Tuesday, 12 May 2009

Class acts

"Down, down, deeper and down", as the Quo memorably put it. With the expenses furore plumbing new tennis courts (surely "depths"?), it's amusing in a macabre sort of way to compare and contrast the "requirements" of Labour and Tory MPs...

Labour
  • Mock Tudor beams
  • As much free grub as possible
  • Refixing bog seats (see previous item)
  • Second (third, fourth, ...) homes
  • Holiday home in balmy Southampton
  • TVs
  • "Educational" movies
  • Bath plugs
  • Glittery bog seat
  • Imaginary Council Tax

Tory
  • Helipad
  • Swimming pools
  • Light bulb changes (for the Shadow Skills Minister - you couldn't make it up)
  • Moat dredging
  • Piano tuning
  • Fixing stable lights
  • Horse manure
  • Plumbing in the summer room
Suffice to say I think we still have some way to go before we become a classless society.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had hoped that we were working towards a meritocracy. Little evidence of that here. Ah well as Beattie would say we've got an ocracy, who cares if it's a kleptocracy.

forfar-loon said...

Someone on Blether with Brian used "kakistocracy" recently - the rule of the worst, or least suitable if I remember right. We're not too far off that at the minute!

Anonymous said...

KAKISTOCRACY -- Government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens. [Greek kakistos, worst, superlative of kakos, bad]

In the US, we're already there. Never held a real job in your life? No problem! Run for public office!

forfar-loon said...

Aye, we've more than a few of those in the UK too...come out of student politics at university, work as a researcher for an MP or think tank for a year or two and then get parachuted into a safe seat somewhere.

Alternatively you can just rely on Daddy's connections (even if you're in the Labour party!) to get nominated for a constituency at the ripe old age of 22! (see Erith and Thamesmead)