/a bit dim to not understand why 'dinners with the PM' is news?

[AKMD]

Rich people get to see the PM more often than average people. So? Is that new? Have I missed something? As far as I can see the treasurer couldn't have got Bill Gates within 500m of the PM's private flat anyway so what is the big drama?

I used to be a politics student so I am wondering what the point is that I am massively missing. AIBU to really not care about this huge 'scandal' and to think that the PM can have dinner with whoever he wants as long as they aren't axe-mudering Nazis?

YABU

Heard of lobbying? They 'donate' a large sum of money and they have his ear for a few hours. I suggest you read the papers.

The point was that people were paying money specifically in order to have dinner with him - ie to buy influence. It's a bit different from him just happening to have rich friends.

I have been reading the papers and still don't get it. Lobbying is just part of politics isn't it? And the people paying this large amount of money still weren't getting to have dinner with him

I think it's the fact that they were, potentially, able to lobby him directly rather than some minor MP who may or may not have the ear of the PM and be chucked out next month/whenever the mood strikes the party anyway.

Also, since he is the PM and not stupid, he should drag himself above lobbying because he was self-elected elected to serve the country, not line his pockets. I realise that's quite idealistic but if you don't draw a line in the sand and hold to some ideals somewhere what's the point in calling this a democracy?

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7189466/David-Cameron-warns-lobbying-is-next-political-scandal.html

Read this, he's a hypocritical bastard.

Exactly what Gaviscon said.

That's a good link, thanks Gaviscon. TBH though, while I can see that if people were actually getting to have private chats with DC after a back-hander to the party treasurer it would be bad, it seems that the treasurer was just making things up to make himself out to be a big player and nothing actually happened.

Aaw, really? You believe that? Hmm, I on the other hand think it reeks of scapegoat.

A hardened cynic I see

Worked high up in Government prior to having kids. So, yeah, sadly. :o

YANBU because this isn't news. It has been happening for as long as government has existed. Before that you could probably buy dinner with the King if you had enough money and the right connections. There is nothing new going on.

True outraged, but given how Cameron shouted his mouth off about it before he got elected, it is news

He is a smarmy little shit and it would make my year if he was impeached (I don't even know if they do that here but they should). All very well for a rich man to take money off everyone else in the country in the name of austerity measures but fine for him and his revolting party to take massive amounts of money for the honour of having dinner with him.

I don't know if I've even understood this story completely but he is just repugnant in every way.

It's the allegations that the person responsible was selling policy. He was caught on video saying that any policies that the corporate people wanted moved through, they could help with.

Sounds like news to me. Although not surprising news.

Fair point Gaviscon.

But again - PM goes back on pre election promises isn't really the shock of the century. Although I guess it should be, and they should be held accountable. sadly nothing surprises me when it comes to government anymore, and I think out of all the things Cameron has done, this is nowhere near the worst.

It wasn't lobbying so much as paying over great amounts of money in order to - let's be honest - dictate policy.

Fork over £250,000 and we'll try to get this through.

You shouldn't be able to buy government policy and if anyone believes that someone would fork over a quarter of a million quid or more for 'dinner', or just to donate and have the chance of a chat - they are hopelessly naive.

"Things will open up for you"
"It will be awesome for your business"

That's not lobbying.

People are also naive if they think that this isn't something that goes on all the time. This guy just got caught.