Last night I attended the Summer Reception of Conservative Way Forward, (the pressure group/think tank that was founded in 1991 to defend and build upon the achievements of the Conservative Party under the leadership of Lady Thatcher, and to adapt the principles of her era in government to modern concerns and challenges).  It was a great event held at the Institute of Civil Engineers.  Last night William Hague was the host and guest speaker.

As ever Hague was in fine form.  It is fascinating to watch Hague work a room.  He quietly moves from group to group, engaging in conversation, giving his full attention, never breaking eye contact or looking around him or checking his watch.  He gives the group he is with 100% Hague.  Hague is a highly intelligent man and combined with his superb wit, makes him engaging in conversation.  Hague and I had an enjoyable conversation on oratory, Harriet Harman, economic mess, Norwich By-Election and his beautiful Constituency Richmond in Yorkshire.  Suffice to say Hague was a huge hit with the audience last night. 

Hague’s talk was, as you would expect, mixed with side splitting humour and a deadly perception into current affairs, covering usual subjects including, the devastating economic inheritance that Brown will bequeath the next Parliament, foreign affairs, by elections over the years and anyone who knows Hague knows that he always quotes his heroe William Pitt.  Hague oratory at its best.

John Whittingdale harnessed the feeling of the audience when he summed up after Hague’s bravado speech when he called William ‘the finest orator in the Conservative Party’.  That is so true.  I would go one stage further and say that he is the finest orator in British politics today.  (Some may questions whether Tony Blair is the stronger orator but he is no longer a front line UK politician…and Blair was on so many occasions outclassed and outspoken by Hague in their regular interchanges over the Dispatch Box). 

Interesting when working the crowd last night, there was a strong amount of agreement that there are few characters in the Conservative Party that people would happily pay to go and hear speak and of course look forward to it.  Reflecting on that, the Party is indeed crying out for those orators who can capture and engage people through the power of the spoken word.  Hague is without doubt our finest speaker, followed by Cameron.  After that, interestingly people were divided last night.  Hannan’s name came up a number of times.  Osborne was seen as an effective Shadow Chancellor by all but lacking as an engaging orator.  Hopefully, more engaging orators will be entering the House amongst our PPC’s.

Back to Hague.  Early on in this blog, I posted a blog on the finest orators: http://tiny.cc/akx5d  On reflection, Hague is fast entering into this list.  Hague has been a strong projection orator ever since his speech to the Conservative Party Conference when he gained a standing audience at the age of 16.  Thatcher was impressed…..

So what evidence of outstanding oratory?  I thought I would remind of some great recent speeches and exchanges over the dispatch box:

This is Hague reducing the House to stiches, (even David Miliband), over President Blair of the EU….sheer class….:

Hague v Harman…just savage humour cutting the hapless Harman down to shreds:

Michael Portillo interviews William Hague: Fascinating insight into Hague winning the Tory Leadership:

William Hague questioned on BBC Newsnight: Insight into using humour to attack Blair

Hague Launches the Conservative European Manifesto: (Parts 1 & 2)

William on the next election and his political future:

Dissolution of Parliament Debate on 10th June 2009 (3 Part) :

Keep up the great work William.  You are an inspiration to the grassroots and finest orator in UK Politics today.

I am concerned.

Scrub that.  I am very concerned that we are on the road to a House of Millionaires and Mediocrity!  A House that does not attract the best in society.  A House that the Civil Service will effectively control decision making and stamp all over inexperienced MP’s

MP’s are caught between a rock and a hard place.

Thus far, measures being proposed to ‘keep MP’s in order’ will have damaging effects for the future of our democracy.  As MP’s face the heat of the public spotlight on expenses, the way MP’s are selected and remunerated are also under the scrutiny of the media and electorate.  The thorny issue of MP’s outside interests and second jobs is a subject of fierce debate.

Personally, I am in favour of MP’s having outside interests.  Being on The Board of a Company or a Consultant keeps MP’s in touch with real world issues and concerns…but the issue time and again returns back to salary.

MP’s salaries are currently £64,766.  That is LOW…POOR…DERISORY…if we want to be able to attract the best from society then MP’s need to re-adjust their salary to £90-95k.  It’s no wonder MP’s seek to supplement their salary by outside interests and maximising what they could on expenses claims.

I expect that to some this statement will seem sacrilege.  ‘What, £65k is too low’, ‘we have to manage on half that!’

But let’s consider that if current proposals take hold we will have a split House.  Part will be a House of Millionaires.  Millionaires because they don’t care about the money…they don’t need it…they are in it for the power…or to do good.  But questionably is you want to help society and you are a millionaire you would look to support or set up a strong charitable activity….so power would be a key driver amongst the rich in society.

Then we come to a House of Mediocrity.  That may seem an insulting turn of phrase.  What do I mean?  Those people who are earning £15k – £50k, who would see £65k as an attractive salary. Most people in this bracket include the young, graduates, those in junior roles and junior management—to low mid management.  Listening to some of the current young candidates aspiring to be an MP is disconcerting.  Life experience is lost to ambition.  Gravitas and authority grows from experience.  This is not an elitist argument but one that is common sense.   Yes, being an MP is not about money and filling your boots.  It is about helping people and improving society.  But this also requires attracting the finest minds into the house. 

Quality is the key driver.  We are talking of people becoming legislators.  People who can understand complex issues and chart the best way forward for our Country.  MP’s deal with complex issues be it economic, be it on the health service, law and order…and of course defence and foreign affairs.  If we are committing troops to battle, our MP’s must understand the history of the region we are at war with, what troop objectives are, what equipment they need.  All these decisions require people with integrity, intelligence and understanding. 

People with experience and could be arguably best placed to take these decisions will be earning a parity or more than MP’s basic salaries.

If the argument is that quality is not a factor because they will be helped by the Civil Service, then we are prioritising and passing decision making to unelected bureaucrats, who will steer MP’s.  Therefore, limiting MP’s pay will erode democracy, not help improve it…as it will be the Civil Servants taking decisions not our elected representatives.

Now consider if you were a middle ranking manager in the private sector or public sector.  You would be earning circa £60-80k.  Where is your financial incentive to stand for Parliament?  You will have a mortgage, most likely a family to support, University education to pay…..you would be mad to give up your family’s financial security by ‘doing what is right’ by standing for the House, however well intentioned your motives are.  Family comes first.

To see how far MP’s salaries are out of kilter take a look at the Times Online Appointments Section today.  The following jobs could turn your eye….now the people applying for these jobs could make great MP’s….but why would they apply for a massive salary drop?   

The bureaucrats earn more than the decision makers! 

—–Selection of Roles Times Online Appointments—–

Service Director Learning/Vulnerable Children, KCC, £104,000

Project Director for Schools Capital Programme, Isle of Wight Council, up to £100k

Executive Director, Skills for Health, £80k

Head of MIAP Service, Learning & Skills Council, £85k

Chief Executive,  Asso Police Authorities, £100k

Chief Executive, Scottish Enterprise, £100k

Director General Communications, Dept Work & Pensions, c£140k

Finance Director, Whizz-Kidz, £75,000

Head of Research, Home Office, c£85k

Treasurer, Met Police Authority, c £120k

Head, National Safeguarding Delivery Unit, Dept Education, Schools, c £100,000

Deputy Director Leaning Effectiveness, Hillingdon, £92,000 – £125,000

Deputy Director: Children & Family Services, Hillingdon, £92,000 – £125,000

President of Employment Tribunerals, Scotland, £138,548

Director of Property, KCC, £90k

Let’s hope that the summer recess allows some clear thinking time as the last thing this great nation deserves is a Parliament of Millionaires & Mediocrity!

The Daily Telegraph screamed this morning, ‘Cameron to bring back Tory old guard’.  (Read the article here: http://tiny.cc/qZTtJ).  The Telegraph claims that Cameron wants to ensure that the Conservative Party, if it wins the next election, has plenty of experience to help the new Government hit the ground running.  As part of this Cameron is allegedly offering an olive branch to the party’s old guard after the turmoil of the expenses scandal, (some of the old guard were deemed to have been treated harsher than some of the front bench / new MP’s).

Now we come to the interesting part.  Names so far touted include for a return to a Senior Government role include….Peter Lilley, Stephen Dorrell, James Arbuthnot and George Young.

Iain Dale in his review of the big beasts of the jungle returning, throws up the name of David Davis and asks whether he would get a role on the Front Bench.  http://tiny.cc/IIlnB

The one man that needs to be in the frame is that of John Redwood.  After the next election Conservatives will be facing one hell of an economic mess.  An obscene public deficit, hard decision to take on public spending, unemployment above 3 million, falling GDP … and so on.  Key to tackling this economic misery will be calm, clear and experienced heads.  Osborne has laid a clear path forward but he will need the support of wise thinkers who know the delaying tactics that the Civil Service employs in launching new policy initiatives and making changes.  John Redwood has been there, done that and signed the t-shirt.  Cutting spending and getting value will be critical in the next Parliament and Redwood demonstrated his skills in this area in 1995 when he returned £100,000,000 of Wales’ block grant to the UK treasury unspent following efficiency savings and cost-cutting measures.  Unheard of…and something a Labour Minister would never do.  We need that skill and leadership in seeking efficiencies urgently today. 

Redwood has that fine quality of being a respected thinker and someone who can be trusted to deliver, (he was Head of Margaret Thatcher’s Policy Unity in the early to mid 1980’s).  Whilst we talk of the experience of the names above, like Iain Dale, I thought Stephen Dorrell had stood down from Parliament.  Dorrell has added no value to the Party in the past Parliament and has spoken very rarely.  Redwood on the other hand is a ferocious contributor to Parliamentary life, be it speaking in the Chamber, Chairing the Conservative Party’s Policy Review Group on Economic Competitiveness and as we know sharing his views and new ideas via his daily diary. 

If we talk experience, Redwood has held Cabinet rank as a former Secretary of State for Wales, (1993 – 1995).  His Ministerial experience includes time as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs at the DTI in 1989, the following year he was promoted to Minister of State.  Redwood became Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities after the 1992 General Election where he successfully saw through the abolition of the then called ‘Poll Tax’ aka the Community Charge.  In Opposition he has been Shadow Secretary of State for Trade & Industry, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport & the Regions and Spokesperson on Deregulation.  That experience is precious.

When we look the create the strongest team for the Conservatives, don’t ignore the man Redwood, the nation needs his experience & vision.

TBB was at the Palace of Westminster today and had some lovely food at the House restaurant.

Taking a break from lunch I witnessed the Speakers Procession obviously led by our good friend Mr Bercow.  The cry of ‘Speakaaaaaarrrrr’, echoed through the corridors of Power and out popped John and his Procession.

Not that I want to have a pop at John every time I write about him, I have to say that as a traditionalist I was bitterly disappointed at the procession and his conduct in it.  His accompanying procession was immaculately attired and in-step.  However, Speaker Bercow was obviously out of step…like a school disco where 1 kid always dances to the off beat.  As stated before, he is not attired in the centuries old garments that give the sense of tradition that foreign tourists and our people love to see.  But Bercow was in his Marks & Spencer suit….having the audacity to wink at MP’s he knew.

Latest reports are that Bercow wants his Deputies to be elected and an end to the Speakers Procession.  Given the lack of interest he showed in the Procession today, (he looked thoroughly pissed off and bored), it won’t be long before he ends another great tradition.

I am sorry to say, I expect more pomp from the Speakers Procession.  Or am I wrong in believing and enjoying centuries old traditions?

There may not be enough Chinook’s in Afganistan but you can see plenty at the Air Show in Fairford this weekend

Full credit to John Laity who brilliantly raised this point in the comments thread of TBB’s previous blog.  I will reproduce again here for this article:

______________________________________________________________

John Laity comment:

This weekend is the Royal Air Tattoo at Fairford.

I live in the MATZ for Fairford and have been watching aircraft arrive at low level all day. It is great as we have a 1000 ft cloud base which means you can waive at the pilots ;0)

Today I have seen:
4 Medium Helicopters kitted our for radar and anti-submarine
2 Medium Helicopters kitted out for anti-ship & Anti-submarine
2 Attack Helecopters (to be fair possibly low level training)
4 Medium Attack Helicopters (Italian I think)
2 F15 Eagles

All in the space of 20 minutes.

What this must mean is that the 8 nm airspace between Fairford and Lyneham (containing Wootton Basset) is now better protected than our troops in action. Small comfort for those arriving back I am sure…

Now I am NOT critiquing the airshow or the great job the dedicated display pilots will do this weekend. However, I would bet all the money in the world, that if you asked any one of them, they would deploy tomorrow to protect our troops on the ground.

It is CRIMINAL not to provide EVERY resource we have at our disposal to protect the lives of our troops on the ground. We must stop trashing money on banks and spend on urgent equipment. This in turn safeguards UK Jobs and prosperity..I am not a huge fan of Margaret Thatcher, but she went so far as to deploy the QE2 in the Falklands!

Save troops lives, not greedy bankers!

______________________________________________________________

Thanks John.  I have looked into this further and it is fascinating to see the full list of British aircraft participating at this show.  Please note this is all British aircraft.  There are hundreds more from across the world.

Whilst some may criticise this article, it does draw a point quite nicely that some of these helicopters could be being equipped for service for our troops?

Take a look at the show, it does look awesome and the Saturday is sold out.  In many ways it is a great way to show your support for the troops.  http://www.airtattoo.com/airshow

British aircraft at the Fairford Air Show.  Yes there are Chinooks, Apache, Merlin, Lynx, Sea King’s….more helicopters than in Afghanistan !!!!

NB  F=Flying, S-Static, SP=Support, V=Visitor

AIRCRAFT	SQUADRON	THEME
Army Air Corps
Apache AH1	TBC	NATO 60th
Apache AH1 and Lynx AH7	The Blue Eagles	NATO 60th
Defender AL1	651 Squadron	NATO 60th
Islander AL1	1 Flt, 5 Regt	NATO 60th
Lynx AH7	672 Sqn, 9 Regt	NATO 60th
Lynx AH9	672 Sqn, 9 Regt	NATO 60th
QinetiQ
Sea King Mk4 X	QinetiQ	Fly Navy 100
Royal Air Force
A109E Power	32 (TR) Squadron	NATO 60th
C-17A Globemaster III	99 Squadron	NATO 60th
C-17A Globemaster III	99 Squadron	NATO 60th
Chinook HC2	27 Squadron	NATO 60th
Chinook HC2	27 Squadron	NATO 60th
Dominie T1	55 (R) Squadron	NATO 60th
E-3D Sentry AEW1	8 Squadron	NATO 60th
Griffin HT1	60 (R) Squadron	NATO 60th
Grob Viking (x2)	621 VGS	NATO 60th
Harrier GR7/9	TBC	NATO 60th
Hawk T1	208 (R) Squadron	NATO 60th
Hawk T1 (x11)	The Red Arrows	NATO 60th
Hawk T1 (x2)	208 (R) Squadron	NATO 60th
Hawk T2	19 Squadron	NATO 60th
Hurricane IIC	BBMF	NATO 60th
King Air B200	45 (R) Squadron	NATO 60th
King Air B200	45 (R) Squadron	NATO 60th
Lancaster B1	BBMF	NATO 60th
Merlin HC3	28 (AC) Squadron	NATO 60th
Merlin HC3A	78 Squadron	NATO 60th
Nimrod MRA2	42 (R) Squadron	Sea Search 09
Puma HC1	33 Squadron	NATO 60th
Puma HC1	230 Squadron	NATO 60th
Sea King HAR3	202 Squadron	NATO 60th
Sea King HAR3	202 Squadron	Sea Search 09
Sentinel R1	5 (AC) Squadron	NATO 60th
Spitfire	BBMF	NATO 60th
Squirrel HT1	60 (R) Squadron	NATO 60th
Squirrel HT1 (x2)	DHFS
Tornado F3	111 Squadron	NATO 60th
Tornado GR4	XIII Squadron	NATO 60th
Tristar	216 Squadron	NATO 60th
Tucano T.1 (x2)	207 (R) Squadron	NATO 60th
Typhoon (x2)	29 (R) Squadron	NATO 60th
VC10 C1K	101 Squadron	NATO 60th
VC-10 C1K	101 Squadron	NATO 60th
Vigilant (x4)	612 VGS	NATO 60th
Viking T1 (x2)	621 VGS
Royal Navy
Chipmunk	RNHF	Fly Navy 100
Falcon 20 (x2) and Hawk T1 (x4)	The Black Sea Hawks	Fly Navy 100
Harrier GR7/9	NSW	Fly Navy 100
Harrier GR7/9 (x3)	NSW	Fly Navy 100
Hawk T1 (x2)	NFSF (FW)	Fly Navy 100
Jetstream T2	750 NAS	Fly Navy 100
Jetstream T2 (x4)	750 NAS	Fly Navy 100
Lynx	815 NAS	Fly Navy 100
Lynx AH7	847 NAS	Fly Navy 100
Lynx HAS3/HMA8 (x2)	The Black Cats	Fly Navy 100
Lynx HAS3/HMA8 (x4)	various	Fly Navy 100
Merlin HM1	TBC	Fly Navy 100
Merlin HM1	814 NAS	Fly Navy 100
Merlin HM1 (x4)	various	Fly Navy 100
Sea King ASac7 (x2) & HU5 (x2)	various	Fly Navy 100
Sea King HAS2	Sea King IPT	Fly Navy 100
Sea King HAS6	846 NAS	Fly Navy 100
Sea King HC4	845 NAS	Fly Navy 100
Sea King HC4/HAS6 (x4)	CHF	Fly Navy 100
Sea King HUS5 (SAR)	771 NAS	Fly Navy 100
Squirrel HT1 (x2) & Griffin HT1 (x2)	DHFS	Fly Navy 100
T67M Firefly (x4)	703 NAS	Fly Navy 100
“Lads, stay low to the ground, helicopters are coming, they have to finish an air show first”!!

Following the procedures laid down by the Ministry of Justice, TBB has today submitted a Freedom of Information Request involving Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow.

Bercow campaigned on a platform of openness and transparency and has yet failed to reveal the full salary he has taken as Speaker.

Former Speaker Michael Martin publicly revealed that he kept his pay in line with Cabinet Ministers at £141,868.  Michael Martin did this in recognition of the recession and being seen to be responsible in difficult and harsh times.   In April, all backbench MP’s, (which Bercow was at the time), were given a 2.33% pay increase which took an MP’s salary to £64,766.

If you go to the House of Commons website detailing all salaries it lists Bercow’s pay entitlement as £144,520.  This means that Speaker Bercow could be claiming a salary of £2,652 more than Michael Martin.  BUT he wont reveal what he has accepted as House of Commons Speaker.

Given we know the salary of the Prime Minister, Members of the Cabinet, MP’s, surely Speaker Bercow owes it to be honest to us and reveal his details.

Let’s see what response a Freedom of Information Request gets.  Whether he is claiming the full amount or less is not the issue, it is about honesty and getting to the truth, which Bercow is not revealing.

(Don’t forget that Bercow was revealed by the Daily Telegraph earlier this year as failing to pay Capital Gains Tax after so-called ‘flipping’ his second home designation.  But he did pay back £6,500 in capital gains tax after the Telegraph reveal).

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, who is the smuggest of them all…..

The ego has well and truly landed.  John Bercow is settling into his role as Mr Speaker…how’s he doing?

Bercow has made much of his new style Speakership.  Bringing democracy back to the House and acting as a strong check on the Executive.

He has made bold statements.  Government Ministers will NO LONGER brief the media before making a statement to the House.  Boy that has been listened to.  As we know Ministers continue DAILYbriefing the media before Parliament.  We could read about Alastair Darling’s reforms to the banking system in the morning papers over breakfast before he stood up and made a statement to the House in the Afternoon.  What did Bercow do?  What has he done?  Nothing.  Talk is cheap.

Today he halted the flow of PMQ’s, (where for once more detailed information was traded on a difficult subject), to patronise both David Cameron and Gordon Brown, telling them to ask briefer questions and give briefer answers.  It was totally unnecessary.  If he is concerned about the way PMQ’s is going he calls them both to his office and expresses his concerns.  He does not tell our leaders off like naughty schoolchildren.  Again, it smacks of Bercow trying to look more self important and playing to his huge ego.

Added to this is his ridiculous disregrad for history and tradition.  He wants to end the Speakers Procession.  He has traded in the honourable robes and traditional attire of The Speaker to his Armani Suit and Primark Tie.  Britain is a nation of traditions…Bercow should pay heed to tradition.  But to no avail for the ‘squirt in a shirt’!

Speaker Bercow, enjoy your time in the Chair.  If you carry on this way, you will….yes will, be replaced as Speaker in the next Parliament.  Conservative MP’s are already talking openly in the bars and restaurants of the House…….take heed!