tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4529016898634168069.post848550537017826844..comments2024-01-09T18:12:48.883+00:00Comments on Phil's Treehouse: hang 'em highPhilip Ritchiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912352719196616923noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4529016898634168069.post-76952050944280736532009-05-20T14:55:06.510+01:002009-05-20T14:55:06.510+01:00Coming back a few days later.
Thanks for your res...Coming back a few days later.<br /><br />Thanks for your response Phil.<br /><br />In my own region - East Midlands - it is unlikely that the BNP will get an MEP, partly due to the bar having been raised by a reduction from 6 to 5 MEPs, even though we are something of a BNP hot spot.<br /><br />My feeling is that there will be a generalised rage for several weeks, and that MPs *will* have the chance to put their own cases to their constituents. <br /><br />I've even found several excellent MPs who I didn't know about.<br /><br />The way ahead is to be thinking more deeply about our politics, and especially the process. I have an item looking at the hard costs of providing publicly owned accommodation in London - which I delayed until Friday after the Speaker promised to stand down yesterday.<br /><br />For those in the churches and community organisations, I think setting up local hustings and opportunities for debate is key - to provide forums.<br /><br />I'd suggest that we are in a process that will start with local Westminster reforms now, then continue with a more fundamental debate until the next Election.<br /><br />As far as I can see, the protest vote is going mainly to UKIP and the Greens rather than the BNP, unless people are lying about their intentions.<br /><br />In any case, it is a watershed that - imho anyway - may be of an 1832 significance.<br /><br />I think we are now beginning to see properly constituted processes, both in the Parties and in Parliament; I'd agree that that must be good.<br /><br /><br />I can <br /><br />I think we do need a good old clear out, and thatMatt Wardmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04326720801362744582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4529016898634168069.post-81446309364881144962009-05-15T17:55:00.000+01:002009-05-15T17:55:00.000+01:00Thanks for the comments.
Matt,
I accept the point...Thanks for the comments.<br /><br />Matt,<br />I accept the point you make about MPs fighting tooth and nail to keep their expenses secret and yes they have brought this upon themselves as a result.<br /><br />However, there is now a witch hunt mentality rampant, your own site's coverage of Twitter & Question Time makes that clear, and that usually means that the innocent get caught up with the guilty. It also means that we may be misdirected over some of the more important issues.<br /><br />I think Heather Brooke is to be congratulated for her tenacity in pursuing the issue. It is sad that in the end she was scooped by a newspaper which appears to have got the information by questionable (at best) means. <br /><br />Now that it is out in the open surely the best way of dealing with matters is through a properly constituted process, not the hair shirt dutch auction taking place between the party leaders responding to the latest press revelations.<br /><br />I am not so sure the innocent will be vindicated over time. We are very good at remembering the dirt and missing the exonerations. MPs do have legitimate expenses and everyone seems to be getting tarred with the same brush, again I think Question Time illustrated that.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I think the evidence is already mounting that the main parties will be given a good kicking at the Euro elections and that opens the way for some of the more extreme parties. The BNP in particular is playing this issue for all its worth in East London and not without success; they are much more organised than many think.<br /><br />I agree the job is to rebuild from the ruins; the question is how?Philip Ritchiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05912352719196616923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4529016898634168069.post-42782818781973396312009-05-15T16:45:00.000+01:002009-05-15T16:45:00.000+01:00My previous comment was a bit more repetitive than...My previous comment was a bit more repetitive than intended, but I think it makes the right points.Matt Wardmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04326720801362744582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4529016898634168069.post-41595010463206701672009-05-15T16:44:00.000+01:002009-05-15T16:44:00.000+01:00Well yes ... and no.
If there is one thing that i...Well yes ... and no.<br /><br />If there is one thing that is absolutely clear it is that the House Authorities, Speaker and a majority of MPs had no intention whatsoever of publishing all the information to enable an objective assessment or "calmly reflective" assessment to be made. The intention has been to hide the information from the public.<br /><br />This has been pursued through proper channels (FoI, Information Tribunal, Courts) since 2005 and the reaction has been repeated blocks, obfuscation and defiance even of High Court decisions - there are perhaps more than 20 separate attempts at keeping the information secret. In that time the "proper approaches through proper channels" got almost nowhere.<br /><br />Even when receipt publication was planned, addresses were to be redacted, so the worst excesses - address migration to reuse sets of expenses multiple times - would be hidden.<br /><br />See Heather Brooke's article today, for example:<br />http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/may/13/mps-expenses-houseofcommons<br /><br />So my sympathy is strictly limited, and I think innocent MPs will vindicate themselves, and over say 1-2 months we will get a more balanced impression.<br /><br />The repeated attempts at secrecy made it clear that an earthquake was necessary to demolish the bunker, and an earthquake is what has happened. Nothing less would achieve what was necessary.<br /><br />If only it could have been done in the way you suggest. That path was available for almost 5 years, and rejected every step of the way by the Commons Authorities. Unfortunately it was a coconut and it did need a sledgehammer to crack it.<br /><br />Now the job is to rebuild from the ruins.<br /><br />I don't think that people will turn to extreme parties, but we may have a more thoroughly 3 party politics for a few years.Matt Wardmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04326720801362744582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4529016898634168069.post-87025876570339780662009-05-15T13:51:00.000+01:002009-05-15T13:51:00.000+01:00well written good effortwell written good effortR Krishnanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789458306695615340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4529016898634168069.post-71096465003655323222009-05-15T09:06:00.000+01:002009-05-15T09:06:00.000+01:00I absolutely agree! This is the best blog post tha...I absolutely agree! This is the best blog post that I've read on this subject so far.Franceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01851707775549795748noreply@blogger.com