Scum

A gotcha moment for Stephen Byers, Patricia Hewitt, Geoff Hoon, Margaret Moran, with a possible link back straight to Peter Mandelson.

Times.

A FORMER Labour cabinet minister has boasted about how he used his government contacts to change policies in favour of businesses.

Stephen Byers, former trade and transport secretary, was secretly recorded offering himself “like a sort of cab for hire” for up £5,000 a day. He also suggested bringing Tony Blair to meet clients.

He was among several politicians recorded by an undercover reporter posing as a company executive looking to hire MPs for lobbying work.

The others included: 

- Patricia Hewitt, a former health secretary, who claimed she helped to obtain a key seat on a government advisory group for a client paying her £3,000 a day.

- Geoff Hoon, the former defence secretary, offered to lead delegations to ministers and told the reporter that he was looking to turn his knowledge and contacts into “something that frankly makes money”. He said he charged £3,000 a day.

- Margaret Moran, the Luton MP who was forced to pay back £22,500 in expenses, boasted that she could ring a “girls’ gang” of colleagues on behalf of clients. Among those she named were: Jacqui Smith, the former home secretary; Hazel Blears, the former communities secretary; and Harriet Harman, the deputy leader of the Labour party.

The interviews were part of a joint investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches programme in which 13 Labour MPs and seven Conservatives were approached.

Now we all know extensive lobbying goes on at Parliament by professional lobbyists. We know that MP's more often than not have their fingers in several pies (Directorships) as well as the day job as companies try to peddle their interests by "buying" an MP. Usually though they have to declare an interest, however a quid pro quo network exists so they can swap and change as well as influence policies on behalf of a fellow MP as he does for their causes.

Seems they haven't learned, these people are scum, they treat us as fools and only deign to notice us every 4 to 5 years when they need a vote to get them back to the trough. They also wonder why their parties are shrinking, why the electorate no longer bother to vote (whilst gerrymandering the voting system in their favour) It's time and past time that measures were took to clean out this den of thieves, knaves, charlatans and traitors. They now stand in the way of democracy rather than representing the best interests of the people and we need to remove the big two and a half parties from the political map. People need to get out and vote and vote independent not for the Lib/Lab/Con pact that steals from our pockets and accepts bribes for influence.

As Cromwell put it.

It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonoured by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.

Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not barter'd your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?

Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd, are yourselves gone! So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors.

In the name of God, go!