Question Time

[anotheoldgit]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8051222 .stm

For anyone that missed BBC's Question Time last night.

[craft1948]

talk about 'poisoned chalice' they must have drawn straws to see who had to go on the programme...........I almost felt sorry for them...............

[webbo3]

the phrase "rabbits in headlights" springs to mind.




Dave.

[ludwig]

Menzies Campbell looked embarrassed throughout the whole thing, quite rightly.
Beckett still can't understand why people think she's done something wrong and seemed annoyed that she should be questioned in such a way.

[Richard1966]

We should do away with politicians and become an anarchistic society.

[R1Geezer]

Who could possibly enjoy MP's squirming in public? That's the worst kind of voyerism!

Now under the Geezer party nothing of the sort would ever happen, we in the Geezer party believe in fairness for all and each according to his needs from each according to his abilities..............err well anyway, vote Geezer at the forthcomming election and all your problems will be over.

[Rollo]

Beckett's permanent supercilious smile on her face, through thick and thin, must really endear her to people.

[DEN53]

Margaret Beckett's attitude was one of utter contempt for the audience.

[filibuster]

I forgot to watch it last night but watched it today on BBC IPlayer, and thought it was excellent. Had I been in the audience I would have wanted to know where integrity came into the discussion. In my opinion, if I were being governed by rules of which I was unhappy, I would do what I considered morally correct, and not end up bleating that the rules were wrong and it was all a mistake. Not one of those who has 'taken' money from the public should be allowed to continue in office.

[andy-hughes]

Menzies Campbell is a man for whom I have always had a great deal of respect, for his opinions, and his integrity.

Until QT - when he had the brass face to call the Green Book 'guidelines' after David Dimbleby quoted the rules to him.

By definition, we should be able to expect a basic degree of intelligence in our MP's - including the ability to read, and interperet their expenses 'guidelines'.

Quite simply, they have all been caught out miling the system to varying degrees, and further insult their electorate by - as Margaret Beckett did - inferring that they are stupid, and no-one has explained it to them.

Apart from sounding like an eerie echo of Thatcher, who always talked to people in that slow patronising voice as though they were eight-year-olds with personality disorders, Ms Beckett has evidenced her inability to simply say "We were wrong, and we are sorry."

It's not difficult, at least not for anyone who has a shred of dignity, morality, and a desire to get re-elected.

[naomi24]

.... not to mention integrity!

[rov1200]

I'm a bit confused when they said its OK to buy from the John Lewis list. But fast forward and we are talking about claiming for household items which is wrong.
When MPs are allowed to have 2nd mortgages you know the system is wrong but David Cameron is still allowing it but not the horse manure.
Can't he see this is the root of the whole problem. Hardly anyone in normal life buys a second home when his job is far away. Either they up sticks and move closer to their place of work or commute. They can then use Fridays for travelling to their constituences.

[Oneeyedvic]

Rov1200 - trouble is that they have two places of work - one in London at Parliament - the other in their constituencies.

Most people who have a job only have one place of work so it is unfair for you to compare it as such.

Personally I like the original</I. lib dem idea which was to have government rent them a place.

[rov1200]

Thats what Friday is for and is enough to carry out a surgery. Many don't work in the HofC Fridays. And it ties in with GB's willingness to get the MPs to get involved which they can't do if going AOL to do something else.

[cassa333]

I don't know which one it was but he said something I have been saying for years.

There is no need for a second home allowance. They could have and should have used the old GLC building across the river as mps accomodation. They could have made it as luxurious and pompas as they feel they should be treated.

It could have lots of posh suites for visiting dignatories and such like.

I bet it would have worked out a lot cheeper than adding all the extra homes stuff they have been getting? Even if you assume it would cost �350 per night (this is way over what the actual cost would be but these mps must have their luxury!!!) for what ! 200 nights is only �70000. A lot by anyones standards but cheaper than paying interest on a non existant morgage and tampax for male mps.

[waterbabe]

They all know what the wages are when they take on the job if they dont like the rate of pay dont do it nobody has their arm up their backs.
Id be over the moon to get that sort of wage as would many others.
Margaret Beckett out she showed nothing but comtempt for the public