Do MP's do a good job of running this country

Well that was a bit of a conversation stopper!!

No

MPs couldn't run a bath.

I think that to be a really effective MP, you should live on minimum wage. Then things would change for the working person, services would improve to
Bring about a more equitable society.

Well Absent Probably on the basis that we are keeping the French sweet for the time when we are fighting for control of the aircraft carrier that we will be sharing with them.

True Greatnan but the expenses scandal was such a prolonged piece of corruption.

Thinking about illegal wars, on what basis is the RAF flying French equipment to Mali?

I would say it was a toss up between the expenses scandal and the revelations of the close links between politicians, the newspapers and the police. Not forgetting the illegal war. Really, the whole lot stinks!

I would suggest that the worst recent political scandal was the issue of MPs' expenses – and that isn't over yet by any means. How could that be so quickly forgotten?

As far as MPs being out of touch with the electorate is concerned, the fact that a sizeable number of them thinks that they "deserve" a 32% pay rise, while other public servants have to make do with 1%, says it all.

anno agree..should have said 'It is beginning to attract even more ego driven politicians...'

lily I think once the two main parties got closer in their policies it made it hard for the electorate to align with one or the other and they could not see it mattered who they voted for as they appeared the same!

nanaej I'm sure what you say about what's happening in local government is true and can't help the general disaffection with politics. But the responses I got on doorsteps were more than twenty years ago !

'beginning'? Sadly, it's well established and one particularly egotistical one of my acquaintance managed to get into Parliament and is doing nicely with the coalition. Creep!

anno exactly what I have hard from other ex-councillors..disillusioned with the lack of democracy and open debate. It is beginning to attract ego driven politicians into local politics and not the more value driven ones!

It was the cabinet style of local government that made me retire as a councillor. I saw the system as putting too much power in too few hands, and I knew whose hands those would be and I didn't trust them.

Absent is that you? Are you back with us? You have definitely been missed.

When people say they are not interested in politics it is not true. Almost everything they encounter day-to-day and moan about or praise is a result of a political decision. What they are not interested in any more are party politics and the tedious, personal attack, adversarial style...slagging off the opposition, blaming the opposite bench for problems rather than properly debated issues based on research, facts and reasoned argument or offering constructive options.

I also think that the move to cabinet style of running local councils has limited opportunities for potential national politicians to learn the art of debate, the ability to properly research and of the feeling that 'they can make a difference' to issues they really care about.

I am sure this has cut down on meeting time etc but most decisions are made outside of any council meetings which are now just the public process of rubber stamping decisions. This 'behind closed doors' politics is another of the reasons the general public are less engaged with political decisions as it all feels like a 'fait accompli'

Private Eye is trying to find out which MPs have got vested interests in private health providers, possibly through their relations or friends.

The short answer is no. I suspect that the long answer is no as well. MPs per se have very little power these days. They sit on the back benches – when they bother to turn up to Parliament – but are herded into the lobbies like sheep by the Whips on any votes that count. The PM and Cabinet do the serious stuff. Does anybody believe, for example, that George Osborne has a clue about economics or Michael Gove has a clue about education? And that's just two of them. The Quiet Man is busy demolishing the welfare state and Jeremy Hunt – homeopathy fan – is carrying on what Andrew Lansley started with the destruction of the NHS. Now they are talking about giving private health providers – profit-making companies – exemption from corporation tax to make a "level playing field" with the NHS, which is and always has been a service.

OK

[Grin]

Good!

Mmmm, I'd noticed. Maybe feel more confident about saying what I feel as well as think!

Ariadne, that bracing Devon air certainly seems to be making you very forthright these days!

Surely the answer to this rather vague questions is either "Yes" or "No". Yawn...

wrong person to ask, our mp Douglas Carswell has let us down rather badly, see other thread.

He came over as wanting to try and help but as soon as we asked him to finish what he started o No, that was that and it was not necessary for him to send us such a rude letter.

i do believe he is more active than most mps and is what they called a mover and shaker, he does not agree with the government if he does not is not a yes person.

on the whole we probably have too many claiming far too much!!

I've just received my ATOS 'we'll prove you're well enough to work form'. You need a degree in linguistics to complete it. To me it proves that the government and the civil servants who run this country don't care how the rest of us live as long as we cost as little as possible.