Let's aim low
Members of parliament and those that wish to become members of parliament.

Watching the palace of Westminster disappearing a in a world of smoke and self righteous noise, I can't be the only one fed up the back teeth with the emergence of a political class, identifiable in their choice of party only by the colour of their ties. A group of people who increasingly have never interacted with the population other than to berate whatever section of it notionally angers their party- delete as appropriate.

The Ancient Greeks recognised the emergence of a political class was bad yet two and half thousand years later, we seem hell bent on making the same mistake. We could fix this easily but given it would affect the leaders of the three main UK parties (and very possibly others, I haven't been able to check), it will only ever be a pipedream. So;

1) A minimum age of thirty for all people wishing to stand for parliament.
2) You must have been resident in the constituency you wish to stand in for two years.
3) You must have an employment record that contains two consecutive years of work outside of politics. What that employment was is not important- the idea is that you have at least experienced life outside the bubble before entering it. All too often we see new MP's who were at university, joined the local wing of the NUS, became a "researcher" to an MP, an adivsor to a minister and finally got their safe seat (that they visited first time to canvas in) to live in the bubble forever.
4) If you are found to have lied, defrauded, fiddled or otherwise attempted to fuck the electorate, a non negotiable, lifetime ban from further political roles needs to be enforced. The lightweight prison sentences that various expenses cheats have been given is less damaging than removing them forever from the teat of public funds.
5) A mandatory level of attendence in the parliament you represent and a minimum amount of consituency activity to be achieved in a calendar year.
6) Your expenses to be published in full at the end of each financial year. Many MP's already do this so we really ought to be asking what those that don't have to hide.

So there you have it. Nothing impossible, elitist, prejudicial to any particular social class or group but collectively something that might lift us off the rock bottom of the current crop of political figures. Not that it will ever actually happen.
(Leonard Hatred briefly did some work on, Thu 22 Sep 2011, 13:58, 8 replies)

Nice try.
Anyone expressing the slightest interest in a career in politics, should be taken out and shot.

MPs would be decided by lottery, and made to serve for one year, before being replaced.

Failure is punishable by public flogging.

Failing all that, put me in charge, and have the armed forces worship me as their god.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Thu 22 Sep 2011, 14:02, closed)

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/
MP's should have to fill in a timesheet each week, just to see who they've been working for.

All entries in the "Register of Members’ Interests" should be published in national and local newspapers, and subject to a lot more public scrutiny.
( MeatB3ta ... I was just cleaning it when it went off ..., Thu 22 Sep 2011, 15:18, closed)

Bang on the money there Mr Hatred
Lets start a revolution..... Yaaarrrr
( The Mock Turtle ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Thu 22 Sep 2011, 15:18, closed)

yep
Totally agree with this
(andythepieman Is surfing the waves of indifference on, Thu 22 Sep 2011, 16:16, closed)

My only regret is that I have but one 'like' to give this.
(uncle whippity, Thu 22 Sep 2011, 17:15, closed)

I'd add in being a current or former MP becomes an aggravating factor in any sentence applied on being convicted of wrong doing.

They should be held to a far higher standard than the rest of us.

Given I've managed to go 40 years or so without fiddling my expenses, taking backhanders, or perjuring myself. let alone crimes against people or property I wonder who could reasonably object.
(Scooby Don't, Fri 23 Sep 2011, 10:28, closed)

Nice try, but not enough
Any MP caught fiddling expenses should have to pay back all the money they've received as an MP, once they get out of prison.

Ten years working in the 'real world' as a minimum before you can stand for parliament.

And I can't believe they're still whingeing about the time they 'waste' doing their expenses. If I don't have a receipt, I can't claim expeses. I topped up my Oyster card last time I had to go to London and forgot to get a receipt, so I couldn't claim it back. Tough luck on me.
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Tue 27 Sep 2011, 16:17, closed)

All parliamentary votes
to be by secret ballot. Fuck the party system.
(Redemption blamed it on the Bossa Nova since, Wed 28 Sep 2011, 13:36, closed)