My OperaAnyone would think the media don't like Youtube.
Thursday, April 30, 2009 6:46:04 PM
The prime minister made a pronouncement on Youtube. He gave a brief speech about what he would like done about MP's expenses claims, and in particular the 2nd home claims made by some MPs who fiercely believe that they need a 2nd home closer to the Houses of Parliament even if they only live a few miles away anyhow. The 2nd homes row has reached farcial proportions with multi-houseowner MPs simply claiming the one that's closest to parliament as a second home used for the purpose of parliamentary attendance. Mr. Brown's suggestion was that they do away with the 2nd home subsidy and instead pay all MPs an attendance allowance.
You'd think there's been rioting in the streets. The broadcast media were horrified that the anouncement hadn't been made via them but via an internet website that people actually access sometimes. The print media were even more up in arms, not of course because this means that anyone can access exactly what the PM said simply by logging on, no, it was... er... to be honest they didn't seem to know why they were against it, or as they reported it, the whole of Britain was against it.
Of course the fact that the item was freely available rather than being run through the mouthpieces of Rupert Murdoch or the Barclay Brothers and their ilk first may have no small bearing upon the matter.
But what of the proposal? One of the PM's comments was "It's time that MPs realised that they are here to serve the people, not to serve themselves." It would seem that the majority of MPs didn't see things that way. To hear them protest you imagine that they were being besieged by their constituents, insisting that they continue to look after their own needs first. And the very idea of being paid for turning up to work! The people would be in open rebellion if that one was to go through, apparently. "No, no, no!" they almost chorused as they searched through their mail for someone, anyone, who didn't think that it was a good idea to pay them for turning up for work.
The reason for their reluctance to pass this measure was revealed as the news cameras pulled back at the close of the days business.
There were only about 24 of them there.
You'd think there's been rioting in the streets. The broadcast media were horrified that the anouncement hadn't been made via them but via an internet website that people actually access sometimes. The print media were even more up in arms, not of course because this means that anyone can access exactly what the PM said simply by logging on, no, it was... er... to be honest they didn't seem to know why they were against it, or as they reported it, the whole of Britain was against it.
Of course the fact that the item was freely available rather than being run through the mouthpieces of Rupert Murdoch or the Barclay Brothers and their ilk first may have no small bearing upon the matter.
But what of the proposal? One of the PM's comments was "It's time that MPs realised that they are here to serve the people, not to serve themselves." It would seem that the majority of MPs didn't see things that way. To hear them protest you imagine that they were being besieged by their constituents, insisting that they continue to look after their own needs first. And the very idea of being paid for turning up to work! The people would be in open rebellion if that one was to go through, apparently. "No, no, no!" they almost chorused as they searched through their mail for someone, anyone, who didn't think that it was a good idea to pay them for turning up for work.
The reason for their reluctance to pass this measure was revealed as the news cameras pulled back at the close of the days business.
There were only about 24 of them there.
Nigel CliffCaptainPenguin # Sunday, May 3, 2009 7:41:03 AM
Deke # Sunday, May 3, 2009 5:03:57 PM