MPs salary & expenses - Page 4

yerself · 17-11-2010, 19:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

I heard he was a misguided painter

You're thinking of Prince Charles.

Acrylic-bob · 18-11-2010, 10:48

Sounds like Graham not only needs a good language coach but could use the services of a spin doctor too.

I'm still available for hire by the way.

jaysay · 18-11-2010, 10:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

Sounds like Graham not only needs a good language coach but could use the services of a spin doctor too.

I'm still available for hire by the way.

From a wider picture think Graham has score somewhat of an own goal Bob, not the best time to start claiming exes really is it, although he is quite entitled to do so, he ain't doing anything wrong

Acrylic-bob · 18-11-2010, 11:14

I cannot understand what Graham hopes to achieve by hanging on to a county council seat (apart from exes and allowances). We are all familiar with the biblical injunction concerning serving two masters.

JCB · 18-11-2010, 11:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

I'm sorry but I still don't see how a story about expenses classes as personality rather than politics.

Graham has given up his county allowances for at least five months as a gesture of good faith whilst other MPs in the same position have claimed as much as they can. He is now asking for a bit of financial help in order to do effectively fulfil the requirements of two senior positions.

On first reading it admittedly doesn't sound very good but just think it through again.

Where does his personality come into it?

I'll try to clarify what I have said . Clearly there is a misunderstanding .

I have not criticised Graham Jones for claiming his county allowances . He is entitled to them , and I think he should take them .

I refer you to Graham's quote ( number 29 ) on this thread , particularly to his first and next to the last sentences .

As I read these sentences I get the impression that he is saying that those responsible for the Telegraph article were out to discredit him by using the expenses issue . I may be misinterpreting his words , because that is how I understood the article when I first read it . It is an attempt to cast him in a bad light . That is a personal matter , and is aimed at Graham's personal integrity rather than his actions which are perfectly legitimate and above board .

What criticism I have is for those who are behind the article , and are using it in a petty way for party political gain .

Those with better knowledge than me of the history of Hyndburn politics will say that it is the sort of thing all parties get up to .

I would prefer a non-party political Council , made up of independent minded people who run the Council in a non-party way . There is no great divide between the parties locally . Even nationally the divide is small . The Liberal Democrats , for example , have sunk their differences with the Conservatives to form a coalition . Labour were at one point close to doing it with the Liberals .

We are far away from the Labour Party of Clem Attlee in 1945 and the Conservative Party of Margaret Thatcher in 1979 . Now there was real division .

Acrylic-bob · 18-11-2010, 11:38

I am sure that Graham was asked if he knew what he would be taking on when he stood for Parliament. It is a bit marred to start complaining about political mudslinging so early in his tenure of the position. Just as it is a bit politically naieve to imagine that his opponents wouldn't attempt to make whatever political capital they could out of the least fart! Sounds like someone could do with growing a pair, sharpish.

yerself · 18-11-2010, 12:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

Graham not only needs a good language coach

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

It is a bit marred

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

it is a bit politically naieve

mard Noun. 1. A weak willed person, a softie. [Northern use]
2. A bad mood or temper. [Northern/Midlands use]

naive adjective (also naïve) /naɪˈiːv/ adj mainly disapproving
too willing to believe that someone is telling the truth, that people's intentions in general are good, or that life is simple and fair. People are often naive because they are young and/or have not had much experience of life

Now now Acrylic-bob. Glass houses, stones etc.

Acrylic-bob · 18-11-2010, 13:01

Thank you Yerself, but I do know how to use a dictionary. I also know when and where I can make errors in spelling without distorting or destroying the sense of what I have to say. Choosing speed over pedantic accuracy is sometimes an inescapable necessity. But it is nice to know that one's comments are examined so closely.

Ken Moss · 19-11-2010, 09:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCB

I would prefer a non-party political Council , made up of independent minded people who run the Council in a non-party way . There is no great divide between the parties locally . Even nationally the divide is small . The Liberal Democrats , for example , have sunk their differences with the Conservatives to form a coalition . Labour were at one point close to doing it with the Liberals.

It's a nice ideology but in practice it would almost certainly not work. A council needs to work by collective judgement, not a loosely connected group of individuals. The party system enables stronger and more cohesive decision-making and I'm afraid that even if every councillor was independent you would still get political bitching.

The only possible way around it is if the whole council was either Labour or Conservative and even then it is highly likely that there would be some degree of in-fighting, if not publicly then behind closed doors.

I'm afraid there's just no surefire way around oneupmanship within politics, wherever you have a seat of power then someone will always think they can do it better.

jaysay · 19-11-2010, 11:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

The only possible way around it is if the whole council was either Labour or Conservative and even then it is highly likely that there would be some degree of in-fighting, if not publicly then behind closed doors.

And it doesn't go on now