Trust is the very basis of representative democracy. The majority consent to be governed by, and taxed by an elected minority because they trust in the process, and in the judgement of those they elect. They trust that their elected representatives will take decisions, not in their own interest, but in the interest of the nation as a whole.
If this trust breaks down it results in disorder; civil disobedience; and the rise in fascist political parties. The history of the last century shows that this is especially true in times of economic turmoil.
You do not need me to tell you that this trust is already breaking down. Again and again, I am told on doorsteps that all the candidates are the same: in it for themselves, and that none of are to be trusted; that whoever they vote for it always ends up the same. Little wonder then that so many have already given up voting.
I believe that this leads to a loss of confidence by Parliament itself. Rights that our ancestors fought over generations to achieve are given up. We no longer hold the Government to account; we have largely given up making the law or controlling supply. Consequently we are increasingly governed by people whom we do not elect, and cannot remove.
Last week the Bank of England began the process of ‘quantitative easing’, a euphemism for printing new money to the tune of a quarter of our total national income. It is an enormous experiment with unknown consequences. Yet incredibly this took place without a vote or even a debate in Parliament.
Why have we lost our nerve? Why do we not hold the executive to account?
The answer is that we know that we do not enjoy your support; that you do no longer trust us; even that you hold us in utter contempt; that some of you go so far as to hate us.
How can members of Parliament regain the trust of the nation?
I have two suggestions. First, we need a significant cut in our numbers: there are far too many professional politicians living on the backs of the British people. Second, we need a root and branch reform of the parliamentary pension scheme: when the nation is facing a pension crisis, an example must be set by abandoning a scheme that is universally regarded as too generous and too expensive.
If ordinary people see that, when the interest of the nation requires, turkeys really can be persuaded to vote for Christmas, perhaps they will begin to trust the turkeys again. |
