Regrets? say MPs. We have a few…
Thursday 18th March 2010, 9:33AM GMT.
A quarter of MPs would not go into politics if they were starting their careers again, according to a poll today which uncovered low morale at Westminster in the wake of the expenses scandal.
A ComRes survey of 132 MPs found that 37 per cent said they had little or no power and 72 per cent said the election will do nothing to neutralise the impact of the expenses row on their public image.
Some 40 per cent said their work sometimes made them feel depressed, 72 per cent said it induced stress and 80 per cent said MPs were seen by the public as hate figures.
However, 58 per cent said they got a lot of satisfaction from their work, while 21 per cent said they could not imagine being happier doing anything else.
Just over half, 51 per cent, said the media was ruining politics.
Today Lembit Opik, Lib Dem MP for Montgomeryshire, said: “These statistics accord with my own sense of the mood in Parliament.
“Whatever people feel about the whole expenses thing, MPs do privately share a sense of frustration that they simply haven’t been able to portray “their side” of the story without being blasted into the distance by journalistic and public reaction.
“It’s a shame really, because, frankly, most MPs are decent civic-minded folks whatever the public image portrayed of them.”
However, Shrewsbury & Atcham Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski said: “I think this opinion poll is too navel-gazing for my liking. I’m a servant of the people of Shrewsbury, that is all I am. The moment you forget that you’re just a delegate, then you’re in shark-infested waters.”
Conservative MPs Philip Dunne and Mark Pritchard said they had not taken the survey. Mr Dunne, who serves Ludlow, said: “I find it an exhilarating occupation.”
Mr Pritchard, who represents The Wrekin, added: “Some people appreciate the hard work that MPs do for communities and others don’t.”
Labour MP for Telford, David Wright, said: “I wouldn’t make a special case for MPs. All jobs at all levels have stresses and strains attached to them.”
Owen Paterson, Conservative MP for North Shropshire, was in Washington.
Full details of the survey will be revealed tonight in The People’s Politician, on BBC2 at 9pm.
By Andy Richardson
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“Just over half, 51 per cent, said the media was ruining politics.”
Of cause it is! …. it is so much better when fewer of the electorate can see what you are getting up to and more to the point what you are not getting up to! ……..
Oh for the halcyon days when God was in His Heaven and the Elite ran the Country and it was a case of “Dont do as I do .. Do as I say” and as recent revelations have proven a disturbing number of MP’s yearn for these days……….
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AAh! The politicians are upset! …… Bless!
However, speaking as a full taxpaying citizen voter of the UK, I am more interested in WHEN Sections 2-4 of The Fraud Act 2006 are fully deployed against ALL those in this Fraudsters’ Parliament who have stolen monies, irrespective of their political party or level of seniority within that party!
Is it not true that the ‘minnows’ in the MPs’ expenses scandal are being tried under the Theft Act and NOT the Fraud Act 2006 because the full deployment of Sections 2-4 of The Fraud Act 2006 would have ensnared a far greater prop0rtion of those in the Fraudsters’ Parliament upto ministerial and shadow ministerial level….. and above?
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I watched the People’s Politician
MP’s were asked to defend themselves over the expenses scandal
None of them wanted to discuss it
Don’t whinge about giving your side of the story if you are going to refuse to do so when given the opportunity – it’s not our fault you can’t think of a more elegant excuse than ‘we robbed you because we could’
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