If we want something done properly, we should do it ourselves

By Simon Leonard

One of the best things I’ve seen on YouTube is The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart on CNN’s Crossfire, pleading with Tucker Carlson to end the ‘partisan hackery’ and telling him ‘you’re hurting America‘. Oh to be in Stewart’s position right now with the corrosive quagmire of Parliamentary expenses and to be able to say to politicians, the press and elements of the punditocracy – stop, you’re hurting us all.

Over the last few days, the MPs’ expenses story has been getting more coverage than the build up to the G20 when in reality, only the latter issue has the potential to affect us all, for good or bad. The volume of reporting obviously stems from the outrage people feel about the expenses of Smith and McNulty, Conway and the Wintertons. It doesn’t matter whether they were within the rules or not, because they fall down in ‘the court of public opinion’ (Harman) and fail ‘the Daily Mail test’ (Cameron).

I detest both these phrases but I take their point. In my view, the worst aspect of these stories is not the money. The amounts are miniscule compared to the sums bouncing around the economy, from the taxpayer to the government to the banks and then back to taxpayer at a presumably hefty interest. No, the worst part is that they are a distraction from the important business of politics.

Now I’m not a member of the Labour Party but for all I’ve experienced and understood about Britain, our people and the wider world, I’m inclined to support them, even though they’ve been making it really difficult lately. Like many people, I’ve felt let down by New Labour. For one thing, the Tories reputation for sleaze in the 1990’s should have served as a warning to this government but it didn’t. For the Conservatives to make the mistakes was bad, for Labour to repeat them is unbelievably stupid. And what of Gordon Brown, a man even his critics would have to admit is not motivated by financial self-interest, couldn’t he have come up with a fair, open system? It wouldn’t be saving the world but regaining respect for the political process would be enough of a legacy for me.

So where does this leave us? The point of this piece is not to chip in my own analysis of the problem but to suggest a way forward which is, instead of waiting for an inquiry that it likely to disappoint, why not take the lead ourselves. I suggest that LabourList, ConservativeHome and LibDemVoice set up an online enquiry using ‘wiki’ collaboration to try and come up with proposals agreeable to all parties.

At the moment, there is more heat than light on this topic and I can’t be the only one who would like a debate driven by facts rather then emotion. So take it one step at a time, start with MPs’ pay and look at how it compares worldwide, in relation to other professions and how it is has grown over the decades. Get contributions from the public, the politicians, the media (new and old) and have a debate where suggestions can be ruled out through reasoned argument and those that remain have a good chance of commanding support.

The frame of reference would be completely open to be determined by what people want, not what governments on MPs think they can get away with.

Finally, as has been reported, more details of MPs’ expenses are being touted around the papers for £300,000 and for that price, you have to assume they’re going to be explosive. Those of us interested in politics as a worthwhile cause rather then a spectator sport need to at least try and make the case for a better system whilst a few people are left listening.