Nick Clegg takes your calls
In the latest of our Election Phone-ins the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is in the Breakfast studio to take your calls. Mr Clegg says we've got 100 hundred days to save our democracy but his party has also been tainted by the expenses scandal. He claimed £760 for the repair of a garden path, members of his party claimed for a trouser press, flat screen televisions and a rocking chair. So are the Lib Dems the party the save British democracy or just another bunch of MP's on Westminster gravy train?
Can Nick Clegg convince you to vote for them in the upcoming local and European elections? Call 0500 909 693, text 85058 or post a message below.
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Nicholas Clegg? I am minded to sign the Early Day Motion , Nick Clegg?
Call? I will tell my "cat". No offence.
Evan on Radio Four just now said "twenty six, eh?".
I took E Van the Man at his word and in honour of George Smiley - Moscow Rules etc - the "goodies" are in the normally "tree". lol
No offence to Ms Flanders either but yesterday that old ditty - "The Gasman Came To call" a roundel isn't it? -came to mind. House calls - everything but the kitchen sink thrown into this business.
My missus is fine - getting over her cold - thank you all for your concern.
But Nick Clegg and all the other MoPs? My goodness.
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Nick - I live in Watford which is a Lib Dem town. We are also a 3 way marginal. I would like to vote Lib Dem at the next general election but I am not sure I can in case I let someone in whom I really don't want. Therefore I feel disenfranchised because I do not feel I can vote for the person I want.
When the realisation that our 'First Past the Post' system meant that we had to indulge in tactical voting instead of conscience voting, I feel the electorate became distanced from the system.
It is said that our system provides strong government. What it provides is a government which can do what it likes for five years - even going against its manifesto policies - without the electorate being able to do anything about it until the next election. This is so frustrating.
MP's say that most of the business of government is done cross party in committee rooms and Prime Minister's Question Time is an aberration. If that is the case, why can't we have a cross party government? It worked during the war when we were in crisis. It seems to me that we are in crisis most of the time so perhaps it is time to think of another way of representing the people.
Our local Lib Dems consult us regularly - surely we can get a system that provides strong leadership and respect for voters? The Status Quo has fallen into disrepute - particularly our old fashioned party system which alienates so many people. Have you got any ideas for a better electoral system? Can we get more people involved at grass roots level which doesn't involve adherence to a party system? Is there a sophisticated form of PR which would work for the bolshie Brits?
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I have no issues with Nick Clegg or the Lib Dems. They are relatively blameless in all this MP expenses scandal.
I want to know when Brown is going to do the phone in so that he can answer why he hasn't sacked the war criminal and fraudster Straw, the "Justice Minister", for claiming council tax that he wasn't paying.
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Yes, hello Nick. I'd be interested to know who you are and what you do for a living. I study British politics at University and don't have time to think about much else.
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Hi Nick
I was very happy to hear your critique of camerons vague proposals yesterday and your timeline for change was a breath of fresh air.
But do you really think that such massive reform can be made in 100 days?
Personally Id like to think it could be done- if it were in any other environment- but in our parliament?
Labours reform of the lords has being going on for years and im not even sure what was acheived or if its even finished.
The dangers of rushing through such important legislation are immense, especially when so many MPs have a vested interest in keeping expenses, pensions and pay-offs as sweet as possible.
Considering the impracticalities of carrying out the changes you mention are you not spouting headline grabbing empty rhetoric, just as cameron has?
Thanks
Chris
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The disingenuous Nick Clegg!!
"I'm not going to talk about any other party member"
Then goes on in the next sentence to do precisely that!!
Short term memory issues or just a natural born liar?
It is a dishonest way to operate, whatever!
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So Nick Clegg now thinks the House of Lords should be abolished. He never thought so when he was an active member of the Young Conservatives! In fact he along with the rest of the great and the good who come across as so holier than thou throughout this saga never said anything about the magnitude of MP's expenses! It's amazing how the prospect of a well subsidised parliamentary career alters beliefs and principles just like that!
The Lib Dem's are a capitalist party with no distinct policies or ideology and therefore fewer MP's to be corrupt. Their party simply plods on decade after decade exploiting voter disillusionment and apathy with the Tories and Labour. It's particularly appealing to the 'quick fix' 'feel good' kind of voter who think that because a party has a different name it's got a novel plan of action. Until the advent of New Labour the sole purpose of the Liberal's frm our rulers perspective was to act as a buffer against the threat of a Labour Party actually adopting extreme socialist policies. However with New Labour today being more Tory than the Tories the Lib Dems have become increasingly marginalised which is why the likes of regular party leadership contests are relied upon to remind everyone who the Lib Dem's are!
Hence out of the three main parties it's easy for the likes of these political opportunists to jump on this expense bandwagon and posture as the pioneering party of Parliamentary reform in response to the revelations that had clearly been kept on hold by the likes of the Daily Torygraph until three weeks ago while the recession is in full thro and all the parties at a complete impasse over what to do about it! The paper has indeed exposed some Tories as being just as corrupt but only because it knew that most of them would be leaving parliament anyway while the overall effect would lift the Tory Party in the opinion polls regardless as today's polls have proved.
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What once marked the Lib Dems from Labour and Conservative was their "upper tax band", dropped by Menzies Campbell. Although New Labour has seemingly kidded itself it has any use left by introducing a higher rate in its manifesto it is same old trivia party.
All the three have the same basic philosophy, meaning that if people want change then they have to move outside the three main parties thus playing into the hands of those we may not want.
Can we please have British politics back as Left, Right and Centre.... please , please, please. We have tried the centrist role and it has lead to financial meltdown.
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