I've been watching you today at Leveson. I've heard politicians say that outside the Westminster bubble, there isn't much interest in the Leveson Inquiry. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but ordinary voters without business interests or block votes, nor hope of donating large sums to party coffers, are VERY interested in the extraordinary lengths some people seem have gone to either attempt to secure favour, self interest or public backing. In fact, when visiting family and friends in the half-term break last week, it was striking just how many people it does matter to. Alongside the general chit-chat and catch-up, often the conversations turned to an opinion on Leveson, Murdoch and politicians. Surprisingly at least two, if not three of those I spoke to are serious Daily Mail readers and they expressed strong concerns about just where power lies. No doubt they'll be watching your attendance today and will have noted with interest how Jeremy Hunt was called a liar in the House of Commons yesterday, whilst escaping investigation. (He might well be the first MP to be called a liar without it having to be withdrawn).
Pundits have talked about how yourself and other ministers have been coached. Some say you appear well rehearsed - which causes me concern. After all, it's not an exam you are sitting, is it? You are being asked to tell the truth under oath. It seems bizarre to many of us that you should the need to be coached to tell the truth. It's because we all know Leveson matters, misleading the House matters, "selective memory" under oath matters, lying under oath matters, having cosy deals with media moguls, their operators and lobbyists matters. And because we value our individual votes and want a political system based on fairness and democracy, run by politicians FOR the electorate, we want it to matter to you in the same way.
No comments:
Post a Comment