The price of democracy

I do have sympathy with some of the views expressed by Clive Strutt (EADT 6th Oct) the public really have to decide what they want. These days MP's earn less than the senior civil servants, which in a democratic process they should be able to bring to account. But they can't! It sometimes seems it is civil servants who have jobs for life, and Minister's who have to fall on their sword when the civil servants foul up!

Is that right?

How many civil servants have been fired by Minister's or MP's as a result of their mistakes?

In one way it is an excellent idea that MP's should attend Council Meetings have seats reserved for them, but it is not practical. An MP cannot be doing his job in Parliament and attending Council meetings in Glasgow, Truro, or Orkney. To do that MP's would virtually have to have their own personal helicopters! Not very environmentally friendly and what would it do to their expenses? The life of people in an MP's constituency are governed by more than the activities of the local Council. MP's would have to be on the board of every business working in their area to ensure the communities interests were protected, as well as on every quango, and attending union branch meetings! Where does it stop?

An MP the right to speak at every meeting affecting their constituency so that for critical issues their voice as the highest elected representative of a community can be heard.

MP's need more investigatory powers at every level, not just in Parliament, but challenging businesses that make decisions affecting their constituency, as well as all other other active organisations. They cannot do that without the resources and authority to back them up.

The police also need to get their act together and not shy away from investigating MP's fraudulent expense claims and prosecuting where appropriate! Where has the worst expenses abuse happened? Not in the seats of MP's in marginal seats, who know they have to work hard for their community, but in the safe seats of the political lobby fodder. Why do they get away with it? Because too many people choose not to vote.

There is only one to deal with this and that is through proportional voting. Have you noticed how David Cameron and Gordon Brown have gone quiet on PR?

It is not just MP's that we rely on to provide democratic accountability, and this is through our local Councillors. Often working long hours on an allowance of £5,000. having to hold down a job, keep a family together, respond to the day to day needs of their ward members. At the same time they have to attend meetings and challenge and query Council Officers earning up to £220,000 a year, who work full time and have a machinery of local government behind them. Councillors are not being given the time, or resources, to scrutinise government legislation and national policy guidelines, or have sufficient authority or power to stand up for their communities in the manner they should be able to in a democratic society.

But any suggestion their allowances should increase is greeted with howls of outrage...Do you want democracy? Do you want accountability? Do you want a society that treats everyone equally and fairly, especially over taxation?

You do!

Stop looking for excuses. Go and vote for it!