Should we leave it there - Maria Miller?

[Mecky]

Maria Miller / Dennis McShane and all the others , all the parties are as bad as each other , all have their snouts in the trough over expenses. There isnt any political point scoring to be had here , they are all as bent as each other.

 

Stop trying to waterdown the argument by flipping it onto Labour. This thread is about Miller who is a conservative If you want to complain about Dennis McShane, use the correct thread.

[banjodeano]

Totally agree, no argument whatsoever. So, whats the plan?

 

Didnt say i had a plan....

but my views are that as many people as possible has to be aware of how we are getting stuffed at every turn by politicians and bankers, yeah lots of people are aware, but there are still millions of people out there with their heads in the sand, either not knowing what is going off, or not thinking that anything can be done about it, so we have to put up with it.

but i believe mass demonstrations by the public will be a good start, and i dont mean just the hippy not wanting to work type, i mean the type of people who work 12 hour shifts just to keep their heads above the water, the people who are really struggling while the MP's claim for their second house and make a huge profit on it at our expense...

You may ask will it work.? well the poll tax demos worked, but i am talking about a turn out that this country has never seen before, one that will shake them to the core....

I believe the labour party was the party of the people, but they have lost their way, they have turned their back on the working class, and i mean the "working class"...they are just a watered down tory party now.

i believe the Socialist party is the way forward, hopefully they can change the labour party back to what it was, a party of the people, not one that sucks up to big business people like Mr Murdoch....I am not saying socialism is going to work, but it is my effort to try to change this corrupt system, and if a few other people notice and try in their own way, then great, as long as we all try and do something, then i am sure change can happen....

good day comrade

[alchresearch]

Actually.... the LibDems have a pretty clean snout in all this but don't feel it is a topic to score points over.

 

I'm not so sure:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/election/article-1267835/General-Election-2010-Lib-Dem-MPs-told-milk-expenses-leaks-reveal.html

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8047028.stm

 

 

The problem is the system was flawed, so its no wonder all parties too advantage. Its like when a cash machine is faulty and giving out double money, nobody returns it willingly.

 

What did the wonderful Noel Coward say in the Italian Job: "Everybody is bent"

[tzijlstra]

I'm not so sure:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/election/article-1267835/General-Election-2010-Lib-Dem-MPs-told-milk-expenses-leaks-reveal.html

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8047028.stm

 

 

The problem is the system was flawed, so its no wonder all parties too advantage. Its like when a cash machine is faulty and giving out double money, nobody returns it willingly.

 

What did the wonderful Noel Coward say in the Italian Job: "Everybody is bent"

 

Well, that is egg on my face...

[alchresearch]

Not at all. The problem with this forum is that people tar everyone with the same brush - cyclists, motorbikers, bus drivers, teachers, politicians just because of the bad ones.

 

There are good ones who live their daily lives within the rules and the law but they get overlooked.

[skinz]

The present system which politicians work within needs a radical overhaul. The system by its very nature seduces what were once probably good intentioned individuals who's initial motivation was the improvement of the peoples lot. There still are politicians who are ethical but sadly they're thin on the ground, if not the multitude of corrupt ones steal the limelight. It must be very frustrating walking alongside others that quite literally stink of disgrace.

 

I find it odd that politicians like journalists and police oversee themselves. Miller is a prime example and a good enough reason why the press shouldn't be overseen by politicians for instance. When a person applies to a position of office to the land then that should be the primary objective. If a politician feels the excuse of not understanding rules and regulation as a means to abuse or circumvent then special advisor's 1 to every 5 politicians should be put in place. If the rules are still found to be broken then prison as a first resort. The power to change history as a politician is a noble aspiration, to line your pockets is a treasonable one IMO.

[mjw47]

Agree skinz and although I am sceptical as to the motives of the majority of politicians - 52% were forced to repay 'over claimed' expenses - I do accept that there are some well meaning ones.

 

Matters could be improved in my opinion if a number of actions were taken.

 

Firstly I would fix their salary as a multiple of the national average wage. My suggestion would be three times the average.

 

Currently this stands at £26,500 therefore an MPs salary would be £79,500.

This is an increase on their present salary but any further increase would depend upon an increase in the national average wage. Call it a productivity incentive.

 

The alternative would be to link it to a multiple of the basic old age pension, obviously more than three times would be needed but same rule applies, increase based purely upon pension level.

 

Their 'out of pocket' expenses should be exactly that, and administered by an independent body.

 

It should be made absolutely clear that anyone caught abusing the system in future would be dismissed instantly with loss of pension rights.

 

Also one more transgression of this type would result in a change of protocol in the Commons.

Members would no longer be able to refer to each other as 'Right Honourable' and 'Honourable' members.

It is an antiquated and slightly daft form of address anyway and it is blindingly obvious that it is untrue in quite a few instances.

 

Additionally I wouldn't allow anyone to stand for parliament until they had been employed for a minimum of five years in a proper job.

 

My definition of a proper job would mean not working for a family member or friend, not being a political 'researcher' nor a university student.

 

Certain exceptions would be allowed, military service for instance, although not exactly a proper job does provide other insights which are valuable.

 

In other words experiencing work as the rest of us do. Being expected to turn up on time and carry out your allotted tasks to an agreed standard in an agreed time and being payed by an employer who judges you by your effort and ability rather than your ideology.

 

Hopefully this would have an impact on their decision making, and perhaps also help them distinguish between what is theirs and what is rightfully ours, which seems to be a problem for some of them at present.