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Original poster

The MPs are really stressed

168 replies

FabulousBakerGirl · 22/05/2009 13:45

Bless.

The rules were fine.

The MPs took the piss.

Apparently the media, the public and the papers are to blame.

Oh dear.

OP posts:
ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 17:05

And some of them have short careers altho pension is good. Let's face it, if MPs wanted to make money they wouldn't go into politics.

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 17:11

Cory wrote "beaucry sounds horrible, ToughDaddy"

yes Cory, especially from DaddyTough. Off to do some work, now

edam · 29/05/2009 20:00

Alistair sounds like a top bloke, expat, wish I lived in Scotland and could have seen that!

expatinscotland · 29/05/2009 20:26

edam, i'm going to get on YouTube just now and see if it's not there.

it was the 1PM news.

bill cash kept trying to raise his voice of Alistair's (a losing battle with a Scotsman ).

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 20:31

Cameron using the crisis to flush out the very right end of his party? He supported Julie Kirkbride (a bit) but has put bill cash in focus.

expatinscotland · 29/05/2009 20:33

not on YouTube, only the BBC and Sky clips there.

am on stv site now trying to find the clip.

tattycoram · 29/05/2009 20:37

Oh definitely Toughdaddy. Michael Gove was pretty shocking spending ££££ on hotels and not a word against him. But I don't think it's the right wing he's flushing out, Cameron IS right wing imo, it's the old guard/dead wood he wants to get rid of.

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 21:23

tattyc- you are probably right. Much of the "deadwood is on the right of the party. Cameron is more centre/centre-right isn't he? At least in relative terms. He is as acceptable a leader as the Tories will have. Even though I have fundamental with a party that is focussed on the rich and looking after well off folk I recognise that he is on the moderate/reformist wing of his party. He will win the election and give us Tony B part II, no doubt. We do like them slight in the modern age, otherwise Vince Cable and Ken Clarke would be options. Instead we have Blair adoring Maggie, Cameron aping Blair and Clegg being a poor man's Cameron.

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 21:25

should be "We do like them slight slick in the modern age...."

Original poster
FabulousBakerGirl · 29/05/2009 22:03

Another one saying his health has suffered.

Not my fault mate.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 29/05/2009 22:17

His health has suffered?

LOL!

And the care worker who does the night shifts and pays taxes for his second, third, whatever home and all and sundry doesn't suffer health consequences?

Wasn't there a study released recently about the health effects of rotating shifts on workers? How it increased their risk of developing cancer signficantly?

And that's not talking about the soldiers.

Are they government employees, no?

Oh, yes, of course, here are the faces of two, both under 30, killed in action.

That's 163 in Afghanistan alone.

They could be my son. Maybe yours, too.

Their health definitely suffered!

That just goes to illuminate even more why these so-called representatives need the boot!

GET TO THE POLLS!

Exercise your right to vote!

People put their lives on the line for this right, go and do it!

Honour those people, who were folks just like you and me.

At least when you do, you show you have some honour.

That's more than can be said for any of these so-called officials who have been caught out.

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 22:18

who do we vote for expat?

tattycoram · 29/05/2009 22:19

I thought slight made sense, they certainly are.

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 22:20

tatty- yes slight is more apt than slick so take your pick

TheCrackFox · 29/05/2009 22:23

I feel my health suffering (blood pressure through the roof) every time one of these twonk MPs trots out the line their health has suffered.

They seem to have lost all touch with reality. What is the average wage in this country? In the region of £21K IIRC.

People on much less have to pay for their own dry rot etc. If they get sacked or leave due to health reasons they do not get a golden goodbye or a cushy pension.

cory · 29/05/2009 22:27

We have heard about how they could all be earning far more in the private sector. Today it's in the news how 52 of them have been clamouring for selection to the House of Lords. Doesn't speak well for their own belief in their ability to make a fortune elsewhere, does it?

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 22:30

Cory- good point. In normal times maybe but currently but as you know currently there is a long queue for jobs in the private sector!!

TheCrackFox · 29/05/2009 22:32

They new the wages before they were elected.

Like us mere peasants if you don't like the pay get another job. None of us are allowed to dip our hands in the till.

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 22:32

The irony (or paradox) for them is that they are not so valuable to private sector after they have been kicked out. Private sector wants their contacts + good name + influence.

tatt · 29/05/2009 22:36

"Let's face it, if MPs wanted to make money they wouldn't go into politics. " Actually a fair number of them seem to have been making quite a bit from property speculation funded by taxpayers.

ToughDaddy you seem to have a rather romantic view of what an MP actually does for someone thinking of becoming one. They have very little power and limited influence, unless they happen to be personal friends with someone in a ministerial role.

No noticeable shortage of candidates to be MPs either, although we may need more than usual at the next election.

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 22:37

TheCrackFox- but their mates had whispered to them that expense allowances are part of the wages...but we have already had that debate earlier on.

Sounds as though I am defending them...I am not really...I just think that some of the reporting is hypocritical. Journalists are often the biggest fraudsters on expenses. But more importantly, as I said before it is not news that the expense system was (too)laxed and liberal.

marmoset · 29/05/2009 22:38

I think that the main abuse of power here is that the MPs used their legislative powers to create the 'system', including tax laws for MPs which are completly the opposite from the ones for the rest of us.

Anyone remember their Animal Farm from school - 'some of us are more equal than others'?

That's the real corruption here - once you get the legislature creating laws in their own favour, you really are on a very dangerous path.

By all means, pay people for a proper day's work - although I'm dying to hear the next set of facts and figures. MPs' second, third and fourth jobs.....

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 22:40

tatt - they get to vote on our leglislation. I consider that to be potentially influential. They get to sort the odd problem for locals. They can champion causes. Perhaps we don't need MPs at all. Just have Brown/Cameron plus cabinet?

ToughDaddy · 29/05/2009 22:41

good post marmoset- I agree with you.

expatinscotland · 29/05/2009 22:43

'who do we vote for expat?'

Oh, that was weak, TD. I expected better from you, after decrying anything but a 'fair and balanced' discussion.

Are the electorate so stupid they can't decide that for themselves?

That they cannot read and listen and decide for themselves?

That they have no spirit?

They are the hoi polloi who need to be lead like sheep?

That they need to declare to all and sundry whom they vote for or seek validation for anything or anyone other than their own conscience?