Um número recorde de parlamentares anunciou que estará do Parlamento nas próximas eleições gerais. No entanto, o mais recente parlamentar que decidiu "passar mais tempo com sua família" é o governo Mike Mike Freer, que é o deputado de Finchley e Golders Green desde 2010.
Cynics will say, that is because an awful lot of Tories who are jumping before they are pushed. However, the latest parliamentarian deciding to ‘spend more time with their family’ is government Mnister Mike Freer, who has been the MP for Finchley and Golders Green since 2010.
Ele está desistindo devido a ameaças de morte que recebeu recentemente - e um ataque criminoso em seu cargo de distrito eleitoral. Aparentemente, isso é resultado da posição que ele assumiu no conflito em Gaza. Vest. Angariação de fundos para apoiar e destinos da aldeia para abrir - antes de passar algumas horas com o cônjuge e os filhos - e depois precisam voltar para Londres. Bem, novamente, isso é um mito. The time parliament is in recess is the time an MP will use to work on constituents’ casework, engage with her or his party members, and, of course, do some campaigning, as they always have one eye on the next time we, as electors, have the chance to ‘sack’ them.
He also revealed that this was the latest in a string of incidents – including what he described as a “narrow miss” with the killer of his colleague, Southend MP Sir David Amess.
He reported, too, that he – as I believe a good number of MPs do now – goes to work in a stab vest.
Far from the glamorous lifestyle that many imagine Members of Parliament to have, I know from personal experience (having worked in the commons as an adviser from 1992-1999), that it is an extremely tough and taxing job.
Not only do you spend far more time than is usual away from your home and family – but when you do return to your constituency, there will be advice surgeries to attend, party fundraisers to support, and village fates to open – before you get to spend a few hours with the spouse and kids – and then have to head back down to London.
“But they have loads of holidays” I hear you cry. Well, again, this is a myth. The time parliament is in recess is the time an MP will use to work on constituents’ casework, engage with her or his party members, and, of course, do some campaigning, as they always have one eye on the next time we, as electors, have the chance to ‘sack’ them.
And the worse part, in this regard is that, often, no matter how good a job they do as a Constituency MP, if their party or their Líder, ou ambos estão fazendo um trabalho de porcaria, provavelmente pagarão a penalidade nas urnas de qualquer maneira. Gostaria de saber por que a atual safra de parlamentares está se afastando do que antes foi visto como um dos papéis mais respeitados do país? Isso pode, ou não, ser verdadeiro. Mas, se aceitarmos que não há apetite para aumentar o que agora seria considerado um salário baixo para um executivo sênior em Londres; então, certamente, devemos introduzir maneiras mais eficientes e eficazes para os parlamentares viajarem, oferecer mais proteção e introduzir frases muito mais longas para quem ousa ameaçar, e muito menos, atacar um MP. Mas que preço colocamos na democracia?
Against this backdrop, and with an annual salary of £86,584, standard class travel, lest they want to be shamed for being ‘out of touch’ on social media, and suffering virtually 24/7 scrutiny – not to mention the murders of Amess and Jo Cox, and several serious attacks on MPs – is it any wonder why the current crop of parliamentarians are walking away from what was once seen as one of the most respected roles in the country?
There is a general perception that the calibre of modern-day MPs is poorer than peers from previous parliaments. That may, or may not, be true. But, if we accept that there is no appetite to increase what would now be considered a low salary for a senior executive in London, then surely, we must introduce more efficient and effective ways for MPs to travel, offer them more protection, and introduce much longer sentences for anyone who dares threaten, let alone, attacks an MP.
There will, inevitably, be a cost to all of this. But what price do we place on democracy?
