Political moats and beams

It seems unbelievable that those politicians caught up in this expenses scandal did not realise that they were giving themselves a political hornet's nest just waiting to go buzz the minute it was disturbed. It shows a singular lack of judgement, particularly as other individual cases had been blowing up on a regularly basis before this sorry saga happened. MPs were being "investigated" from many years back. In fact, part of the New Labour mantra in 1997 was that politics had become corrupted and sleazy. Sounds very hollow and hypocritical now.

It seems that, as the country becomes more secular, more attached to personal enrichment at the expense of community benefit, the old ways melt away. Politicians should reflect on the New Testament teaching of motes and beams. They are now in no fit state to complain about each other. They are all guilty in some way. Maybe not financially, but in allowing it to drift on. With few exceptions, like Norman Baker, it was an accepted practice. We hear of the whips actually inducting new members into the nefarious ways of parliamentary book-keeping. A tap on the shoulder, a few words, and the new boy/girl was "in". Only the strong-willed and morally determined stood up against this racket.

Motes and beams! What do we get in modern parlance? Literally moats and beams. Douglas Hogg gets his moat scrubbed up by a willing handyman and John Prescott gets mock tudor beams added to his Hull home. It's bad enough that they thought it all fitted in with "doing the job" but they don't think they did anything wrong. Again, the system is at fault. Well, if any system is to be blamed it surely must be the devisers of it who are culpable. Human greed is a failing that can be understood and forgiven, but sheer bloody-minded obstinacy is verging on the unforgivable.

Posted in: House of Commons,MPs expenses