October 14: MPs and the court of public opinion
Comments |
Here’s an interesting quote from a senior Labour
politician.
“The Prime Minister has said it's not
acceptable and, therefore, it will not be accepted. And it might be
enforceable in a court of law, this contract, but it's not
enforceable in the court of public opinion and that's where the
Government steps in.”
Now, I don’t know about you but those
sentiments seem to me to be ones that could be justifiably applied
by a lot of people about the latest row over MPs’ expenses.
Kent MPs asked to
refund money>>>
In fact, the quotes came from an interview by
Harriet Harman, the leader of the House of Commons. But they were
not about expenses claimed by MPs but a politician's response to
the public furore triggered when it emerged that the former head of
RBS, Sir Fred Goodwin, was to get a yearly
six-figure pension - despite leading his bank to the brink of
collapse.
Of course, the court of public opinion has
delivered a fairly clear verdict in relation to MPs and their
allowances.
Most people seem rather annoyed that our
elected representatives are busy arguing over technical legal
issues about whether the demands to repay money are legitimate or
not, rather than realizing that the time has come to try and draw a
line and, as they say, “move on.”
Strange how the Court of Public Opinion is
considered important when it applies to disgraced bankers but not
to disgraced politicians.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
KCC is adopting an ultra-cautious approach to its
new Treasury Investment Strategy and is to steer clear of foreign
investments as it dips its toes slowly back in the waters of the
financial markets.
KCC re-enters the money
markets>>>
Hardly a surprise after getting its fingers burned by the
collapse of the Icelandic economy.
For the moment, it will stick with Government-secured high
street banks. But even so, the economic climate means that the
interest rates on offer are still pretty miserly compared to what
was on offer when the heady days of five and six per cent rates
were around.
But in these days of ultra-caution, perhaps a rather
parsimonious 0.8 per cent return on deposits is better than nothing
- and certainly better than the rate on offer from the
Treasury.
Wednesday, October 14 2009
The KM Group does not moderate comments.
Please click here for our house rules.