2009 a Bad Year for British People, Politics

Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph December 26, 2009

There is little of worth to dredge from this low, dishonest year in politics. The Daily Telegraph's exposure of the systematic abuse by MPs of their allowances shattered any faith the people had in their elected representatives. The subsequent fury at the collective greed we laid bare may have abated somewhat with time, but it is still there. No wonder David Cameron described 2009 as "such a bad year for politics and Parliament", while Speaker Bercow, one of the few parliamentarians to benefit from the scandal, described it as "cataclysmic... disastrous for the standing and the reputation of the House of Commons".

Yet it is not the institution of Parliament that disgusts the voters: it is the behaviour of the people in it. The failure of so many MPs to act honourably and honestly was shocking. Only the general election will purge Westminster of the stain on its reputation. Until it comes, the House has little authority and commands scant respect. However, it is no coincidence that this, the most squalid episode in the recent history of the Commons, coincided with its cynical marginalisation by the executive. Neither Tony Blair nor Gordon Brown have afforded Parliament much respect. The Chamber is no longer the cockpit of the nation, in which the issues of the day are debated. And the more MPs have been sidelined, the more slapdash they have become – not only in their standards of probity, but in their scrutiny of legislation. As a consequence, we have too many bad and meddlesome laws.

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In failing to hold the executive properly to account, the Commons also connived, indirectly, in the economic debacle that was the other grim feature of the year. The crash has left this country with levels of debt so staggering that they will take a generation to pay down. Yet the man who, as Chancellor, used the boom years to indulge in a tax and spending spree that left the coffers bare when the bust came is still there – though only just. Gordon Brown survived a botched Cabinet coup in June solely through the intercession of Lord Mandelson. News that the two men have become estranged suggests that the pre-election period will be marked by a new outbreak of Cabinet instability. His Lordship seems particularly exercised by the determination of Mr Brown and his lieutenant Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, to build Labour's general election strategy on those famed "dividing lines" with the Tories. He is right. Their slogan of choice, amazingly, continues to be Labour "investment" against Tory "cuts". Taking the public for fools is not sensible politics.

Lord Mandelson has another reason to feel piqued. The Lisbon Treaty created two big jobs – President of the European Council, and High Representative (effectively foreign minister). It was seen by many as vital for this country to have one of them. Big beasts were in the reckoning – was it to be Lord Mandelson, Tony Blair, David Miliband? No, it was to be Baroness Ashton of Upholland. A better illustration of the navel-gazing of the European "project" could scarcely be imagined – save for the reluctance of many of those nations to commit to the war in Afghanistan. In this respect, Mr Brown's belated realisation that we are a nation at war was a rare bright spot: his lack of rapport with the military was bad enough when he was Chancellor, but as Prime Minister it had been unforgivable. That the Afghan war now preoccupies him has not gone unnoticed by the military, which, as the

Published: 5:43PM GMT 25 Dec 2009

Comments 15 | Comment on this article

For Mr Cameron, the year was marked by personal tragedy, in the death of his son Ivan, and also by a failure to capitalise adequately on the Government's shortcomings. Yet he has shown a remarkable capacity for coolness under pressure, and a willingness to lead his party out of the mire of expenses. The Tories hold a comfortable enough polling lead, but it should be bigger. Could it be that the expenses scandal is exacting a high price on politicians of all parties?

Comments: 15

I shall never trust politicians again

It is all very well being disgusted with the politicians and the bankers but if you do not actually take action to change things then nothing will change. You can begin by throwing away your TV or at least putting in the loft to be used only on special occasions.

"Only the general election will purge Westminster of the stain on its reputation" says the leader writer. What a trite and unrealistic sentence. Many folk will keep their cynical attitude to politicians for the rest of their lives, never mind six months. And when it becomes clear that the main effect of the revelations has been to lower the skills and standards of prospective candidates, thence the skills and standards of those elected, there will be a general regret at how both papers and parliament have handled politicians` remuneration. One main culprit setting off the problem was the Thatcher government, for allowing the system of expense payments to build up on the quiet, as a pragmatic way of hiding the increased total pay they gave to MPs then largely Tory.

Just as bad as the behaviour of some politicians was the behaviour of this newspaper. The highest bidder was able to use stolen property for financial and political gain, an act that at one time most people in the UK would have found quite repugnant. The excuse in many people`s view was that it undermined a political party that they want replaced at the next election. But allowing the rich to pursue their ends by stealing is an attitude that will have grave consequences for future governments. Arguably the Tory MPs were worse offenders than Labour, LibDem or SNP, certainly in proportionate terms relative to their numbers in the Commons. But the way the paper published the documents starting with prominent Labour figures made the more-gullible public think Labour MPs were the worst, and the months-long trickle of further revelations simply underlined the first impressions for these people. So democracy which quality papers used to support has been perverted for journalists` short-term gain.

J.B. @ 08.57am My command of English is not brilliant, but for me you summed it up in one word, regarding politicians ... ...... REPULSION!.

Until some corrupt politicians are prosecuted for making illegal claims for personal expenses we will never believe another word from any British PRIME MINISTER. Westminster and Whitehall are rouges gallery. We applaud the DAILY TELEGRAPH for blowing their cover and their miscreant devious ways. We deserve better leaders with some ethics...if thats not asking too much.

ALL politicians ought to hang their heads in shame. Even if they were themselves reasonable about claiming expenses, they did NOTHING to expose this scandal. I agree with the earlier comment: NO CURRENT MP SHOULD BE RE-ELECTED. Most of them should be awaiting trial.

Nobody should disagree with this opinion. The barefaced lies and deception that followed the revelations came from no more and no less than common criminals. They stole, they lied, and they defied anybody to anything about it albeit successfully which brings me to #1. It would be a sad day for Britain if that ever came about, but the bulk of taxpayers who funded the expenses fraud would probably welcome it if the bunch of Parliamentary crooks get away with their deceit.

Now Christmas is over the reality of the country's desperate position can take once again take centre stage to reveal the complete failure of MPs, from all parties, to adequately protect its interests.

This was not a year when MPs covered themselves in glory.Their standing in this and other countries has been so degraded that an election is the only answer.This is no less than corruption on a grand scale ,we deride other countries for it and yet our MPs are as bad. The two main issues that really upset myself and other members of their electorate are that they made their own corrupt rules and then pleaded they did nothing wrong.When we have child poverty,woefully inadequate schooling and poorly equipped armed forces our politicians ensured they made more from fiddling expenses than actual earnings. And what did we get for our money? Less freedom,a bankrupt nation and a recession that will last longer than other countries. Let us as a nation have that new broom now and this time monitor the situation more effectively as an electorate.The politicians cannot be trusted on their own

The only thing to do at the next election is to vote for anyone regardless of his or her party who is currently an MP. Just think how marvellous this would be: a complete clean sweep - no more Brown, no more Balls, no more Harman, no more Straw, and no more Clegg or Cameron. Bring in the New and throw out the Old.

It is hard to accept that this has been going on for so long. People we trusted to look after our interests and the country have betrayed us.They must have known they were wrong no matter what THEIR rules said. It will be very hard for those who follow after the others have gone as they will be under scrutiny as never before.We have been lied to had money that should have been used for the benefit of the people lining MP's and Peer's pockets. It is going to be hard going to build the trust we need and must have in governments.We cannot tar all of them with the same brush as there were some, of course, who did not abuse the 'system'

"Yet it is not the institution of Parliament that disgusts the voters: it is the behaviour of the people in it." I am sorry but parliament is as corrupt as those who choose to become members of this society and until a proper and legitamate form of governance is written into a constitution then nothing will change to better the constituant parts.

Why is this the only blog to speak out in defence of the people? Most of the people I talk with are utterly disgusted with the mainstream party politicians. They are now perceived as "the political class" who keep themselves apart from ordinary people. We have no effective opposition, they have in fact colluded with government in skulduggery. With their record to date, it beggars belief that they presume to look down and sneer at the UKIP and BNP. After all, the latter parties have not damaged this country they way that the three stooges have.

It is quite a poor state of affairs that most our TRUSTED M.P.s said "THEY DID NOT KNOW IT WAS AGAINST THE RULES", In ANY court in the land should you use that excuse to defend yourself, it would be laughed out of the court!. Come on ALL you twisting, thieving so and sos STAND DOWN and take the consequences!.