Humiliation of MPs is a threat to Britain's democracy.

[Jalopnik]

From the BBC...

"The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned the "systematic humiliation" of MPs is a threat to Britain's democracy."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8064828.stm

Another bloke about as in touch with reality as the "hounourable" (soon to be ex-) member for Newton Abbot!

[Jasandjules]

No, the self serving scum and their snouts in the trough were the biggest threat to democracy. Had they behaved with honour and decency, this situation would not have arisen.

It's a bit like a rapist blaming the police for catching him really.. It's not the fault of the police you were found out, it's your fault for committing the offence.

[turbobloke]

At least we needn't worry too much about the systematic humiliation of Archbishops. They do that to themselves.

[Eric Mc]

He has a point - kind of.

We are all entitled to rant and rave about the morals of those who deign to lead us (I would include myself as a ranter and a raver on this score).
However, we also need to start thinking of how we want to be governed and what type of politicians or political system we want.

It was a similar disenchantment with the way democracy (apparently) was failing to work that lead to the rise of totalitarian regimes in Europe in the 1930s.

[turbobloke]

Eric Mc said:

However, we also need to start thinking of how we want to be governed and what type of politicians or political system we want.

We know already, thinking long over.

General Election, asap.

[Eric Mc]

turbobloke said:

Eric Mc said:

However, we also need to start thinking of how we want to be governed and what type of politicians or political system we want.

We know already, thinking long over.

General Election, asap.

I think something more fundamental needs to happen.

We need a new breed of poltician. Someone who represents US (not themselves) and someone who understands the real problems faced by ordinary people.

We also need a more effective parliamentary system - not a rubber stamp talking shop - which is what we have at the moment.

[Don]

The Telegraph polled a majority wanting an immediate General Election interestingly.

The Tories are up for taking their chances with the populace. Labour are not understandably.

So I think we'll see a year of announcements that don't add up to much before May 2010.

[Don]

Eric Mc said:

We also need a more effective parliamentary system - not a rubber stamp talking shop - which is what we have at the moment.

Back in 97 when Labour got in Blair needed to fix Parliament: particularly the House of Lords which was, at that time, filled with Tory cronies. He fiddled around the edges and fixed his problem by filling it with Labour cronies and invoking the Parliament act.

Cameron, should he get in, will have the same job ahead of him. However - he will have the "excuse" of needing to "fix" Parliament, the system of MPs remuneration and expenses, and improving how representative Parliament is with respect to the will of the people.

He will do sod all about the last is my guess.

But, given a whacking majority which he could well have, my guess is that the House of Lords is toast. That gets rid of one problem. Then he can have the Electoral Comission redraw the boundaries so that they are "fairer" and probably assure Conservative governance for more than a decade. And all with the media 100% behind him as it will all be done in the name of Parliamentary Reform - and we will lap it up.

Politics has never been so entertaining. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

[Westy Pre-Lit]

They've humiliated themselves so tough titties.

If people are really disgusted they should force a dissolvement and go from there. All parties are as bad as each other, as have been proved and as far as I'm concerned they have made themselves ALL unelectable.

At the moment a General election will just replace a corrupt government with another.

What the answer is after a dissolvement, i have no idea. Anarchy for a while may be a bit of fun though

Edited by Westy Pre-Lit on Saturday 23 May 09:01

[AlexKP]

turbobloke said:

Eric Mc said:

However, we also need to start thinking of how we want to be governed and what type of politicians or political system we want.

We know already, thinking long over.

General Election, asap.

Yes - but the Tories expenses behaviour has been just as bad, if not worse, than Labours....

[cs02rm0]

We need being an MP to be a vaguely desirable job so there's some competition for places against the offspring of the current crop. But if you behave so appallingly you deserve to be humiliated. And shortly after, prosecuted.

[AndrewW-G]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I'd say one is as bad as the other, the difference of course is that labour have been in charge and have allowed this behaviour to happen and even spent thousands of pounds of OUR money trying to hide the corruption. They've also been responsible for increasing the tax burden on everybody else to pay for it..............live by the sword, die by the sword

[ShadownINja]

Eric Mc said:

turbobloke said:

Eric Mc said:

However, we also need to start thinking of how we want to be governed and what type of politicians or political system we want.

We know already, thinking long over.

General Election, asap.

I think something more fundamental needs to happen.

We need a new breed of poltician. Someone who represents US (not themselves) and someone who understands the real problems faced by ordinary people.

We also need a more effective parliamentary system - not a rubber stamp talking shop - which is what we have at the moment.

Yes. Would any PHer put themselves forward. Let me rephrase this. If nobody else does it, I will, and I have a habit of making a mess of things and saying the wrong thing. Trust me, you don't want me running the country. I will be like Boris Johnson without the intelligence.

Edited by ShadownINja on Saturday 23 May 10:26

[ShadownINja]

Jasandjules said:

No, the self serving scum and their snouts in the trough were the biggest threat to democracy. Had they behaved with honour and decency, this situation would not have arisen.

It's a bit like a rapist blaming the police for catching him really.. It's not the fault of the police you were found out, it's your fault for committing the offence.

Yep. To sum up, the Archbishop talks st.

[Eric Mc]

I don't think he does.

It's just another voice in the debate.

[turbobloke]

ShadownINja said:

Jasandjules said:

No, the self serving scum and their snouts in the trough were the biggest threat to democracy. Had they behaved with honour and decency, this situation would not have arisen.

It's a bit like a rapist blaming the police for catching him really.. It's not the fault of the police you were found out, it's your fault for committing the offence.

Yep. To sum up, the Archbishop talks st.

Holy st.

[philthy]

Jalopnik said:

From the BBC...

"The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned the "systematic humiliation" of MPs is a threat to Britain's democracy."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8064828.stm

Another bloke about as in touch with reality as the "hounourable" (soon to be ex-) member for Newton Abbot!

Newton abbot is Teignbridge, my local constituency. The local MP for the moment is Richard Younger Ross.
Have I missed something? Has he been caught with his snout in the trough too?

Edit to add:
It looks like he has. He appears to have some sort of mirror fetish?

Edited by philthy on Saturday 23 May 13:21

[GreenV8S]

turbobloke said:

Holy st.

[ShadownINja]

Eric Mc said:

I don't think he does.

It's just another voice in the debate.

Well, he's looking at symptoms not causes. Not every voice is valid in any given debate. I couldn't get involved in a debate about horse shoes, for instance.

[Famous Graham]

turbobloke said:

ShadownINja said:

Jasandjules said:

No, the self serving scum and their snouts in the trough were the biggest threat to democracy. Had they behaved with honour and decency, this situation would not have arisen.

It's a bit like a rapist blaming the police for catching him really.. It's not the fault of the police you were found out, it's your fault for committing the offence.

Yep. To sum up, the Archbishop talks st.

Holy st.