Cash for Access

Sixty. Seven. Thousand. Pounds. Do you, dear reader, earn that much? Half as much? Nowhere near that much? The figure is the current salary for a sitting Member of Parliament. It would certainly be enough to look after me and my family, I’m guessing it would be for you as well. For two quite well known politicians however that sum seems not to cut the mustard. Jack Straw and Malcolm Rifkind have, like many before them, been caught (hook, line and sinker) with their grubby mitts out in the hope of trousering several thousand pounds more in yet another “cash for access” sting. Both were filmed offering their services to fictitious firms in exchange for large payments. In their defence the default terms have been bandied about again; “I have done nothing wrong”, “it was all within the rules” and the absolute classic “it was a simple error of judgement”. This last excuse crops up every time a public figure is caught with his trousers down or his hands in the till. Errors of judgement occur in the heat of the moment when one is perhaps caught off guard. These misdemeanours are not EoJs; they are calculated, planned, financially rewarding attempts to take advantage of their elected positions. Shameful behaviour.