Best way to get your message across to these MP

[adrian29uk]

OK what is the best way to get your message across to these MP's
What are the implications for voting for someone else? We need to hit the MP's where it hurts, in their pocket.

 

[magoo]

that's exactly it, vote. but not for them.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

that's exactly it, vote. but not for them.

That is just the problem. If you don't vote for any of the main 3 parties, or not vote at all, you are going to end up with people like the BNP or UKIP (not that I'm comparing the two, you understand) having more power than is representative in the country.

What I think we need (and I know nothing about politics) is to work out who the real offenders are in this mess, not just a witch-hunt against all MPs, and those are the ones that should be deselected and if necessary prosecuted. There must be some decent ones there who deserve to carry on their work.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

Vote against the sitting mp,regardless of political views

 

[Knotty]

Vote against the sitting mp,regardless of political views

Only if you really believe the sitting MP is guilty.

Ideally the fraudsters should be de-selected by their constituency party and the rules on expenses should be drastically changed.

Then we can get on with voting for the candidate/party whose policies best represent our personal views.

Protest votes are fine in principal but in many cases that will mean people voting for candidates whose policies the voter doesn't agree with or even know. That can't be good.

 

[The Large One]

Only if you really believe the sitting MP is guilty.

Ideally the fraudsters should be de-selected by their constituency party and the rules on expenses should be drastically changed.

Then we can get on with voting for the candidate/party whose policies best represent our personal views.

Protest votes are fine in principal but in many cases that will mean people voting for candidates whose policies the voter doesn't agree with or even know. That can't be good.

It depends on whether your vote is determined by selecting the individual or the party.

Point is, if this stuff hadn't come out, the next individual might just as well have been quickly integrated into the 'system' and done exactly the same as his or her predecessor.

Face it, no-one has ever stood for election to Parliament on the back 'extravagant MPs' expense claims'. If anyone had done, how quickly would they have been ostracised by their party and/or peers?

 

[strings]

Vote against the sitting mp,regardless of political views

But some MPs have been honest. Look at the MP for Luton (not her, him), who has been very thrifty by commuting to parliament. The three Wolverhampton MPs have saved the electorate money by all sharing a flat in London. There will be many others who have been honest too.

These MPs shouldn't be tarred with the same brush as some of the blatent profiteers, who claimed for stuff they full-well knew shouldn't have been allowed - those people should be punished.

 

[Knotty]

It depends on whether your vote is determined by selecting the individual or the party.

Point is, if this stuff hadn't come out, the next individual might just as well have been quickly integrated into the 'system' and done exactly the same as his or her predecessor.

Face it, no-one has ever stood for election to Parliament on the back 'extravagant MPs' expense claims'. If anyone had done, how quickly would they have been ostracised by their party and/or peers?

I agree, but in the end, in a general election, I will vote for the party that best mirrors my own views. A protest vote is only that, and is not the best way to get the country governed.

If my local MP were shown to have been fraudulent I would hope that the local party deselects him, because otherwise it would make it difficult for me to vote for him.

However, I want to vote for his party.

 

[sten_super]

Best way to get your message across to these MPs

Punch them in the face?

 

[The Large One]

I agree, but in the end, in a general election, I will vote for the party that best mirrors my own views. A protest vote is only that, and is not the best way to get the country governed.

If my local MP were shown to have been fraudulent I would hope that the local party deselects him, because otherwise it would make it difficult for me to vote for him.

However, I want to vote for his party.

But you've answered the point yourself.

In other words, would you want to vote for a party that wouldn't de-select a fraudulent MP?

 

[NF9]

Kill them.

 

[Easy 10]

A nice big steaming turd in the post ?

 

[Danny-Boy]

The problem is that compared to Sir Fred and even more to that lazy greedy Chelsea German Ballack (allegedly £112,000 A WEEK!) MP's are poorly paid.

That's why so many of them take on consultancies etc. At less than £70k a year basic, they need the allowances to employ staff etc. I know this sounds like I'm defending them, but I think compared to Premiership footballers and the City suits they have a hard time.

There are over 650 of them (I think). Some of that lot are bound to stray a bit. The question is, how much do you alow them to stray before you decide that they should be chucked out, not on what they do for their constituents, but on what they do for themselves?

As someone said, Sir Winston Churchill would have a hard job these days justifying some of his views.

Politicians in general have a big ego, but they are (usually) pretty intelligent. Most I have met are genuine, but there are a few who I'd happily put in a ducking stool into the moat!

 

[Storer68]

I agree, but in the end, in a general election, I will vote for the party that best mirrors my own views. A protest vote is only that, and is not the best way to get the country governed.

If my local MP were shown to have been fraudulent I would hope that the local party deselects him, because otherwise it would make it difficult for me to vote for him.


However, I want to vote for his party.

Was shown

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

MPs are not poorly paid at all,
Each MP should be paid a salary equivalent to average wage of the constituency,
They should be offered accommodation that is owned by the constituency ie old police houses,married quarters.
When in London on parliamentary duty they should be offered apartments in converted obsolete military barracks(Christ knows they killed off enough regiments)
All MPs found guilty of defrauding the expenses system should face criminal charges and be dismissed for gross misconduct,by-elections should be held for all vacant seats,
also MPs should have the same rail warrant system that is offered to service personnel.
Maybe we'll get someone who has the best interest of the constituent instead of greedy scumbags trying to fill their boots

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Write to them to complain, put your letter in a very large envelope, then post it to their office without putting a stamp on it.

 

[Muzzman]

A nice big steaming turd in the post ?

Would it still be steaming by the time they received your gift and are there such things as thermos boxes?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

MPs are not poorly paid at all,
Each MP should be paid a salary equivalent to average wage of the constituency,

There won't be many queuing up to stand for Scottish Highlands & islands constituencies in that case.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

A nice big steaming turd in the post ?

Me and some of my shipmates sent one to Gerry Adams once,after the deal bombings,I think he still keeps it on his mantlepiece.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

The problem is that compared to Sir Fred and even more to that lazy greedy Chelsea German Ballack (allegedly £112,000 A WEEK!) MP's are poorly paid.

That's why so many of them take on consultancies etc. At less than £70k a year basic, they need the allowances to employ staff etc. I know this sounds like I'm defending them, but I think compared to Premiership footballers and the City suits they have a hard time.

Why are they comparing themselves to footballers and bankers ?

If they have skills that can earn in the private sector and have the time fair enough. But don't fiddle your expenses. What message does that give to the current and future electorate ?