Are our MP’s standards of decency falling?

On a none party stance, I would like to see more females in the Commons and particularly those politically minded ladies of child bearing age. To achieve that and to encourage to stand for election we need a Parliament that caters for their needs. If it means proxy voting then so be it. What we do not want are deceitful politicians of any shade who manipulates young mothers who are MP’s in carry out their duties to the electorate. That is not taking a political stance but one of common decency.

First sack the MPs who fiddled expenses , the Mps involved in sex scandals , the Mps known to have personal involvement in businesses 'as a sideline'.
The few that are left , do we trust them implicitly to make decisions in the best interest of our country.
If we do, great, if not, lets have an election , an honest straightforward count the votes election

Always been so, just in the past much was not reported. And as for gentlemen , the lowest of the low was Corbyn inviting IRA leaders to Westminster when fellow members of the house were grieving following the Brighton bombing, if a person cannot respect grief this is as low as anyone can get .

I agree elfies and think calling it ' fiddling their expenses' is too polite, it's fraud plain and simple.
As other people said very few MPs seem to be there to help the country and their constituents but for advancing their careers and personal gain.
Don't get me started on the MEPs gravy train.

And The ghastly N Soames mocking a new labour MP because the man had been a ships steward.

Parliament has had more than its share of stupid, venal and immoral MPs since it began.

I do not think this lot are any worse than they were in the 16. 17, 18, or 19th centuries. It is just that nowadays it gets into the press and other media all the time. In the past it was known and accepted or hidden.

Parliament also has and has had its honourable and brave members who are true and honest to their cause and been prepared to suffer being ostracised and persecuted for their views.

This lot are a disorganised shambles - and I exclude no party from that condemnation, but they are not the first.

Read a parliamentary history of the first 60 years of the 19th century or try reading some of Anthony Trollope's Palliser novels

It would seem ( for once!) that we are all agreed on the venality, dishonesty, dishonourable behaviour of many of those elected to represent their constituents. This goes beyond party boundaries and I really do worry that we will have another general election, brought about by the cheating, desperate Tories; I worry because I truly do not know who I would vote for. They are all, in the words of Terry Thomas 'an absolute shower'. There are a few exceptions within the two main parties, but these individuals seem to be sidelined and trampled on by the others scrambling for power. It is all most unedifying and frightening. People like Boris and Jacob are not funny anymore. I feel sorry for May trying to hold this shower of sh*t together, and I hope she keeps her job, the alternatives such as Leadsom,Gove,Johnson,Davis are just too awful to contemplate.

I think politics is a toxic environment, always has been across the board. It is good that we are HEARING more about the dark side because it means that its becoming less acceptable.

And The ghastly N Soames mocking a new labour MP because the man had been a ships steward.

Good heavens; you're delving a bit far back into the past, aren't you, Ab?

Yes Maizie, 48 years back, but Soames is still an MP

There are still some MPs who go into politics for very noble reasons and who have stuck by their vocation to try to improve society for the benefit of all. It feels the good folk are outnumbered by those who enjoy power and use politics to ensure any new policies benefit their business
interests or those of pals rather than wider society .

lemongrove As the many other political threads demonstrate, you are not at all reluctant to criticise everything to do with the Labour Party.

You query whether the OP is politically biased in raising concerns as to the recent conduct of Conservative MPs. For someone who claims to have no faith in any of the parties, you always seem to jump to the defence of the Conservative Party so you too are also quite selective in who you choose to criticise. Yet you now deem it inappropriate to single out any party for bad behaviour - suddenly they're all at it, according to you.

I wonder if you would be making the same complaint of OP bias if it were a Labour minister being referred to in the thread instead of a Conservative one.

anniebach You say it is:

"Unfair to judge the morals of one party unless one is member of the party, I criticise Corbyn more than May because I am a labour member."

I don't understand your reasoning. Perhaps you could explain.

I think humans have always been humans, but with 24 hour news and talk stations having to find more to fill their slots rather than the 10 minutes at 6pm we used to have in the olden days, they're looking deeper into everyone's subplots rather than just reporting the national and international outcomes of their doings.

Eloethan as usual you are ready to jump in with both boots on.
You are right in one thing only, that I criticise the LP ....however, when they have rid themselves of the three amigos, (second rate brains with marxist views) the LP under the right Leader and with a better shadow cabinet could actually do well.
I have not ‘jumped to the defence of the Conservative Party’
In any of my posts on here, I suggest you read them again.
The Conservatives haven’t been doing well ( although TMay has to be applauded for staying power and sense of duty, unlike the cowardly Cameron.)I asked the OP a perfectly reasonable question btw.

Add to that, regarding bad behaviour from all political parties at times ,it is not just ‘according to me’ but according to just about everybody I should think.

Nothing much has changed on our political scene from, say, 50 or so years ago. MPs have been much the same over time.

What HAS happened is that we are now told by media about every little bit that in the past we might never have heard about. There is a proliferation of information and much of it is doubtful, biased or simply the opinion of one person.

MPs have never been examples to follow, just the odd exception, much like the rest of the public. They are all the same homo sapiens as us.

Doesn't matter where you look in society ethical and moral standards have declined. Just need to look at Joe Public; behaviour, dress, speech, eating, work, relationships. Politicians are no less affected. Difference is that with the media today we are made aware instantly of any misdemeanor whereas it used to take years before being uncovered. Nothing has changed other than investigative journalism and communications.

I think there were always some appalling people at Westminster. The difference is that now the media can tell us about them with varying degrees of accuracy.
The remedy is in the hands of the voters. If your MP is a sex pest, a liar, or an embezzler don’t vote for him or her next time. Simples!
NB I did NOT say ‘don’t vote’!

"It was ever thus"

PECS, I was wondering if you would name some of the past MPs you outline in your first statement, please? I'd be interested in doing some research.

It's nothing new. Profumo and Thorpe spring to mind.

Misleading the House used to be a resigning offence, now it seems to be the norm.

I think things are better now than ever before for the simple reason that with social media & modern communication it is far more difficult to sweep things under the carpet. Thinking back to my history lessons with rotten Boroughs & the upper classes going into politics for the opportunity to feather their own nests etc. I think we probably have a heck of a lot more people in politics for the right reasons. Unfortunately we don't hear so much about them as they get on & do & don't make the headlines.

Politicians may be no worse than anyone else. But they get found out more, because their opposition have an interest in digging dirt about them.

We have double standards, even among politicians. Some have their careers destroyed by causing even slight 'offence'. Others seem fireproof. Yes, I'm talking about you, Boris and Donald!

I doubt they can fall any farther!

Yes, standards of decency and morality have quite definitely fallen everywhere and not only amongst politicians.

Or do we just think so, because (dare I say it?) we are getting old?