Two Legs Bad, Four Legs Good? (From York Press)
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Two Legs Bad, Four Legs Good?
11:53am Monday 18th May 2009
By John Bird »
Does anyone else feel like Boxer, the loyal horse in Animal Farm? Working away doing your bit in the simple belief that we are all on the same side and we are all playing fair. Clearly we are not all on the same side and a set of ludicrous rules has been created by MPs, for MPs, how democratic. However, we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Our legal system is independent and because of that these details have been made public. That is a big plus for the UK and I don’t believe it wouldn’t happen in many other places.
In the old days a “D Notice” would have been slapped on the information by the government, preventing its publication in the papers etc. That hasn’t happened either, so another big plus.
We have a very open and accountable Parliament and many MPs will suffer badly at the next election, if local constituency parties don’t decide to deselect them first of course. We will have our say!
As yet we haven’t yet seen many MPs publishing their expenses to demonstrate that they do have the integrity and honesty we have a right to demand from those who represent us. I’m sure as time goes on we will. I believe that some MPs will have looked at the system and thought, “that is wrong and I’m not going to betray my principles and join in”. I’d really like to know who they!
Eventually a new system will be created for expenses so let’s hope it is sensible and fair on the “Boxers” of this world as well as the MPs.
My biggest sense of shame lies with the un-elected House of Lords that still exists after 12 years of Labour government. How the new system of appointing people you like, is better than the old hereditary peers system, I am at a loss to understand. I guess we’d all enjoy a job for life. That can’t be right in this day and age. All our representatives should be elected and replaceable, wherever they sit to govern. How else can we control those who are in government to serve us?
Democracy is government of the people, by the people, for the people and that means all the people not just a select few.
Comments(1)
George Appleby
says...
4:48pm Fri 5 Jun 09
Where are we going ?
We will see the kind of government we are left with. As voters, we don't influence that much.
Our choices are between party people. They may inspire other party members but would not survive in the majority world with their lack of vision and drive for common progress and high goals with strict standards. They thrive on conflict and opposition.
What good has the official opposition done in defending us from the shambles we now have ?
What good will a badly decimate opposition be to us in the next decade, while it regains internal strength to rule through the 2020 decade ?
We need quick, drastic changes in our system for a majority of honest, hard working, tax paying, law abiding people of Britain to have faith and personal pride in it again.
Our pride has been badly hurt.
Not one of them has shown shame and they still get protection they don't deserve.
There are no free thinking candidates on offer, with visions worth working for and sharing. The party system has destroyed the habitat for them to flourish in.
Fixed term Parliaments are needed where independent minded MPs can put proper pressure on governments, and eventually PR might emerge.
We will win through but it will take time.
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