M-S-store-gave-pizza-wheel-free-gift.html)
Stephen Byers claimed £125,000 for flat his partner owned (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179991/MPs-Expenses-Stephen-Byers-claimed-125-000-flat-partner-owned.html)
Kevin Brennan had £450 TV delivered to family home (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179992/MPs-Expenses-Kevin-Brennan-450-TV-delivered-family-home.html)
Tony Blair's £296,000 mortgage on constituency home he bought for £30,000 (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179994/MPs-Expenses-Tony-Blairs-296-000-mortgage-constituency-home-bought-30-000.html)
John Reid sent a bill for £199 pouffe and £29.99 glitter loo seat (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179993/MPs-Expenses-John-Reid-sent-199-pouffe-29-99-glitter-loo-seat.html)
John Gummer claimed £36,000 for gardening and mole-hunting at his estate (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179995/MPs-Expenses-John-Gummer-claimed-36-000-gardening-mole-hunting-estate.html)
Brown most unpopular PM since polling began - half want him to go now (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179918/Brown-unpopular-PM-polling-began--half-want-now.html)
Millionaire Tory Greg Barker made £320,000 profit on flat funded by taxpayer (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179913/MPs-Expenses-Millionaire-Tory-Greg-Barker-320-000-profit-flat-funded-taxpayer.html)
Keith Vaz claimed £75,500 for a Westminster flat while family home is 12 miles from Commons (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179912/MPs-Expenses-Keith-Vaz-claimed-75-500-Westminster-flat-family-home-12-miles-Commons.html)
'I'm just too honest' says Phil Woolas who 'claimed' for women's clothes (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179930/MPs-Expenses-Im-just-honest-says-Phil-Woolas-claimed-womens-clothes.html)
Millionairess Barbara Follett had own private police force (paid for by £25,000 of your money) (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179904/MPs-Expenses-Millionairess-Barbara-Follett-private-police-force-paid-25-000-money.html)
Solicitor General Vera Baird claimed for Christmas trees (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179920/MPs-Expenses-Solicitor-General-Vera-Baird-claimed-Christmas-trees.html)
Uniformed chauffeurs to football club for Michael Martin (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179932/MPs-Expenses-Uniformed-chauffeurs-football-club-Michael-Martin.html)
Care services minister claims £37,000 on furnishing tiny four-room flat (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179910/MPs-Expenses-Care-services-minister-claims-37-000-furnishing-tiny-room-flat.html)
‘Police probe’ Minister Tony McNulty still defiant (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179922/8216-Police-probe-8217-Minister-Tony-McNulty-defiant.html)
Did leak come from the same mole who revealed Hutton Report? (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179954/MPs-EXPENSES-Did-leak-come-mole-revealed-Hutton-Report.html)
Flipper Hazel Blears and the £18k tax bill that never was (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179916/Flipper-Hazel-Blears-18k-tax-was.html)
And guess whose idea it was to put Gordon Brown on YouTube (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1179953/And-guess-idea-Gordon-Brown-YouTube.html)
Article continues here. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1179911/MAIL-ON-SUNDAY-COMMENT-Dissolve-rotten-Parliament-corrupts-public-life-altogether.html)