As surveying the carnage that used to be Gordon Brown's cabinet, we learned today that Secretary of State for Defence, John Hutton, has announced that he is not standing at the next General Election. We also learned today that Paul Goodman, MP for Wycombe and a Shadow Minister is standing down as well. As far as I know the departure of these two men from the House of Commons has nothing to do with Telegraph exposures. They are just two very good politicians, one Labour and one Conservative who have had enough. They're going off to do something else. This should be of concern to all of us.
Most of us accept that there are people serving as Members of Parliament who should not be doing so. I daresay that some of these individuals will wriggle under the radar which has caught out others. It also seems to me that some are being vilified for supposed 'improper conduct' that does not justify being shown the door. None of us can comment on individual situations because we do not know the detail. We depend on the integrity of the scrutiny arrangements being carried out by the political parties. But there are many very good MPs, who have been committed to public service. These people will inevitably be asking themselves whether being an MP is now a job which brings them sufficient personal satisfaction. When I was ringing potential voters in Montgomeryshire yesterday, encouraging them to trek down to the polling booth, I spoke to some who think that no MPs are good people. They were wrong. There are good people, and two of them decided that they've had enough today.
7 comments:
Similar responses to calls in Brecon & Radnorshire yesterday Glyn. Crumb of comfort - even the most understandably jaded citizens seem aware that there are good guys out here working hard to get into Parliament and help restore a bit of trust
Suzy - I do not think the situation will return to an acceptable position until the public have had their say in a General Election. If this Parliament limps pn for another year, it will do immeasurable harm to Parliamentary democracy.
I made some comments over at Tom Harris's blog in which I said that there are still some people of integrity (and I mentioned both you and Tom in that category) who want to become MPs not for personal advancement but because both you and Tom believe that what you are doing is for the betterment of this country.
Tom Harris's blog where I mention Glyn? http://www.tomharris.org.uk/2009/06/04/purnell-resigns/#comments
... pn on top of the immeasurable harm already done to Parliamentary democracy
Bonetired - That's very kind of you. It does make quite a difference when a candidate has reached a position where there is no dependence on the pay and allowances!
When the head of the government stands up in front of an audience of media reporters and journalists and utters remarks which are palpably untrue after those same people have been assured of the contrary it begs the question: how are these politicians to be trusted with the running of the country and should they not be removed forthwith and cast into political oblivion?
For more on this please refer to my blog...
Alan - It was a fair post.
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