Editor's Blog22 mins ago
Politicians
Can you name a politician, present or recent past, who is in politics to genuinely improve the lot of 'ordinary people' - and not just for the power.
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I'm not sure this can be easily answered. To improve the lot of anyone, you first have to have the power, so that naturally becomes a primary aim. It may be that every newly elected MP fantasises about becoming prime minister, but I suspect most of them work hard at solving their constituents' problems and accept this as their main task. Those who get to the cabinet have less time for this; but they are in the minority. So the answer could very well be 'your local MP' (assuming he isn't David Cameron or Tony Blair).
As far as genuinely wishing to improve the lot of the common man, I'd say Tony Benn has more integrity in his little finger than most politicians have in the rest of their entire bodies. Whether or not he's acheived that, or you agree with his views is a different matter. I did attend one of his speeches many years ago, and he was a truely phenomenal and inspiring public speaker.
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I had to go and ask my MP for help a few years ago. He was doing a surgery for local people in a church hall. The person who was supposed to unlock the church hall did not turn up.
It was raining, so he had to do the surgery in the porch of the church. In the rain and the dark. He was helping all sorts of local people with their problems.
Most MPs have to do this week in week out.
This is the side of MPs that most people never see. It is not all fancy living and luxury hotels and pursuit of power..
I think John Major is a Tory MP with a lot of integrity.
btw Dont confuse helping the "ordinairy people" with handing out benefits to anyone that wants them.
Benefits have to be paid for, they do not come out of thin air. They are paid for by companies earning money, making profits, getting exports, and paying taxes.
If that means having rich businessmen then so be it. Many "ordinairy people" have started businesses and become very rich, but they have also provided jobs and wealth to the country.
If you look at "poor" countries like some in Africa, they cannot afford to help the "ordinairy people" because there just isn't the money to do so.
You can only help the "ordinairy people" if the country is rich enough to do so.
And I think that is the Tories message. Give people their head, let them go start companies and make the country richer, it helps us all in the long term.
I know that this will get yelled at but....my Mum lives in London and Ken Livingstone has improved her life!
She gets a free bus pass which enables her to go out and be independent. it may seem a small thing, but to her it has been very helpful.
Other things she gets which have helped but I don't know who did it are free TV licence, winter heating payment and help with council tax
As jno says, to try to implement the policies that the politician thinks will improve the lot of the average citizen you must first have power..Its only the most cynical and partisan amongst us who believes that politicians are intent on making the peoples lives worse or are all on the take ...its only when the politician is retired so is not still considered a threat examples [tony benn, john major] or dead [mo mowlam robin cook] or share the views of the voter on certain issues that they are heralded by people of all political colours..winston churchill was derided and hated by many when he was in power, at one point in his career he authorised troops to fire on unarmed miners one of many controversial things he did.. but is now widely acclaimed as the most loved and rightly admired leader we ever had....
There isn't one!! They lie to get into office, and once there they continue to lie, cheat and steal to stay there. I would never vote for any of them as they are no good to man nor beast!!
The trouble with my argument is that I can't come up with a viable alternative!!.....smiles and goes for a lie down!
Woofgang - I must admit there is something I like about Ken Livingstone. I think he genuinely cares about people and isn't afraid to speak his mind or stand up for them.
Petrol - Margaret Thatcher was a selfish, stubborn arrogant cow who ruined whole swathes of this country just to help a few friends of her husbands'. She allowed them to profit from the misery she inflicted on millions. I was so pleased to see her crying as she left No10 because that was the feeling she had broght to millions during her term in office. Poetic justice. I loved it! I can't wait for her to peg out so I can go and get pi55ed and celebrate her demise.
Mike1222 - you are wrong, but it's understandable to feel the way you do bearing in mind some of the press reports about MP's. Dennis Skinner is, in my opinion, the best MP any constituent could ask for. As I said earlier, all parties recognize this. The previous MP for our constituency was also a great bloke. A local man who didn't drive. He used public transport as much as possible and was always available to help. As vhg said, there are things about being an MP that most of us don't see.
Mr Tamzarian, you think that I am wrong, but I think I am right - it's called "a difference of opinion"
Incidentally I think your comments about Margaret Thatcher and the manner in which they were expressed just about tells us where your political heart lies - you are entitled to your opinion though, even though it may differ from mine!!
Mr Tamzarian, if you read my original post you will no doubt detect a little cynacism and not a little disdain and contempt on my part with regards to politics and politicians - all of them, from whatever party, without exception! I couldn't make it any plainer how I regard them, so how you can say that my heart lies with any political party is beyond me.
A point raised by Dom Tuk
"...Gerry Adams and Martin Mcguiness. They are in politics to improve their peoples cause and lives. They have not made a lot of money from it."
I presume this would include their salaries and allowances which, for instance, during 2003-2004 amounted to a �57,485 salary and an average allowance of �109,863 claimed by each of the 4 Sinn Fein MPs at that time.
If they did not make much money from that, where were they channelling the surplus?
"...Gerry Adams and Martin Mcguiness. They are in politics to improve their peoples cause and lives. They have not made a lot of money from it."
I presume this would include their salaries and allowances which, for instance, during 2003-2004 amounted to a �57,485 salary and an average allowance of �109,863 claimed by each of the 4 Sinn Fein MPs at that time.
If they did not make much money from that, where were they channelling the surplus?
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