Will Straw is the son of former Home Secretary Jack Straw. After being president of the National Union of Students, Jack went to work for the late Barbara Castle, and in due course he slipped smoothly into her seat in the Commons.
By an amazing coincidence, young Will has been selected to stand for the adjacent constituency of Rossendale and Darwen.. Well, I say coincidence, but I suppose something might have slipped under the radar, as the saying goes.
If you do a search for Jack Straw on this blog, you will see that I am not his greatest admirer. Will must be cursing his luck at this latest affair.
Musings and Snippets from a recently retired JP. I served for 31 years, mostly in west London. I was Chairman of my Bench for some years, and a member of the National Bench Chairmen's Forum All cases are based on real ones, but anonymised and composited. All opinions are those of one or more individuals. JPs swear to enforce the law of the land, whether or not they approve of it. Nothing on here constitutes legal advice.
I'm sure yourng Mr Straw is a nice chap but it would be nicer if we had a bit more democracy and a few more people in parliament who have seen a bit of real life.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who has watched Michael Cockerls' inside parliament should norw realise that our democracy is not hing of the sort but rather a circus or loonies who if they are not operating in the 18th century have or are attempting to get their snouts in the trough.
If only the people would vote these buggers out and get a decent lot in
I would like to see it become mandatory that nobody can stand for parliament until they are at least forty and have had ten years working in a real job. Far too many see parliament as a career, with no experience of the real world when they get there.
ReplyDeleteAnon (1553) - Do you realise that (i) the average age of MP's is actually around 54; (ii) Churchill was only 26 when elected to parliament!; (iii) I think the youngest current member is 30? (iv) we look likely to give 16 yr olds the vote - but you want them only to vote for people who are (I guess) more like you - will that help engage people. I'm not sure the "young uns" are the problem - this latest scandal is around two very experienced members.
ReplyDeleteWhen a parent discovers a good racket they like to pass it on to the children - think Walpole, Pitt, Churchill. These days a well drawn family trust staves off the traditional dynastic limitation of slow horses, fast women and the gambling tables - pity really.
ReplyDeleteWhile very slightly OT, I note that the son of the other MP involved in this latest scandal is being abused on Twitter, not for his own life (he is after all a fairly well known journalist) but rather because of the perceived 'sins' of his father. It is (sadly) also descending into some deeply unpleasant racist abuse too. He is well able to defend himself but that is not the point.
ReplyDeleteYoung Mr Straw may well be unworthy of his role if he obtained it solely because of who his father was but we should ALWAYS examine our own prejudices and motives before we condemn the children of the 'famous' just because of what a parent (or other family member) may or may not have done.
Personally I do think MPs should have a second source of income; there has been a shameful lack of MPs resigning on points of principle recently (How many anti-war MPs resigned their party whip for example?) I suspect this is because the job of MP being their only source of income for many.
ReplyDeleteManifesto for change:
ReplyDelete1. Reduce the numbers of MPs and Lords( 500 MPs and 400 Lords- 300 elected and 100 appointed for fixed terms;
2. Pay them a decent salary;
3. Stop some of the abuses of disproportionate outside work;
4. thoroughly reform how parliament works;
5. Better elections.
If the people are frightened of the government you have tyranny. If the government are frightend of the people you get democracy.
Anonymous26 February 2015 at 11:00:
ReplyDeleteSpot on! I vote you Prime Minister in May.
Do away with parliameent and voting. Sell the country to Google for them to operate.
ReplyDeleteGive the profits to breadwinners.
Ban the words - racist, diverse,fair,equal, vibrant, reform and bbc
Apparently the Germans have an offer in for Corfu already. Kaiser Bill loved the place so much they want to buy it at a discount from Greece.
ReplyDelete