A house of Cards

The bloggosphere is rattling with sounds of keys being smashed to the tune of 'get those rotten MPs out', 'Corrupt institution' and 'losing faith in democracy'

I am going to add my own 2 pence worth but keep it contained to what has interested me.

• Class; As Andrew Neil notes, 'class is never far beneath the surface' in British politics. While Labour MPs forage for capital gains and squander the rest of our money on bath plugs, porn and junk food. Tory MPs have been using our taxes to maintain there swimming pools, tennis courts and Georgian mansions.
  
• Transparency International rates Britain at 16th in the world. This was before the cash for honours, nepotism, extension of detention without charge including denying evidence to those who would be charged, and last weeks corruption revelations. Let's face it, we all guessed these things were going on but lets see how far we are down graded on this measure of freedom.
  
• Michael Martin has simply forgotten the Speakers role in Parliament. Not for the first time either, and lest not forget he was embroiled in his own expenses controversy over his house a few years back. He failed over protecting parliament from authoritarian governments, crumbling in front of the police and now he has completely misunderstood the public's reaction and a foundation of democracy; transparency. He has pushed his ineptness beyond party and kinship loyalty and should (eventually?) be pushed off of a very high position. But as we know the lofty never fall far and will probably land on a comfy red bench with a long, indeed, eternal shelf-life.
  
• This is the first time I have seen David Cameron take a lead on any issue since Northern Rock. He stood tall and has took a tough line. The government is now truly on the back foot and losing control of the agenda. This might be what exactly Cameron needed and hats of to a well presented speech. I don't think for a second e would have took this issue seriously if it wasn't threatening his own leads in the polls but he has handled it well.
• Reform, with every crises comes opportunity so lets hope we grab a chance to reform not only the banking sector but way of parliament too.