Shailesh Vara MP and his second home

The MP for North West Cambridgeshire, Shailesh Vara, was outed yesterday by the Daily Telegraph in relation to claiming for mortgage interest relief prior to being elected. He countered this with the argument he forgot to pro-rata his claim for the time he wasn't a politician. A genuine mistake he would argue.

The property in question was in his wife's name only, he blamed that on his Solicitors mistake when the house was purchased. Fair enough he claims.

But one statement he made which I can't get my head round is:

'....The house was our matrimonial home and the name on the deeds and bills does not alter the reality of the ownership....'

Just one little problem here. 'Matrimonial Home' A matrimonial home is not a second home. Why was Shailesh Vara claiming for what he describes as his Matrimonial home?

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Police investigations of Politicians

There have been numerous calls for Police investigations into the actions and claims by politicians for expenses over the recent weeks, but so far nothing has happened.

I have been wondering why this would be the case?

Are the Police in cahoots with Politicians and won't investigate anyone? Are the investigations going on in secret? Are there no questions to ask?

I don't think any of those are the real reason we have heard nothing about investigations.

Tomorrow we have elections for the European Parliament and various council seats. I would guess, these investigations have been suppressed, under political pressure until after the elections. I anticipate that by next week, we will hear of investigations by the Police into certain MPs.

That in itself is an even more worrying sign than corrupt politicians. It means the Police are once again being manipulated by Government to meet a political agenda.

The mainstream parties are concerned of a backlash against them at the elections and much has been made of the potential benefits extremist parties may gain from this backlash. To have investigations ongoing of mainstream party politicians prior to the elections, has probably been deemed as a risk of corroding their support further.

Corrupt politicians are of considerable concern, a Police State is far worse.

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Boardroom pay bonanza

While Politicians are being lambasted for claiming expenses for cutting Wisteria and financing non-existent homes, not all Chief Executives of the FTSE100 Companies are getting the point.

The Largest Companies in the UK seem to think they are in the football leagues, with a Premiership of the top 100 and a Champion’s League of the FTSE250.

The average remuneration for a top 100 company CEO in 2008 was £2 600 000 an increase of 7% on 2007, whilst the top 250 average pay was £ 1 400 000 up by 5% on the previous year.

Not only does it appear that the CEO thinks they are worth a large salary, but they have scant regard for anyone else in their organisation, receiving on average 60% more than the next highest paid Director.

While profits and share prices have slumped, bonuses have remained the same. The FTSE100 fell by 30% last year, but CEOs maintain an average £510 000 bonus payment.

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Ripping off the electorate

Listening to Politicians pontificating about the need for wholesale change in British Politics is an unedifying spectacle. The idea that these people have suddenly woken up to wholesale political corruption, but had no idea of any of it before the Daily Telegraph ran their ongoing saga, is ridiculous.

We have Saint Cameron, forgetting he ripped of the tax payer and paid back to the kitty, only after he was found out. On what basis does he think he has any justification to lecture anyone else? Perhaps he feels his mini error is acceptable, after all he has now paid it back. it isn't. If it is wring in the cold light of a newspaper expose, it was wrong when the claim was made. The very fact he claimed it in the first place, demonstrates his ethics and they do not sit comfortably with the hand wringing he his now conducting.

As for Brown, a man who lives in a grace and favour residence, but still feels the need to claim for a cleaner, enough said. It isn't acceptable, never has been nor will it ever be so.

The very idea of yet another committee comprising Peers of the realm to head up an investigation in to wholesale change is farcical. Just last month 2 Peers were suspended for corruption and others had to make speeches of apology, which the Peers deem enough. A suspension and an apology are not enough for their breach of trust and to suggest they are in any way placed to decide the future of the political landscape would be comical, were it not so sad.

This doesn't leave us in the block, politicians would have us believe.

Now is the time when people can get together to look at change and put themselves forward for election to a committee who has the remit to undertake a radical review of the whole political system, from Parish Council to Central Government.

A committee with a two year fixed term. This committee would be further elected to regulate Parliament and Government once again on fixed two year terms and no one able to stand for office more than twice. Similarly anyone elected to this committee unable to stand for political office for a period of 4 year after their serving on the committee and should the consensus be to retain the peerage system, no honour or peerage to be bestowed for a period of four years after working on the committee. No one who has sat in political office should be permitted to stand on the committee for a period of two terms of the political arena in which they served. Be that eight, ten years, or whatever term the committee deems appropriate.

The next general election would be the last under the current system

Sure we are going through a financial crisis, with many additional major issues facing not just the UK, but the rest of the world, but without a political system in which people have faith, there is no hope for any 'buy in' from the general public.

It is essential to maintain a distance between the political system and the judiciary, something we have seen weaken over the recent years, it is also essential that anyone involved in a change of the political landscape must be divorced from the quagmire they scrutinize.

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Joanna Lumley and Politics

While I fully support the fight for justice for the Ghurkas and believe they should be able to settle in the UK, I find the unedifying sight of Government policy being made on the hoof at the behest of Joanna Lumley somewhat disturbing.

We have had investigations into cash for peerages and questions asked about the ability to buy changes in legislation, all of which are of course denied, but here we saw in the most gaphic form, how politicins can be and are manipulated.

The sight of Paul Woolas nodding his head like a sheep each time Joanna Lumley introduced a new clause, is a sign of a Government not fit for office.

The message is unhealthy. If you are a welknown actress you will get Ministers to nod their head in agreement. If you are a newspaper vendor in Central London, you will be assaulted by the Police in Public view and your death covered up.

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