Westminister's disgrace

Originally, I was going to write a festive music blog but events last week made me so angry that I decided to write the kind of post I don’t usually write.

At this time of year it is traditional to think of others and show the positive side of the human spirit. Those thoughts don't seem to pass through the heads of some in the House of Commons, where certain elected Members of Parliament think it’s appropriate to laugh at those in need who are struggling to feed their families.

In a place that has had more lows recently than a Caribbean limbo dancer, the behaviour hit a deep trough during last Wednesday’s debate on the surge in food bank use in the UK. There are those on the government benches who think it is funny that families are so desperate for cheap food that people are arguing in their supermarket for the end of day bargains. As they tuck into their huge Christmas dinners on Wednesday, will these so-called Parliamentarians give a passing thought to the ever-increasing number of poor in this country? While they slosh another brandy down their greedy throats will they care that more working families are trapped in an ever-tightening grip of misery and despair? The sad thing is that some of the hypocrites will precede their meal with grace, maybe even said by their local vicar. Then they will tuck into a huge feast and tell the story of these unfortunate families as an amusing anecdote to their equally out of touch banker friends.

My disgust at this has nothing to do with politics, this is about humanity. This is about expecting those who have been elected to serve to behave like decent human beings, empathising with the plight of their constituents and other people across the country. Unfortunately it seems that decency is in short supply in Westminster and the very respect for each other that marks the character of the British people is being undermined by those who represent no one bar themselves; people who see being a Member of Parliament as nothing more than a stepping stone to highly-paid seats on any number of company boards. Those who laughed should be named, shamed and prevented from ever standing for election again as being unfit to serve. It's the very least punishment they deserve.

Sorry for a negative blog but I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and that you will have a small thought for those less fortunate than yourself this festive season.