MP's And Other Animals

Good afternoon, comrades.

How are we all? Good? Well that's excellent. Breaking with what seems to be turning into a tradition, I'm going to post less than two weeks after the previous post. Shocking, I know. The issue this time around is going to be MP's expenses and so on, with a brief update about my sojourn to the B&NES council meeting.

To start with, MP's expenses. The basic gist goes thusly: a freedom of information request was submitted asking for details of MP's claims on the various things they can claim for. (which turns out to be almost anything short of a moat. Although one did try...) After a long and protracted battle in the House of Commons where almost everyone including the Speaker tried to find a petty little reason to refuse the FoI request it was eventually agreed that the expenses were to be released sometime this summer, I forget the actual date but it it's irrelevant now anyway because...

The Telegraph got hold of the lists early via someone inside Westminster to whom they paid a considerable amount of money. "Ha!" Went the Country, "now we'll see what these MP's are up to!" "Ha" Went the Telegraph, "now we can screw Labour over and reveal how wonderful the Tories are!"

A few days later the general opinion seemed to be "We elected these money grabbing scumbags!?" Because you see dear reader, the thing is, these claims haven't merely been going on fro a year, or even two. This system has been around since the mid eighties. *Tries to think of some way to blame Thatcher...*

Anyway, it essentially results in us knowing that a majority of MP's, although possibly not an overwhelming one, have been fiddling one way or another. Not only does this mean they aren't exactly guardians of morality, looking selflessly after their electorate, but it also removes their proverbial high ground from which they can attack other fraudsters, from Fred 'Pension? What pension?' Goodwin to the smallest of benefits cheats. Ye gods I don't want to use this phrase, but our politicians are 'morally bankrupt'...ouch. They've run out of conscience-credit to pay off their 

ethical debt, if you'll allow me to extend the metaphor so.

What is to be done? Well that's a good question. Many in the media want to see a complete clean out of the current generation of politicians and their replacement with many more independent or to be rather blunt, honest, candidates. As someone who has been wanting that for a fair old while I can't help being fairly skeptical about it firstly happening, and secondly being much more than a kneejerk reaction from a media that in general, so derides mavericks as to make being one untenable. I would say voter turnout will be (even) lower than usual at the next election due to disillusionment. Although it's possible the opposite will happen in a sort of backlash for the financial crisis and now this. I've also just thought that most major world events that occur currently can be compared to the credit crunch in one way or another;

Swine Flu: "It's a biological credit crunch!"

MP's expenses: "It's a moral credit crunch!"

Ad nauseum.

With that unpleasant but rather necessary bit out of the way, onto the council meeting.

I got there to discover that all the seats were taken which was a bit of a blow but nevertheless stood up instead, spotted one or two councillors I recognised, namely Nathan Hartley and Malcolm Hanney. It was the annual meeting so 'elections' for chief or council and deputy took place, both were unanimous which was interesting, I didn't realise they were all worked out in advance. Also discovered who the seats were being filled by. A bunch of people who wanted independence from the tyranny of Norton Radstock! Or somesuch matter. Basically they refute that such a place exists and want it replaced with other things. They had a petition and clapped very loudly when their speakers had finished stumbling through their statements. Unfortunately, just as the debate was about to turn on to the rather more interesting topic of Bristol Airport expansion I had to leave...damn. However, I learnt a fair bit more about how the council works and the procedures they follow etc. Hopefully next time I will be able to talk myself...

Anyway, that's enough for today, so see you all soon and I hope you have enjoyed this little jolly into the virtual world.

Solidarity

RedFred

No Icons Left

Yes comrades, I've come crawling miserably back after...over two weeks. All I can really say is sorry, I'm a failure and hopefully the lack of posting won't happen again on this scale.

Righty then, if I'm honest, one of the reasons I haven't updated is that not an awful lot has happened...in the world of UKYP or wider. Labour have been screwed over a little more by Joanna Lumley and her army, South Africa elected a new leader and that's all I can really think of.

However, I finally thought of something. It probably won't have particularly wide appeal but then I don't have a particularly wide readership. The subject for today is the lack of iconic figures in the left of centre world.

Jack Jones, a prominent union leader who had been in the Labour Party since his teens, fought in the Spanish Civil War and brokered power deals between James Callaghan's government and the unions in the late 70's died earlier this month.

His passing is another blow to the ever dwindling pool of figures that we on the left can look to and say "Yes, I look up to him/her" or "That's the kind of change I want to make". Or even just someone respected enough to get a slot in the press coverage for the left wing angle on a story.

Terry Fields, a socialist MP who fought against Thatcher both in parliament and as part of the 'Liverpool 47'; the councillors who controlled Liverpool during the harshest years and led most of the city in protests against the Tory's assault, is also dead. Another venerable lefty gone and with him a whole generation of protest and inspiration. Most of the other Liverpool 47's 

are getting on too and there doesn't look to be anyone in Britain stepping into their very large shoes.

Even dear, wonderful, Tony Benn is in his eighties. He still goes to Tolpuddle every year and attends marches and protests galore, but for how much longer? He's a giant amongst the progressive movement when he dies there's going to be a huge gaping hole in the collective heart of lefties everywhere.

I suppose the real question is why there is no new generation coming into prominence? I'd imagine it's something to do with the general consensus amongst the political elites that most forms of progressivism, from Marxism to Keynesianism had been discredited for roughly the last thirty years. Obviously something I'd disagree with, and obviously something proved wrong with the onset of a financial crisis triggered by neo-liberal economics. However, it doesn't change the fact that it created an atmosphere where anyone speaking against globalisation, unlimited credit and de-regulation was met with a sort of amused look and told where to go. Namely, the political wilderness.

To finish then, all we can really hope, is that over the next ten years or so, new icons for the left will spring up and help lead a new generation of progressive politics and that will fuel a general acceptance that a new order is needed; green, democratic and socialist for the future, rather than polluting, corrupt and capitalist ghosts from the past.

Hope you enjoyed. I'm very tired so please excuse the lack of amusingess etc

Solidarity

RedFred