The present scandal of MPs expenses has been given a great deal of attention by the press - nothing new there - but what has come clearly to light is the depth and breadth of antipathy and mistrust the public bears towards politicians - as well as those avaricious bankers who precipitated the present financial crisis. Those who merely dismiss this whole episode as media hypocrisy are missing a vital point; this expenses scandal has been the latest and biggest nail in the coffin of public confidence in our political leaders.
We've seen Government pledging untold billions of credit to bail out profligate banking interests, while so many people's lives have been adversely affected by this credit crunch. The bill for this will take decades to pay off. We've been conditioned to expect lean times for the forseeable future by the same elite class, many of whom have been content to milk the lax parliamenary expenses system for all it's worth to maintain a standard of living that many ordinary people can only dream of. Furthermore, many of those whose "mistakes" have been uncovered have either been defensive or have failed to understand what the fuss has been about. Such is their political awareness and empathy with the public they purport to represent.
But this isn't the only cause for anger and indignation; there is an increasing resentment for the additional burdens of legislation and taxation which have been steadily imposed. The issue of immigration is never far from the public mind. We were conned by politicians into membership of a European project (remember the EEC?) which was held out as a promising free trade arrangement; over the years it has come to light that this was only a part of the picture: we are actually in the process of being subsumed into an emerging European super-state - without any public mandate. Any promises of a referendum on the part of this present government have mysteriously fallen silent - and they will in their sucessors as well.
We've been accustomed to seeing cabinet ministers on both sides parrotting the party line when they have been asked searching questions on the radio or TV, and we have seen the usual evasions and half-truths we have come to expect.
All of these factors - and doubtless many more - have contributed to the impression in the general public that politicians don't represent them - they're in the business for their own slice of the pie - whether that be the lust for power and influence, financial rewards or some vainglorious political kudos.
We need more independent-minded people in politics. I'm not against the concept of the Tory/Labour divide, but I feel that too much power rests in the party machines on both sides.When an MP joins the cabinet, he/she surrenders any vestige of independent thought. The withdrawal of the whip has been a Sword of Damocles poised over the heads of mavericks and dissenters. This mustn't be allowed to continue.
What should be done? After the last unscrupulous freeloader has been dismissed, the government should call a general election. Upon the accession of the next government, the issue of MPs' pay and expenses should be given immediate attention.
In the meantime, the misdemeanours continue to come to light. The level of public discontent will in in some measure play into the hands of more radical and unscrupulous political interests - but nevertheless this whole scandal could - if handled correctly - serve to advance representational democracy.
