Shropshire Star

Star comment: The time for clarity has come

The political careers of two of Parliament's biggest hitters have been imperilled by a sting operation during which they are alleged to have offered their services for cash.

Published

Former Foreign Secretaries Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw have been suspended from their Parliamentary parties after being secretly filmed.

Both men have denied any wrongdoing and referred themselves to Parliament's standards watchdog as they attempt to clear their names. Both will be rueful that their unwitting actions may have undermined many years of good work and damaged their personal legacies.

It is plausible that Sir Malcolm and Mr Straw will recover from the controversy that surrounds them.

However, there are far greater issues at stake and it is incumbent upon Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour leader Ed Miliband and the leaders of the other political parties that firm action is taken.

In recent years, the image of Parliament has been besmirched by a number of unsavoury episodes. Cash for questions caused an erosion of trust. The ability of MPs to act credibly was called into doubt.

The latest episode has cast light into another dark corner of Parliament and posed a series of uncomfortable questions.

There are no rules prohibiting MPs from having outside business interests. Indeed, many would argue that it is in the national interest to be governed by men and women who can draw upon experience of the commercial world.

And yet the equally well-rehearsed counter argument says that any whiff of cash-for-access smacks of malfeasance. The present Government has done some good work in restoring the reputation of politicians. However, there is more work to do.

Sir Malcolm's assertion that his £65,000 a year MP's salary is slight in comparison with the figures earned by industrial barons won't cut any ice with the majority of voters. They will think that if he is motivated by money, rather than a sense of public duty, he ought to be in business, rather than politics.

The time has come for clarity and transparency. New and unambiguous rules are required so that politicians can be in no doubt what is expected. Moreover, the rules must give the public every confidence that politicians operate in our interest and not their own.

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