Our politicians stink! Agree or disagree?

I agree with you about zero hour contracts durhamjen disgusting.

You might have worked out that I am obviously a socialist. However I knew there was something wrong with the Labour Party the time I could not bring myself to vote for Blair, but my lifelong Conservative parents and my old style Liberal friends all did!
If you wish for Vince Cable to make amends for one of his crimes, sign up to this to get him to have a public enquiry into zero hours contracts. https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/zero-hours-government
I wear sandals for as long as I can every year. Bit wet at the moment.

Saddest thing of all, durhamjen, I used to support the old Liberal party, beards, sandals and all, and some of those were female members. After this coalition and their shifty activities I wouldn't touch any of 'em, Liberals I mean, with the proverbial. As for IDS, just a silver-spoon-lifestyle failed Tory leader with a reputation for bullying and threats.

No papaoscar, we do not deserve to be run by a load of megalomaniac liars. If this government had been honest, they would not have got in last time.
I like to think I am honest, as do most people on this site. What I ask is that they should be honest.
IDS still talks about compassionate conservatism in his discussions of the universal credit. There is nothing compassionate about the way his government treats those who live in poverty.
And look at the mess they are making of the NHS. We diid not want politicians to do that.

Annak53 - I agree that our politicians leave much to be desired, and realise that I do enjoy having a swipe at all of 'em! However, perhaps they only reflect the relatively small percentage of the population who vote for them. Or perhaps the five-year period between elections is too short to permit the proper consideration and implementation of necessary change. Perhaps the British (mainly) two-party system just encourages a continual Punch and Judy-style exchange of blows in an adversarial system.

Perhaps the heavy involvement in politics of big business, a dominant partisan national press and media is not healthy. Should a hereditary monarchy and all the associated layers of nobility, heredity and tradition form a part of, or have any part in, our democratic process? Do our politicians just reflect society, not lead it? Do we demand standards of conduct from our politicians that we do not ask of ourselves? Perhaps, at the end of the day, we only get the politicians we deserve. Answers on a postcard, please...!

I agree that politicians do not live in the real world. How can they when their policies cause devastation and despair?

They make promises, then break them.

The changes to the State Pension Law are a classic example. This is a quote from the Coalition's document "The Coalition: Our Programme for Government":

"We will phase out the default retirement age and hold a review to set the date at which the state pension age starts to rise to 66, although it will not be sooner than 2016 for men and 2020 for women. We will end the rules requiring compulsory annuitisation at 75".

Yet with little notice they changed the laws that have affected hundreds and thousands of us.

However, Civil Servants, within 10 years of normal retirement age were, quite rightly, given immunity from the changes to the Civil Service pension reforms. This was to " Provide transitional protection for those closest to retirement".

MP's and Judges are also protected from the changes to their pension scheme because "This protection strives to be fair to members who are close to their expected retirement age and are less able to change their plans than younger members". Not only is this hypocrisy on their part it is also discrimination and therefore illegal.

If you disapprove of these changes that will also affect our young people - there will be no jobs for them if we are being forced to work until we drop - please sign and share this petition:-

you.38degrees.org.uk/p/statepensionlaw

Thanks
Anne

Changes imposed by politicians without a mandate is a result of representational democracy as against direct democracy and reinforces the point that democracy per se is nothing much more than being given the opportunity to vote on what you are being told you will be doing. A rather simplistic interpretation perhaps but reasonably accurate nonetheless. What I find astonishing is that we have almost monthly examples of it in apparent conflict with what appears to be majority wishes but still it continues regardless.
Anyway, time for bed and another day tomorrow.

Many years ago, well before I retired, I went to a meeting of older people starting to form a political party for retirees. Whatever happened to that idea?
With so much corruption in the current parties, and more and more people of our age living a healthy life into the 70s and 80s, why can't we be active in politics?
What's needed is some new blood. UKIP is one alternative, but I believe older people have much more to offer.

Anno - I genuinely struggle with the fact that we're having sweeping changes imposed on public services, particularly the NHS, without the people imposing them having a mandate to do so. The NHS is safe with us, I think they said.

Jeremy Hunt is one case in point, even worse is Michael Gove. Have any of his so-called 'reforms' been submitted for Parliamentary debate? Have any of the Lib Dem members of Cabinet made any effort to oppose him? And if not, why not? So much for Parliamentary democracy.

Many thanks, Hon. Members, for the excellent ventilation of this subject. I am minded to think that perhaps, after all, there are some good, honest hard-working politicians out there, which is a relief. A test I apply these days is to check out the parliamentary expenses record of any politician whose views I am interested in. Sometimes the results are encouraging, but often I find that the politician with who makes the most noise has either had to quietly repay buckets of cash or used the system to make a fortune, just within the rules.

It's the system that's at fault, regardless of party, made much worse by the incestuous influence of the media, the lobbying industry and big business. So I would clean out the parliamentary 'stables', change the straw, and get some bright new steeds in to replace some of the broken-down old nags we have in there at the moment. That's what I'd do with the Commons. As regards the Lords I'd sack the lot of 'em, hereditary or not, they have no place in a democratic system. Then I'd get myself elected with a few Gransnet buddies and do a much better job...

One problem is that since Blair's time government has been run by the cabinet rather than the party. It takes a lot of guts for MPs to go against the ruling elite.
Just look at what is happening to the NHS despite what the Tories said before the last election.
Even local government is run on cabinet lines now in many areas.
This gives a few politicians more power than they should have. I would love to know what hold Jeremy Hunt has that he gets promoted to jobs he is incapable of doing. He's as teflon-coated as Tony Blair, now envoy for peace. Hunt wants to get rid of the NHS, therefore is put in charge of it.

I don't think we can generalise about all politicians, but must admit in
recent years that I have been totally shocked and disillusioned by the evidence of corruption, lies, and downright sleaziness amongst them.
But I still cannot believe they are all like this. There must surely be some who sincerely want to do their best for the country?
I hope so anyway.

Five years ago Tony Benn was giving reasons why the then government, the Labour government, should not take away bus passes from pensioners. He said it cost about £90 for each pensioner who wanted one to have a pass, then gave lots of environmental reasons for keeping the pass. He's definitely someone who still sees the bigger picture, not just about this, but about finance and press freedom,and is one of the few politicians that I have respect for.

Dave Fishwick is a very interesting man isn't he. I enjoyed his Bank of Dave programme -

Dave Fishwick for priminister. Not a politician, but a business man who goes straight to the heart of the problem.

I think that mishap gave a very good answer, in fact, I can add nothing to it.

absent maybe the good ones resign and leave the others to muddle on regardless.

There was a good IF cartoon in the Guardian today (though usually IF's a bit cruel and crude for me). It was the Environment minister delighted with his work because all the badgers were drowning.

Papaoscar I vote at every opportunity believing, naively perhaps, that it is the one voice I have. I certainly never miss voting at a local election as I believe it your local councillors who spend your money. Absent has highlighted a politician with backbone in Robin Cook, he stood by his principles and there are a handfull of others but I stand by my assertion that generally politicians are self serving and have one eye on the job they are charged to do but a much larger eye on using the contacts, influence and offices they hold to secure their future. It is far too complex an issue to debate openly on a forum but I will need convincing otherwise. Our system leaves a lot to be desired which makes one wonder why it is defended to the extent it is.

As we were also discussing World War I, I was reflecting that at least Churchill resigned after the disastrous campaign in the Dardanelles and that got me to thinking about politicians resigning over their mistakes and sins. That got me as far as John Profumo and Lord Carrington and then I was stuck in 1980s. Robin Cook resigned just before the invasion of Iraq, but that wasn't because he was wrong, but because he was right. I do think the moral compass of MPs has changed – and not for the better.

Granny23 - I meant General Elections.

People vary. Even the same people vary - good and bad.
I think a lot of politicians are elected meaning to do the best for us all but the old boys' club atmosphere of parliament must be against them.
I may be an idealist but I think most politicians probably mean well (in their way which is probably quite an odd way), but it's a hard job to be competent at.
I hate ministers being put in charge of important matters they have no experience of!! I mean you don't get a Chancellor who is terrible at maths so why do it in Environment or Education.

If you don't think, as I do, that at least the three currently at the very top of the main parties, do not have the people's best interest at heart, what do you think of the rest of the human race? Well, the part of it currently residing in this county.

Why should politicians have any different characteristics to the rest of us? Do you have a jaundiced view of human beings in general?

The system in the UK isn't perfect, and irritates us all at times, but it's the system we have currently. Are you a Russell Brand fan then Papa

Papa Why have you only voted 10 times or thereabouts? Do you only vote at General Elections? Between Local Elections, Euro Elections, Bi-elections, referenda and Scottish Parliament Elections I reckon I have voted nearly 50 times. Living in a 'swing' constituency (Labour/SNP) I have always felt that my vote really mattered but the actual result has often depended on whether the Tory, Liberal or Green voters stick to their own party or are prepared to vote tactically for the lesser of two evils, so their votes really matter too.