Comments on: Why no Parliament?

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:02:16 +0000

So if you didn’t need to get to London for work why did you bother driving in? Some of us are trying to get to real jobs and joyriders clogging up the roads is not really doing anyone a favour. Surely your time would be better spent trying to serve your constituents.

By: ESSEX VOTERS VOICE

ESSEX VOTERS VOICE — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:28:16 +0000

Alan – this is an extract from a document we submitted in August 2008 to one of our Essex MPs (the excellent, and now well-known, Douglas Carswell).

“The public feels entitled to know how much time a MP is allowed to allocate to interests other than those of his electorate. Also how he is allowed to spend his non-Westminster time and what are the parameters for overseas visits using the public purse? We see no reason why an MP should not have some form of published Job Specification without restricting his flexibility in dealing with the needs of the moment in properly representing his constituents. We also see no necessity for much of the ‘fact finding’ overseas trips in this day of internet, email and telephone conferencing. A presentation by the travelling MPs to his colleagues and the utilisation of private blogsites should generally suffice. The Speaker must play no part in the system.”

No reason to change a word eh?

We’ll cut and paste other extracts from some of the 12 topics we submitted as and when relevant.
We hope with his new-found position of influence Douglas – and others – will re-read and adopt some of our proposals.
We hope too that David Cameron will ensure that he matches his own fine words of listening to the voter and involving him/us in the reform process. He should ensure that all his present and prospective MPs take a defined early initiative to gather from their individual constituencies the ideas of we voters who are prepared to go the extra yard and offer specific ideas.

We shall report back here if and when we see progress in that regard!

By: Clare

Clare — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:14:59 +0000

I’m genuinely curious – why no Parliament? Nowadays if it’s a school holiday, it seems to be an MP’s holiday, and yet I’m sure this didn’t used to be the case. Is it under the guise of family friendly policies? If so, it is ludicrous, no one outside of the public sector could ever expect such terms of employment.

Reply: Yes, it was a Labour “reform” to give us half term holidays. It means there is even less opportunity to cross examine the government.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:05:07 +0000

Agreed. That’s what you get when you let people set their own hours. I don’t see why Parliament can’t sit all year round and MPs have proxy voters for when they take holidays. If a corporation stopped trading for three weeks while everyone went on holiday at the same time it wouldn’t last very long…

By: Adrian Peirson

Adrian Peirson — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:56:59 +0000

I personally think the Congestion charge should only apply to MP’s it was after all their Idea to open our borders.
Ditto the coming taxes on CO2 Emmisions and Landfill.

By: Mike Stallard

Mike Stallard — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:37:45 +0000

I have a dream:
Mr Attlee going to work on the tube. Mr Gaitskell going on holiday in Leeds. Nye Bevan actually working down a mine for some of his life. Mr Redwood speaking from years of experience in industry and banking. Mr Hague writing books about stuff and thoroughly enjoying being a Director. Mr Field being able to do something about the amoral poor. The Archbishop saying, quite clearly, what he believes and why we should too. A prominent Muslim condemning terrorism. The Bank of England reforming and privatising the banks. The Treasury cutting back hard on its budget deficit. Mr Brown calling an election so Mr Cameron can get started on putting Dan Hannan’s ideas into practice. Parliament reflecting and containing these views, and people listening to each other and coming to some form of conclusion.

And then I woke up.

By: Mike Stallard

Mike Stallard — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:27:01 +0000

…and who get paid very handsomely indeed for so doing.

By: alan jutson

alan jutson — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:13:17 +0000

Acorn
This information from my very limited eyesight (albeit the US version), is what I was suggesting be published in this blog last year.

The growth in tax revenue from year to year when using a comparison with the last 1997 Conservative year in office.

Ie: What is the increase in tax take from 1997 to now.

Think it may be very substantial not only in figures but also in the way Tax has been raised, with additional stealth taxes introduced.

By: Acorn

Acorn — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:49:10 +0000

JR, a question if I may.

Is it possible for you, or any MP, to obtain this type of information from our parliamentary machine as part of doing the job? Could YOU get this from the Treasury for instance or would the HoC Library supply it to you on request? (see link)

You will see that the Senator has asked a question and recieved a detailed written answer within seven days. This letter then becomes a public document for all to read.

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/81xx/doc8116/05-18-TaxRevenues.pdf

Reply: usuually this gov ernment makes answers to PQs as weak as possible.

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 26 May 2009 10:49:32 +0000

Absolutely spot on, on the money, too right, bleedin’ obvious really. It completely beggars belief – sure, I think we understand that there should be time alloted for constiuency stuff but if anyone can explain 82 days off in summer, i’ll go out shopping for a hat, buy it and eat it right there and then.

Anywho – what with the DT revelations and this bloggy type thing taking off – hopefully Cammo will pull it back.

If it makes it any better – i’m one of the only dude’s in my Local Government office – the Chief Exec’s here and the porters but… probably blag the aft off tho – but back to work tomorrow – no rest for the employed eh? Cheers John.