Too many lords a leaping?

At breakfast the other day with a member of the Shadow Cabinet, another guest complained bitterly about the number of Lords in the Government. (It has to be said the Shadow Minister didn't seem that fussed indeed I think he is grateful to Brown - it makes it easier for a future Tory government to do the same.) So does it really matter if Ministers are not elected? I am not convinced it does. Ok, they are not called to account in the Commons. So? When was the last time a minister was so crushed by the questioning of MPs on the floor of the House that s/he changed the policy or even resigned? Ministers are accountable in many other different ways. John Humphrys, Paxman, Select Committees - they regularly have to appear before these inquisitors. And if we are going to have a House of Lords, shouldn't our noble friends be able to scrutinise ministers effectively? Another point worth bearing in mind is that the current system pretty much means that if you want to be a minister you have to become an MP. Your motivation is not to become a great legislator but to get into the executive as soon as possible - what impact does this have on the legislature. Finally, being able to bring in talented people into government who are not career politicians but draw on wider experience has to be a good thing. The point surely is not where in the Houses of Parliament the minister sits but whether they are up to the job.

157 - Bercow's lucky number

So we have a new Speaker. Stand up John Bercow, Speaker number 157, Finchley Boy and an alumnus of Westminster Strategy (the founding name of Grayling's public affairs operation). The man has made "a personal journey", that is to say he has moved from the right of the Conservative Party to the left and in so doing has upset many in his party. I am sure there will be many on the Tory front bench who will be congratulating him through gritted teeth. But the real question is not how well he is liked by the Conservatives but how well and how quickly he can restore the reputation of Parliament. The last weeks have been unbelievably damaging to our political system. The lack of judgement, greed and contempt for the public on the part of too many MPs revealed by the expenses scandal has disenchanted and alienated voters. Our democracy is dependent on our trust and faith in our elected representatives. Parliament and the political parties will have to work hard to repair the damage and Mr Bercow will need to lead them. Let's hope he is not overwhelmed by the weight of the responsibility.

Say no to hate

I am depressed and I am angry. The BNP has won two seats in the European Parliament. I am furious that this vile, racist party will represent the people of Britain. But of course it does not purport to represent the people of Britain. In this, at least, it is honest. It represents "the indigenous British" whoever they are - I doubt there one family in the whole of the UK whose blood has not mingled over the generations with that of Angles, Vikings, Normans, Huegenouts, Irish, Caribbean or any of the successive waves of immigrants who have come to this country in search of the better life. The party's whole rationale is based on a lie. So how did it manage to win two seats? Well, like other parties of hate, it has exploited fear and ignorance to win votes. It has also taken great advantage out of the expenses scandal and of the turmoil in the Labour Party. Finally the three main parties failed to respond effectively enough to the threat posed by the BNP. They have persistently adopted the "let's not give them the oxygen of publicity" (or "ignore them and they will go away") approach which plainly hasn't worked. They should be out there, rebutting the lies, condemning the policies and shining a light on the truth of this ugly party - we all should.

Vote for Vivien

I am hustling for votes. Not for the polls on June 4 but for my boss Vivien Hepworth who has been shortlisted in the PA News Awards "Outstanding Contribution" category. It is not quite the same as being on the road during the 2005 general election with blogging genius Hopi Sen, but I love campaigning so am having fun.

Vivien is hugely knowledgeable, clever and respected. In a world of grey, she brings colour and life and so I am trying to get the vote out. It is a complex voting system - less OMOV, more one organisation seven votes - which makes the task even more interesting. Lots of talking to people, making small and realistic asks, using all the tools of the digital age to garner support - except Facebook, even now I won't go there. Even the voting itself is electronic. (And here is the ask:) it only takes 15 seconds to put tick in the box for Vivien, go on you know it makes sense: http://www.publicaffairsnews.com/panawards/voting

It's just an illusion

So Speaker Martin is resigning. It is hardly surprising. He has never been a popular Speaker, indeed some parliamentarians have been seeking his departure practically since the moment he took the chair. Certainly he has not covered himself in glory. His handling of the expenses debacle - the oversight of the system itself, the failed attempt to halt the publication, the grumpiness in the wake of the press reports - has been truly terrible. Error has been heaped upon error. But those who have called so vociferously for his scalp in the last few days have themselves made an error if they think that his dismissal will somehow transform the reputation of this Parliament. It won't. Speaker Martin can't be blamed for the greed, lack of judgement and contempt for the public on the part of a great many MPs that the dodgy expenses claims reveal. None of this will be forgotten. It will be seen how much can be forgiven.

Martin's unseating has been an exercise in distraction of which Derren Brown would be proud. But unlike Mr Brown's illusions, there can be no applause at the end of the show.

No more heroes any more

Utterly disappointed by our elected representatives, I have been reflecting on the subject of political heroes. What defines a hero and is it possible to be one once you have political power? I ask because I honestly can't think of a single living person in the politics who I would assign hero status (apart of course from Nelson Mandela and even his presidency had some shortcomings). Obama has to be a contender, but with less that 150 days under his belt it is, if truth be told, too early to judge. The compromises he will have to make may be too many and go too far. So who else is there? I am looking for someone with integrity whose political views I share, who is honest, true to his/her own beliefs but willing to yield in the face of a compelling alternative. Someone who understands the importance of justice, equality and liberty at home and abroad. Who is prepared to be do the right thing even if it is unpopular, to be bold and brave.

The only person I can think of who fits the bill is Jed Bartlett. And that can't be right. Surely there must be someone real out there. . .

The Purdy Connection

"Why," a friend has just asked, "is it ok for Joanna Lumley to front the Gurkha campaign?" I presume he asked because he has so often heard me rant about the ridiculousness of celebrity-led campaigning. Reports of Sharon Stone declaring that she would kiss anyone to bring peace to the Middle East or Mia Farrow going on hunger strike for the people of Darfur throw me into a rage. But Lumley works for a number of reasons. First, she has a real link to the cause for which she fights (her father served with the Gurkhas). Second she is no "pop in if poss" campaigner, she has been working on this campaign for years. Third, she connects. That is what campaign communications is all about. She connects with her audience - politicians, judges and generals who are going to make the decisions as well as the public. To the likes of Gordon Brown, the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee and indeed male readers of the Daily Telegraph, she will always be Purdy, gorgeous, sexy Purdy who was always on the right side. (Perhaps a clue as to why GB met her alone.). But that doesn't put off women, we like her because she took the mickey out of herself, her glamour and her beauty in Ab Fab. Fourth, she is clever and canny. Her doorstep after the meeting with Steed, I mean Brown, was pure genius - "I trust him . . . I know he will do what is right".

In the midst of all these unpalatable revealations about moat cleaning, trouser presses and flipping, maybe those calling for her to be PM aren't so mad.