Greg Pope, M.P.

[Acrylic-bob]

I had always thought that although Parliament was sovereign, in that it alone could propose legislation, individual members, as representatives of the people, were ultimately responsible to the people who elected them and had a clear duty to faithfully represent the views and interests of those people; a naive opinion, I know.


Out of 3137 votes held in Parliament since May 1997 Greg has voted only 2489 times and has voted against the government on a mere 21 occasions,( source: publicwhip.org.uk). On that basis he is considered to be extremely loyal to his party.


It troubles me a little when one considers that at the last election from a turnout of 56% of the people eligible to vote Greg managed to convince just 18,136 (46%) to cast their vote for him. Which, by my very rough reckoning, means he represents somewhere in the region of 25% of the electorate, give or take a handful. Not really what you might call a ringing endorsement is it, when 75% of the people you represent would rather have had someone else represent them. Call me old fashioned if you must, but I cannot help the feeling that, in his position, I would be bending over backwards to prove my worth to the people on whose continued goodwill and forbearance my job salary, pension and expense account depended.


Instead, Greg appears to have decided that his best interests lay in voting with the government for the Iraq War and, again with the government in opposing a Select Committee Inquiry into the events which led up to it. He was also helpfully absent from the vote on whether there should be judicial inquiry.


He also voted for the Hunting Ban, the Ban on Smoking, for ID Cards, replacing Trident and Student Top-up Fees. Tellingly, perhaps, he voted strongly against a more Transparent Parliament.


I can think of few members of this forum who would agree with Greg's position on anything in that list


Wikipedia is a little more illuminating about Greg's career to date;


“In April 2000 as a whip, Greg Pope inadvertently approved a Liberal Democrat clause in the government's utilities bill, committing the government to meet 10% of electricity requirements from green sources by 2010. Pope said: "We were doing a series of government amendments. I realised I'd shouted aye too many times. I'm not overjoyed about it." The error led the government to instruct its MPs to vote against the clause.
In July 2003, Pope admitted leaking confidential Foreign Affairs Select Committee evidence to TheGuardian newspaper chief political correspondent Patrick Wintour. The move was described as an attempt to "bounce" MPs on the committee into clearing Alastair Cambell of "sexing up" the so-called Dodgy Dossier of evidence into the threat posed by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.”


But this is not all that Greg has busied himself with during his time as Hyndburn's M.P.


The list of Early Day Motions that he has appended his signature to is similarly revealing:


Haggis Industry Skills Shortage
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=34933&SESSION=891


Inquiry into the Assasination of Benazir Bhutto
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=34913&SESSION=891


East Cheshire Hospice Christmas Tree Collection
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=34911&SESSION=891


are just a few examples, the complete list can be found here: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMByMember.aspx?MID=203

He also busies himself as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and is curious enough to ask Parliamentary Questions on Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Health, Defence and The Treasury.


Since 21st June 2001 (six and a half years) Greg has spoken 36 times in Parliamentary debates, a mere 11 of those referred to his constituency and the interests of the people who voted for him. It would be easy to believe that though his contributions have been few they have yet been of great pith and moment. I am sorry to have to relate, in one debate he made three contributions; one to bemoan the size of his majority, a second to praise a fellow MP and a third contribution consisted of just one word “Palmerston”.


So it seems that far from lauding Hyndburn from the rooftops and pushing government to spend every last penny it can afford on the borough. It seems that the interests and concerns of the people of Hyndburn must take a very poor third place to Greg's career and his determination to do whatever the government whips tell him to do. Not so much a foot soldier but more of a camp follower.


From 1992 to date, in pursuit of his Parliamentary activities, Greg has earned £900,000 (approx.) in Salary, has claimed £1.6 Million(approx.) in expenses, and £148,000 (approx.) in pension contributions, which, when he reaches retirement age (assuming he remains an MP for another ten years) will pay him an astonishingly comfortable £93,000 per year; three times more than a similar amount invested by a private citizen.


Am I the only person who is troubled that there is apparently so little to show for 16 years of work on our behalf and the outlay of £2.5 Million (approx.) of hard earned tax-payers cash? Is it unreasonable of me to expect more from our MP than to be a mediocre place filler and party yes-man? Were Ken Hargreaves and George Davidson any different when they represented the borough? Perhaps some members think that the person and his accomplishments are unimportant, so long as he has the right party stamp on his forehead.

[derekgas]

Are you running for opposition AB? I am impressed with this, (your contribution, not greg's), if more people investigated mp's in this way, there would be many more questions asked, summing the career of a politician is easy, if anybody else did thier job in the same way, they would be either fired, or go out of business, I once asked for greg poes help for a friend, he apparently asked one question of the council, and then answered no more e-mails, enough said.

[Wynonie Harris]

Must admit that's one of the best posts I've read on here for a long time. Excellent piece of research. I reckon you should be writing for Private Eye, A-B! Karma sent.

[Acrylic-bob]

The sad thing is that Greg is just one of many people who are employed by, or elected to, represent us and never have to justify their use of public money or what they do on our behalf. This is not to say that they are all useless money-grubbers, but I do feel that public life would be better if there was more accountability.

[Wynonie Harris]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

The sad thing is that Greg is just one of many people who are employed by, or elected to, represent us and never have to justify their use of public money or what they do on our behalf. This is not to say that they are all useless money-grubbers, but I do feel that public life would be better if there was more accountability.

Yep, and that's only in this country's government and administrative structure. Imagine how many more there are in the EU behemoth in Brussels/Strausbourg that Greg loves so much. So much waste, so much unaccountability that the EU auditors have refused to sign the accounts off for 11 years running!

[Boeing Guy]

A-B well written and thought out, thankyou for such an informative post. Now all we, as a borough, need to do is find a person who will work for us. I have voted at every election held since I was 18 general or otherwise, it saddens me to see that Greg got in with only 25% of us, I did not vote for him.

However I am currently in Casablanca, Morocco on a contract job and to see how corrupt a government can become you only have to come here. For example there is a 100% tax on all cars so everyone drive wrecks, also the new Mosque is being built by the Kings in laws.

Hope we never go that way
BTW have you thought of giving Ian Hislop a shout, I am sure he could find you a job at Private Eye
BG

[garinda]

Just a point, it was Arthur Davidson, not George, who was our M.P.

As for the fact that Greg Pope was elected with only 25% of the electorate, that's democracy, and unless we have proportional representation, or a law which forces everyone to vote, that will always be the case.

[Acrylic-bob]

Originally Posted by garinda

Just a point, it was Arthur Davidson, not George, who was our M.P.

I stand corrected, The memory is not what it once was; what was the question?

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

Tellingly, perhaps, he voted strongly against a more Transparent Parliament.

Are you sure that's correct?

In post 6 of this thread Greg Pope says he was absent from that particular vote, and goes on to say that he is in favour of more openess regarding M.P.'s accountability.


http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ghs-31064.html

[garinda]

Having a nose around at Greg Pope's voting record, and his speeches in the House of Commons, I came across this, a speech he gave to the House in 2002.

'The lady whom I met during the general election said that politicians of all parties had failed her, and she is absolutely right. A Conservative-controlled council is failing her, but she was equally failed by Hyndburn council when it was a Labour-run authority. She was failed by a Conservative Government for 18 years and she is being failed by this Government. She was failed by my predecessor, Ken Hargreaves, who was a good Conservative MP, and she is being failed by me as well.'

Housing (Hyndburn): 12 Mar 2002: Westminster Hall debates (TheyWorkForYou.com)

Anyone who publicly takes some of the blame himself, and his party's past record on this particular issue, is in my books to be admired, because in politics it doesn't happen very often.

Also noted, and which I already knew, Greg voted 'very strongly' on gay rights issues.

Greg Pope MP, Hyndburn (TheyWorkForYou.com)

[Acrylic-bob]

Originally Posted by garinda

and she is being failed by me as well.'

In years gone past an admission of this sort would have prompted the person speaking to consider his position. How times change.

Gay Equality is little more than a convenient bandwagon for right-on politicians. I would have been far more impressed if he had actually joined CHE or turned up at Manchester or Blackpool Pride.

As always, "By their fruits shall ye know them".

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

In years gone past an admission of this sort would have prompted the person speaking to consider his position. How times change.

Gay Equality is little more than a convenient bandwagon for right-on politicians. I would have been far more impressed if he had actually joined CHE or turned up at Manchester or Blackpool Pride.

As always, "By their fruits shall ye know them".

Why on earth should he join C.H.E. (Campaign for Homosexual Equality,) now that thanks to this government equality has been achieved?

I'd much rather Greg Pope voted to change what were very discriminatory and unjust laws, rather than prance about at various Pride festivals in the northwest, neither of which are in his constituency, and are nowadays really just an excuse for a party, rather than their original conception of increasing visibility, as well as being a means of political protest.

I personally know three Conservative M.P.s, two no longer serving, who were members of C.H.E., and who consistently voted against homosexual law reform, even though they are gay themselves.

I'd much rather be represented by someone who has political balls, than a weak hypocrite.

No comment A-b, about the fact you were wrong over Greg Pope voting against a private member's bill that was seeking more public accountability?

[yerself]

Originally Posted by garinda

Also noted, and which I already knew, Greg voted 'very strongly' on gay rights issues.

Which contradicts the teaching of the church whose beliefs he claims to follow when he's after capturing the votes of a certain section of the community.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

Gay Equality is little more than a convenient bandwagon for right-on politicians. I would have been far more impressed if he had actually joined CHE or turned up at Manchester or Blackpool Pride.

As someone who was somewhat involved with various lobbying groups on this issue, as well as attending most Prides from the late '70's until fairly recently, I can't recall ever seeing a Conservative M.P. at these events. I do however recall seeing many Labour M.P.s, the most memorable of which being the first openly gay cabinet minister Chris Smith, at Clapham Common in 1997, when he told the 200,000 people there that his government promised to change the law regarding equality. Something they did.

You tied the knot yet Acrylic-bob?

[garinda]

Originally Posted by yerself

Which contradicts the teaching of the church whose beliefs he claims to follow when he's after capturing the votes of a certain section of the community.

Would that be a church that takes the Bible literally?

You know the one, it says that if you think about adultry, it's actually the same as comitting it physically, and for which the Bible says the punishment is death by stoning?

I'll go and get my bag of rocks, and if you all line up over there, I'll start lobbing 'em.