Saturday, October 10, 2009
Arden Forester
It doesn't surprise me that some MPs are being investigated and challenged about their expenses for a further time. It has not left the minds of many voters as an election issue. If it has, it will be reignited just like putting light to a time bomb. Memories will be refreshed, revitalised and ready to deliver a verdict.Gordon Brown says "Some cases will end up in the courts, where someone's done something very wrong we've got a duty to deal with them most severely". Sounds good, but he was very keen at first to keep all this expenses stuff silent. He colluded with the former speaker to delay or censure detail. If we had not known the addresses of property, he would now have no duty "to deal with them most severely". In fact, when the lists were disclosed in the Daily Telegraph, Gordon Brown was quick to wonder how his Sky TV expenses would look.
The Jury Team is one political party that will use the expenses scandal to advance their cause. I sense others will too. In fact, the "Others" are coming up in the poll rankings. Fifty years ago, they were a blip. Now they are capable of swinging seats in any direction by taking anything up to 5,000 votes from the three main parties.
The next election will not be a done deal for anyone. It could all end up by deals having to be done.
