To Think Ian Hislop has nailed it - Corruption

[daimbarsatemydogsbone]

Ian Hislop has been giving evidence to a parliamentary committee -

It's 25 mins long but these are the highlights for me -

Hislop at 2.58

"Again I think the public is very sick of being taken for fools at the moment"

Hislop at 7.37

"Why do you have to explain to a new MP that he shouldn't lobby for a company that's taking government contracts? Why isn't that blatantly obvious?"

Sir Bernard Jenkin then goes on to try and liken it to compliance training that financial companies do.

So here's the thing - 99% of us who have to do that fucking stupid training know it's just the company covering their arse so when someone sticks their fingers in the till the company can say it wasn't their fault.

99% of us can see when MPs are being given cash and gifts that the donors want something back - we don't need a fucking training programme for that.

Hislop's brilliant, we need more like him

What I wouldn't give to be as clever and knowledgeable as Hislop.

The issue is that the vast majority of people don't actually care. Hislop does, his friends do, people who know about politics do. But most people shrug and don't care. Or worse, assume that being a venal, lying, self-serving arsehole is and will always be the case with most politicians.

Love Ian.

Thank you, hadn’t heard about this. He’s always brilliant and he’s got one of the greatest ever laughs.

Hislop for PM

Ian Hislop is a god.

This was last week (not a criticism of your post, just stating a fact). Ians brilliant isnt he.
We need people like him in power!

Too many "um"s from everyone.
Goodness, hasn't Ian Hislop got fat? I remember him 40 years ago with an "edgy" biker jacker (leather).
However, I do find him intelligent and erudite.

Haven’t seen/heard.
He nails most things though, so very likely.

The really annoying thing for me is the number of hours of my life I've wasted doing anti-corruption courses so my employer(s) don't have to worry about sacking me if I take backhanders from clients
Then the government pretend we can't recognise corruption when we see it and it's oh so difficult

He's the only active opposition! I hope he is healthy and lives a long long time.

Agree, completely.

@FelicityFlops

Too many "um"s from everyone. Goodness, hasn't Ian Hislop got fat? I remember him 40 years ago with an "edgy" biker jacker (leather). However, I do find him intelligent and erudite.

Did you need to say that about his weight? Does it have anything to do with anything? Would you be happy with someone posting that on a forum about you?

FelicityFlops
Too many "um"s from everyone.
Goodness, hasn't Ian Hislop got fat? I remember him 40 years ago with an "edgy" biker jacker (leather).
However, I do find him intelligent and erudite.“

Hear he speaks well of you, too.

Good grief.

Love Hislop. If this is the one from last week, I also liked the Committee's nervous laughter when the journo from Private Eye with Hislop said that as you'd expect from an investigative journal they'd also checked the register of interests for the Committee members.

Having said that, it's absolutely true that Hislop wasn't pointing out anything that shouldn't have been obvious already to MPs. He wasn't talking about impossible standards in public life. As PP have said, there's no way most workers could take gifts or hospitality of that scale due to rules their employers have, never mind money.

I also liked the Committee's nervous laughter when the journo from Private Eye with Hislop said that as you'd expect from an investigative journal they'd also checked the register of interests for the Committee members.

This was also my highlight.
I particularly enjoyed when they mention Alberto Costa MP recieving football tickets from Heineken.
Alberto Cista was quick to try and justify receiving this gift as his member of staff loves football, had worked very hard and he gave the gift to them.

That didn't fly with Ian

Whilst no rules were broken, the question is, why is Heineken giving free, expensive, football tickets to an MP?
One of the 1st lessons my mum taught me is "There is no such thing as a free lunch"
So what is Heineken expecting from Alberto Costa for these free tickets?

I absolutely adore Hislop. He’s clear sighted and his moral compass is faultless. Whoever said he should be PM is spot on.

That MP looked genuinely baffled and utterly shameless when Hislop wasn't impressed by the 'hard-working researcher' minou. Fact or not very convincing excuse? I'm with Hislop again on this one

@ChicCroissant

That MP looked genuinely baffled and utterly shameless when Hislop wasn't impressed by the 'hard-working researcher' minou. Fact or not very convincing excuse? I'm with Hislop again on this one

Absolutely. Ian completely shamed him.

I am a civil servant. I work hard.

Do I work harder than a nurse, teacher social worker etc? Absolutely not.

It was an unconvincing excuse.
It seems to be a common theme amongst MPs - all thier staff are very hard working - well yes, so is everyone, they are not special.

£600million of government money paid to a company for PPE has simply 'gone missing'

twitter.com/Katie_Cronin/status/1488971937871282177?t=sEhpW8doasiWCBHJmO2A_Q&s=19

Also - most MPs totally get it and don’t take bungs. Which makes it even less credible from those that do and had noooo idea they were dodgy.

The thing is I can understand if this scandal involved some of the young working class SNP MPs - but they rarely do. These types of scandals always involve wealthy, well educated, MPs who bloody well did receive the training in prior roles.

@FelicityFlops He’s just got older, as we all
do with the passage of time.

Here we are on a thread talking about his admirable stance against corruption and there you are making a shallow comment about something entirely superficial and irrelevant - unless of course you consider it’s a moral failing on his part…