And Another Thing…

Tom, (if I may so ‘familiar’/)

Surely not 100% – was it not 10%?

If only it was 100%!

Is this figure of 100% another example of ‘Labour Spin’?

Ah, posts like this make me wish you were my MP.

I don’t hate politicians.
“Hate” suggests emotion.

I much prefer to despise them. Sad to say, they rarely live up to even my low expectations..

absolutely right, politicians are scum.

Perhaps Tom would like to tell us why he doesn’t think MPs should pay normal amounts for food and drink in the HoC?

Maybe they are just better than mere mortals?

Some good did come of it, #1 on of the list of MPs to cut was Alan Duncan!

After being cut down by Dave, I think he’s about 4ft 2 now.

I hate politicians too. They’re out of touch, self absorbed, have no idea of the real world and are downright greedy!

I don’t think anyone should be allowed to become a politician until he/she has worked for a living for at least 10 years!

I also think that those that have abused the expenses system have gotten off lightly!

Lastly, no politicians position should be “safe”, if his constituents think he/she has taken advantage, they should be allowed to dismiss them instantly and vote someone else in, that includes the Prime Minister!!!!!

Worthy of the Daily Mash

Well he has had 12 years training and says what he sees across the floor.

@Francois – Indeed. And not only do MPs enjoy subsidised food and drink, they also can claim an allowance for food of £400 a month, which is £19.00 per month more than an OAP on state pension receives to cover all their bills. Moreover, many MPs have claimed their annual food allowance of £4,800 despite the fact that Parliament is in recess for several months of the year.

Disappointing, Tom, that even you so misjudge the anger felt by the population that you believe we’ll laugh with you when you parody DC’s proposals.

Superb! I’m going to link it on twitter!

Well done Tom. Raised a chuckle here.

But in all seriousness I couldn’t find anything that he annouced in that statement that I disagree with and to use a cricketing term he’s pitched up an unplayable delivery. Keep your funny bone engaged Tom, there’ll be plenty more to come and if you don’t laugh you’ll cry at what he’s going to do to Labour.

Jay
Disappointing, Tom, that even you so misjudge the anger felt by the population that you believe we’ll laugh with you when you parody DC’s proposals.

****************************************************

Quite.

DC winning 9-1 against TH by my reckoning.

Still I’m sure your Labour mates will think it’s a great hoot. They will of course be laughing on the other side of their faces when …

a) they have to face proper questioning from one authority or another about said expenses and

b) they face the electorate.

Tom

Very amusing.

This blogpiece proves how your subconscious mind has already reverted to opposition. Cameron is setting the political agenda. He is calling the shots.

Come on Tom, where’s your fighting spirit?

I don’t hate all politicians. I only hate the ones that blatently lie to the electorate; who break their manifesto commitments; who claim excessive (and undeserved) expenses and at the same time manipulate the system to avoid paying the taxes they impose on the rest of us.

I hate the ones who patronise us and think they have a right to destroy civil liberties which were achieved over centuries; the ones who think they have a right to sign away our independence and sovereignty without consulting the electorate. I hate the ones who send our troops to fight foreign wars with inadequate equipment and I hate the ones who make it obvious that the concerns of the ‘little people’ don’t matter when it comes to decisions about the future direction of their country.

If politicians are hated, they have no-one but themselves to blame.

We should all cut back said the Multi-Millionaire Old Etonian.

Tom
Have you fisked one of Gordo’s statements? Try the one about the 0% annual rise in public spending. which was a downright terminological inexactitude.
Its easier when you can see with both eyes open………….

As others have pointed out already . . . WE ALL HATE F**KING POLITICIANS.

You ARE all the same.

Self serving, self absorbed charlatans.
.
.
.
.
.
All, except Tom Harris, of course. He’s just in the wrong party. If he stood as an independent he’d stand more chance of surviving the coming Labour Blood Bath commonly known as the General Election.

A sense of humour is needed in politicians,and I’m glad to enjoy yours every now and then. If more Labour MP’s were like you I might even be tempted to vote Labour for the first time ever.

At least you made your Uncle Bob laugh!!

“Announcing a series of reforms to be implemented by a future Tory government…”

I see you’ve given up on a Labour win then.

Glad to see you are faithfully reporting the opposition.

Saw that Ed Balls down the pub the other day, drinking Tennents and talking about pit bulls with Harriet Harman. You would think she would at least change out of her pink leisure suit. I just despaired when she called for another Diamond White and a packet of pork scratchings. He gave her a slap and told her to go and get dinner ready. Too right, she was getting lippy.

You Labour types are the salt of the earth.

How many more of these satires can you produce before the Slayer of the Politicians cuts off your £10,000 communication expense?

Boudicca

Help me.

Would that be the Labour you are refering to.

Quite amusing, yes.

But I cannot blame Cameron & Co for holding fire on policies until a time close to the General Election. After all, as they say, it is the duty of the Opposition to oppose, not to propose.

It is to be hoped that they will put their policies into a manifesto to which they will adhere, unless circumstances turn out to be such that they cannot, unlike Labour and the tobacco betrayal. (Absolutely unforgivable).

I am looking forward to the Tory manifesto. It is quite likely that they will come up with some good, original ideas. I certainly hope that they will find a way to rein in the run-away monster know as the EU.

The Labour manifesto will be irrelevent since no one with any sense will believe that it will be anything more that a publicity stunt.

Part of me is saying, “Vote UKIP” because they seem to be the only party supporting our basic right to conduct our own lives and our own business as we see fit, but I am resisting.

I like Gordon Brown. I think that he is a genuine person. I do not mind that he does not comment on things that his Ministers are in control of (the Lybia affair springs to mind). It is the likes of Patricia Hewitt and Caroline Flint that irks me. They are so busy talking that they cannot stop to think. Hopefully, we will be rid of them by next June.

Asked what qualities he hated most in politicians, Mr Cameron replied: “Cynicism and populism.”

Whoosh – right over everyone’s heads.

As my old dad says: Fifty years ago, you believed what politicians told you; Twentyfive years ago, you had to read between the lines; Today. you have to read between the lies!

I see we have had the ‘worthy of the Daily mash’ comment already.

As others have said – lead the agenda Tom. You are a well placed Labour MP, you can try to set the agenda for Labour’s direction for the next decade. It is unlikely you will lose your seat as will most of your colleagues in England and so you will be around in the next parliament.

Start thinking ahead, drive the debate. Your leader is hopeless, do a Cruddas and get involved.

Seriouslt Tom,

Politicians are overwhelmingly honest, hard workings, and worth every penny.

Keep it up.

Gallows humour is all the rage in the Labour party it seems.

What astounds me is that despite the millions of pounds being spent on ‘special advisors’ that Gordon still seems incapable of leading the debate on expenses.

He could so easily have wielded the big knife, using it as an excuse to clear out a number of high profile bad-apples and gained major respect as a result, but no.

Oi, that is my first draft of the speech you have nicked.

@Nicky; Damn you beat me to it.

Keep reeling ‘em in, Tom

And that’s why you’ll be out of a job in 12 months time!

Most cogent post I’ve read.

Good job – lets keep kicking politicians.

I loved the survive on their trust funds like normal people. Very funny and with just a bit of edge. Your party is under utilising a real talent.

Asked what qualities he hated most in politicians, Mr Cameron replied: “Cynicism and populism.”

….wrote the not remotely cynical nor populist MP for Glasgow South.

My goodness people – get a life, or at the very least a sense of humour.

@ Mark M.
Re: ‘out of a job’

as i’ve pointed out before, Tom’s seat is very safe, he has ministerial experience (but isn’t tarred with the pro-gordon brush) and the Labour party will be greatly diminished post-GE. I wouldn’t be surprised if he got himself a shadow role in opposition…

@Richard

I once asked a Labour minister,just before a Blair reshuffle, where he would like to go if moved.

He said, quite forcibly, “Anywhere but XXXX”

It was just what he got and he expressed himself thrilled.

I wonder what Tom’s shadow preferences are, and whether he’d like to express them here.

“Anywhere but…?”

Since you ask: anywhere but opposition.

Hawl, Harris!

Answer ma question!!! NOW!!!!

Why should MPs no pay just as much as the rest ae us for food?

Tell me, Tambo!!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!ONE!!!!!!!RAGE!!!!1

“Anywhere but the opposition”

Oh you tease!

Are you thinking of joining another party then Tom?

Lib Dems? . . . Greens? . . . SWP? . . . Respect?

You must be fed up with New Stassi by now.

I know I am.

@ Tom.

Nice one.

Unfortunately…

Suggesting that MP’s are the lowest form of human life elevates them to a position they do not deserve.

Life they may be, but surely not human?

There are times when a politician grasps the public mood so completely, so accurately, so definitively, that none can argue against him.

This is that time.

I’m sure the irony isn’t lost that an election win for Labour would pretty much guarantee Tom political oblivion whereas a crashing defeat (the bigger the better) would massively improve his chances of a cabinet role in 2020…