When this was announced my initial though was yawn yawn here we go again. I am surprised at how upset everyone gets at these 'revelations'. Haven't we all come to expect this from politicans? Not that I am saying it is right but whilst there is one rule for them and one for the others I cannot see any of it changing.
I am still gobsmacked at how a politician can keep his job in the face of criminal allegations when anyone else would be suspended? Even smoking! I was recently a guest at a House of Commons reception in the Members dining room....politicians can smoke in Westminster! We can't but they can...just one petty example of how life is for them and how it is for us.
The class of professional politician is a curse on the system. We need the brightest and the best, and the brightest and the best will earn far far more than the basic MP's salary.
More than ever we need successful business people with careers in the privates sector. They know far more about the real world than any bleeding heart ex-human rights barrister.
Shows your bias
And that you portray barristers who do the right thing as "bleeding heart"!
It occured to me a couple of weeks ago that Cameron should wheel the Whips into his office and instruct them to make it bloody clear to every Tory MP that they should avoid doing anything in the period running up to Election Day that would bring the party into disrepute.
MPs should be encouraged to have outside interests so they don't become career politicians. Poor Miliband would be lucky to get a job as a street vendor in the outside world.
Yes and they can of course have other jobs BEFORE they get in to politics. Don't misconstrue what Ed was saying.
It turns out that Sleazemaster $traw also has another dubious dirty deal on the go with a regime that has a relatively poor human rights record:
Jack Straw criticised for accepting part-time job paid for by Kazakhstan Jack Straw has come under fire from human rights groups after accepting a part-time job paid for by the government of Kazakhstan, a dictatorship which has been ruled by the same man since 1989, and where freedom of speech is heavily restricted. According to the most recent Register of Members’ Interests, the former Home Secretary will earn £12,500 a year serving as an adviser to the Eurasian Council on Foreign Affairs (ECFA), which was set up using a generous grant from the Kazakhstan government. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/jack-straw-criticised-for-accepting-parttime-job-paid-for-by-kazakhstan-10057426.html
It is perhaps possible that members of the public might come to the conclusion that $traw has abandoned any principles in the pursuit of ca$h and that he just might be a bit on the gr££dy side - surely not?
MPs should be encouraged to have outside interests so they don't become career politicians. Poor Miliband would be lucky to get a job as a street vendor in the outside world.
MPs should have a career BEFORE becoming MPs, which they can use to "keep in touch" with reality. They shouldn't be using their position as MPs to feather their own nests
MPs should have a career BEFORE becoming MPs, which they can use to "keep in touch" with reality. They shouldn't be using their position as MPs to feather their own nests
As long as there aren't any conflicts of interests then I have no problem with an MP earning extra money from a secondary job. Would you be against an MP who is a doctor continuing to practice medicine in order to keep their skills current? There are several MPs who are also GPs who continue to take surgeries. It also helps them keep connected to what is happening in the NHS.
Also, I would have no problem with an MP making money from journalism and media work - again as long as there is no conflict and it is all declared. Or do yo think that MPs should appear on TV shows, give after dinner speeches and write newspaper articles for free? What is wrong with an MP who comes from academia keeping up their research interests?
An MPs salary may sound a lot of money to some people but you aren't going to attract highly experienced professionals from the law, medicine or business if they have to cut off all of their other sources of income when they get elected.
No, it shows I have my head screwed on. The Labour benches are stuffed with Harman clones.
The vast majority of MPs haven't the faintest idea of commerce, especially the newer intakes.
Shows your bias and you don't even see how
Seems liken any do know about commerce as they are selling their service to bidders like Straw, Rifkind and the rest
There is the crime of malfeasance/misfeasance/misconduct in public office, for which the maximum sentence is life.
Perfect as I have just heard that Sir Malcolm Rifkind has plenty of free time and likes to read, plenty of time in prison for that! He obviously hasn't read Jeffrey Archers diary!
How can a politician admit to having plenty of free time when they are elected to serve pretty big constituency! If he has free time I suggest he is not doing his job properly!
Comments
I am still gobsmacked at how a politician can keep his job in the face of criminal allegations when anyone else would be suspended? Even smoking! I was recently a guest at a House of Commons reception in the Members dining room....politicians can smoke in Westminster! We can't but they can...just one petty example of how life is for them and how it is for us.
Christ.
Come off it, many don't get real jobs anyway.
It's figure head jobs enhanced by political association half the time.
They would be perfect candidates for a Haribo ad though
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9scm3NCIH_E
Sure, it's possibly deeply unpleasant, though apparently not criminal, but it doesn't deserve to drown out everything else going on.
Also, it hasn't been proved yet that they've done anything contrary to MPs rules.
What do you think they're trying to bury?
And he had rules changed.
He should see prison time for this. Both of them.
No idea, but the news agenda has certainly been switched and the number one Tory supporting media outlet is involved.
Shows your bias
And that you portray barristers who do the right thing as "bleeding heart"!
Smoke and mirrors I would say with a bit of spin added in for good measure hmmmm raised eyebrow (what happened to the roll eyes smilie?)
Channel 4's Dispatches programme is the number one Tory-supporting media outlet, is it?
Too late now......
Little Ed thinks that MPs should go straight from University to working for the party.
Yes and they can of course have other jobs BEFORE they get in to politics. Don't misconstrue what Ed was saying.
No, the Telegraph is.
Gareth Pierce is a barrister & look at some of the people she's defended !
No, it shows I have my head screwed on. The Labour benches are stuffed with Harman clones.
The vast majority of MPs haven't the faintest idea of commerce, especially the newer intakes.
Jack Straw criticised for accepting part-time job paid for by Kazakhstan
Jack Straw has come under fire from human rights groups after accepting a part-time job paid for by the government of Kazakhstan, a dictatorship which has been ruled by the same man since 1989, and where freedom of speech is heavily restricted. According to the most recent Register of Members’ Interests, the former Home Secretary will earn £12,500 a year serving as an adviser to the Eurasian Council on Foreign Affairs (ECFA), which was set up using a generous grant from the Kazakhstan government.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/jack-straw-criticised-for-accepting-parttime-job-paid-for-by-kazakhstan-10057426.html
It is perhaps possible that members of the public might come to the conclusion that $traw has abandoned any principles in the pursuit of ca$h and that he just might be a bit on the gr££dy side - surely not?
As long as there aren't any conflicts of interests then I have no problem with an MP earning extra money from a secondary job. Would you be against an MP who is a doctor continuing to practice medicine in order to keep their skills current? There are several MPs who are also GPs who continue to take surgeries. It also helps them keep connected to what is happening in the NHS.
Also, I would have no problem with an MP making money from journalism and media work - again as long as there is no conflict and it is all declared. Or do yo think that MPs should appear on TV shows, give after dinner speeches and write newspaper articles for free? What is wrong with an MP who comes from academia keeping up their research interests?
An MPs salary may sound a lot of money to some people but you aren't going to attract highly experienced professionals from the law, medicine or business if they have to cut off all of their other sources of income when they get elected.
Seems liken any do know about commerce as they are selling their service to bidders like Straw, Rifkind and the rest
There is the crime of malfeasance/misfeasance/misconduct in public office, for which the maximum sentence is life.
Perfect as I have just heard that Sir Malcolm Rifkind has plenty of free time and likes to read, plenty of time in prison for that! He obviously hasn't read Jeffrey Archers diary!
How can a politician admit to having plenty of free time when they are elected to serve pretty big constituency! If he has free time I suggest he is not doing his job properly!