Friday 24 April 2009

Pigs and porn


Much like bankers’ bonuses, any talk of MPs’ salaries tends to elicit Pavlovian outrage. Any revelations about second homes, foreign jaunts, bath plugs and indeed soft porn fuel public prejudices about greedy MPs with snouts in troughs. And of course it they are manna from heaven for journalists (who are of course beyond reproach when it comes to expenses). It is all perfectly understandable - we should expect those who represent us to behave honestly and with integrity. But we also need to recognise that it is utter madness to expect MPs to fund the geniune costs of serving their constitutents (like running a second residence) from their own pocket. Being an MP should not be the preserve of the rich. So let's pay MPs enough so that those with the talent and determination can afford to serve the people. What depresses me most about the situation is that MPs themselves appear to lack the will, guts or indeed imagination to come up with a system which does just that. Perhaps it is time for them to stop having a say in what they are paid and pass it to someone else, dare I say a civil servant?

Wednesday 22 April 2009

Watching Nelson Mandela cast his vote in today's South African election reminds me of one of the happiest days of my life - going with my parents and sisters 15 years ago to South Africa House in London to vote in the country's first democratic election. After years of protesting outside the South African embassy -hitherto a symbol of hate and intolerance - the poetic justice of entering the building for the first time to cast our ballots in that historic poll was not lost. We queued for hours but the waiting was joyous, filled with the singing of freedom songs and laughter. Seeing my parents finally participate in the democratic process for which they sacrificed made me proud beyond measure.

Two things arise from this memory. It reminds me of why I get angry with people who have the vote and can't be bothered to use it. It also reminds me that South Africa is still a very new country. Of course more progress needs to be made to ensure that people have access to electricity, clean water, better health and education services and to tackle the scourge of violent crime but let's remember that it was only 15 years ago that the aparthied finally died.