In the first ever Market Drayton Advertiser blog reporter Joe Masi examines the recent expenses row.
The expenses scandal has cast a shadow over the entire political system in this country.
The justifiable rage of the electorate has been seen in a number of ways, and not just through the ballot box. Most seem have to forgotten the ordinary party members, most of who are just as disgusted as the public, but have to endure the verbal abuse on doorsteps as they go around and campaign for their party.
The interesting case in the entire scandal is how it has affected Labour, which has fared much worse than the other two parties. In part, it has something to do with Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s leadership. Labour being in power is also highly significant.
But if you look deeper into why these MPs claimed for mortgages that did not exist, you start to see a more worrying picture. To better understand this you have to appreciate what qualities people look for in the individuals they elect.
The average voter really doesn’t care about the candidates’ party credentials. The average voter cares about what the candidate can do for them and their family. They want someone who can appreciate their plight, understand their concerns, and stand up for their interests in parliament. Put simply people want to vote for people like them.
Unfortunately, politics does not operate on this principle. The people who become MPs have often been lead into the role since childhood. They have been coached and cajoled by their parents, taken to party meetings and made lots of contacts.
The problem with all of this, particularly in the case of labour, is that this upbringing has made them detached from the people they are supposed to be representing. This is more damaging for Labour because many people almost expect the Conservatives to have moats and duck house!
The idea that Labour MP’s could claim £20,000 from public money for a mortgage that doesn’t exist would make the founders of the party turn in their graves.
So what is the answer? Well, it speaks volumes that the one man the Tories truly fear from labour and would prove a much stiffer challenge than the current PM, is Alan Johnson (whose expenses were also very moderate unsurprisingly).
This man was a postman in his youth, who joined the trade union, worked his way up, and now sits as home secretary. He is a real person who understands the average voter, which is why the Conservatives fear him.
All parties should aim to break the practice that favours careerists over real people. It is the only way to end the snobbishness of politics in this country, stop parliament looking like an immature boys club, and restore its reputation in the eyes of the public.
Reporter Joe Masi will be writing a weekly blog published every Tuesday on www.marketdraytonadvertiser.com
