Teaching the Tories a thing or two about SLEAZE.

Acrylic-bob · 02-03-2006, 05:01

It is a sad inictment of politicians and of politics in general that little of what they now do surprises me. I had thought I had seen just about everything.
Until now that is.

I was quite used to the idea of Prescott's arrogant assumption that Council Tax was something we lesser mortals paid. I was even becoming accoustomed to accepting that the Prime Minister and the Truth were destined to remain strangers.

The thing which has surprised and appalled me however is not the behaviour of the Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, who believed that it was perfectly reasonable for a Minister of the Crown to accept £350,000 from a company owned by the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi,which she used as part payment for her mortgage, provided she called it a gift rather than what it was; a bribe. Sadly, that she felt justified in doing this does not surprise me at all. What does surprise me is that she appears to have gotten away with it. She will not now face an inquiry. She will not be required to resign her position. She will not attract the attention of the Police and she will not face prosecution.

What sort of signal does this sort of behaviour send to the general public?
What does it say about the attitudes of our political lords and masters?
Can any politician ever be trusted to keep their grubby fingers out of the till?

What do members think?

Wynonie Harris · 02-03-2006, 08:41

The fragrant Tessa is merely reaping the rewards of years of conscientious brown nosing to the Dear Leader (she once said she would throw herself under a bus for him). The lesson to be learned from all this is that if you're one of Tony's cronies, you can get away with virtually anything. Look at Mandy Mandelson - he was involved in questionable dealings not once, but twice, and he's now riding the EU gravy train.

Anybody remember Tony's promise when he came to power in 1997 to provide open, accountable government and sweep away the sleaze that had dogged the Tories? Some hope!

Basher · 02-03-2006, 08:54

Totally agree with everything said, no matter what your thoughts of politics people who make up the ruling party in any country should be treated in a way that would set an example. It should be a major concern for anyone in a position of power that they do not even so much as step on the line between what is right and what is wrong let alone step over it!

"It's not what you know it's who you know" has been very well portrayed by those in the labour ranks of recent.

SPUGGIE J · 02-03-2006, 11:47

The day we get a sleaze free govenment will be never. It will always happen and its only those that are not smart enough to cover their trail that are exposed. Like anything else you can manipulate the rules to suit to which this Govenment seem to be experts at. : O

Wynonie Harris · 03-03-2006, 08:41

Surprise, surprise, Tony has given Tessa the all-clear. Apparently, hubby didn't bother to tell her about his £344,000 "gift" for four years, by which time he'd reclassified it with the Inland Revenue as earnings, so she didn't need to declare it. How convenient. Now, I admit that if I'd picked up the odd fifty quid on the winner in the 3.30 at Newbury, I might well "forget" to tell Mrs H, but we're talking about a very large sum of money here, even for a wealthy champagne socialist like Tessa Jowell.

Does Tony Blair think we're stupid? Or is it just that he has such a brazen contempt for democracy, that he just doesn't care?

WillowTheWhisp · 03-03-2006, 08:51

How can he reclassify a gift as earnings anyway?

Wynonie Harris · 03-03-2006, 09:09

Who knows? What amazes me is that the money was used to pay off a mortgage on the couples' London home which she'd jointly signed, so how could she not know about it? Still, anything's possible when Tony gets his bucket of whitewash out!

yerself · 03-03-2006, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by acrylic-bob

What sort of signal does this sort of behaviour send to the general public?

The same signal that governments and those in authority have sent out since the year dot.

'Do as I say, not as I do'

Gayle · 03-03-2006, 12:32

It is alarming that politicians can behave like this and it seems like the more power they have the more it can go to their heads. For all you might whinge about Greg Pope's policies, here in Hyndburn we have a very respectable family man representing our interests.

It's very easy for me to say this because I'm still on the same side of the fence at the moment but I hope that when I'm elected (if I'm elected) I will continue to be as open and as honest as I am now. I don't like liars and I think that one of the things that is quite clear about me is that I believe that the truth is most often the best bet.

It happens in all walks of life where someone is promoted and forgets what they were doing in the first place - this happens in business when managers suddenly get promoted to director and start taking huge bonuses or when footballers get signed up by a big team and go out and buy a flash car. It's quite possibly human nature but in politics it is wrong, totally wrong - these people are there for a reason and it's not about lining their own pockets. It makes me wonder why they even thought they should be representing the people at all.

Now before anyone says that I'm contradicting myself with something on a previous thread, I'm not. I do believe the politicians should be reimbursed for their time for the work they do (if they work for it). There is just a wide, gaping hole between what they deserve and what they seem to think they should be entitled to and it's that that I think is wrong.

SPUGGIE J · 03-03-2006, 13:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by yerself

The same signal that governments and those in authority have sent out since the year dot.

'Do as I say, not as I do'

Yet they seem to forget we put them there and can just as easy remove them as well.