UKIP TO STAND AGAINST JOHN BERCOW IN HIS BUCKINGHAM SEAT AT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION……….

BUCKS HERALD STORY BELOW:

http://www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/UKIP-will-stand-against-Buckingham.5402229.jp

>“The bishops do get their house thrown in,”
>Isn’t that half the problem with MPs too, David?

I think it shows up the difference. The Bishops live strictly over the shop, and the ABC can’t sell Lambeth – which stops him pocketing the difference

[Update to post: Bercow is doing better than I expected, but I'll still want to see if he can escape this "tiny minority have abused the system" idea. Minority - yes. Tiny minority - no.]

Isn’t that half the problem with MPs too, David?

I fully agree that they have far greater responsibilities than most MPs – given they have to look after clergy, and housing, and various trusts, and know something about the spiritual and lay health of their diocese. Also, as this takes a lot of time, they seem to find it difficult to hold down second jobs (not that I’m making a party political point there…)

Maybe we should start thinking of MP as a vocational thing as well…compare them with directors of charities perhaps, as suggested by Dorothy Wainwright for Civil Servants? And pay them accordingly. We wouldn’t get the really greedy and ambitious lot in then, but I’m not sure after the last thirty years whether that would be such an issue. The risk is that it would further confine politics only to those who are loaded already

The Half-Blood Welshman´s last blog post..The right man for all the wrong reasons.

So the man with seeingly few principles or deeply held convictions was elected. The man who changed his core beliefs and politics to suit his ambitions. How can someone change from being ultra right wing to ultra liberal overnight? What he calls his moment of ‘enlightenment’ or his political journey. Did he have Damascus Road experience? I don’t think so, more like the minute he realised he would have to court New Labour and Lib Dems. MPs favour, to achieve his ambition of becoming Speaker of the House. It is then he must have decided to do whatever it took to achieve his goal. Even if it meant being disloyal to his own party and its leaders and ‘greasing up’ to the opposition at every opportunity. In other words he was prepared to sell his soul for the ‘pot of gold’ he yearned for. Close observers of John Bercow knew this; especially his Tory colleagues. No wonder they had such solemn faces when the result was announced. Only when prompted by David Cameron did a few Tory MPs give a slow and weak hand-clap, the rest decided to keep their arms crossed or hands firmly on their laps. One Tory MP shouted, ‘Not in my name!’ As the labour benches enjoyed their moment of childish spite with their smiling faces knowing they had left their final lasting legacy, by achieving something with their ‘bloc vote’, that would hurt David Cameron and the Conservative Party when they get into power, long after this New Labour Government sinks beneath the waves; in their rotten and stinking ship.

Knowing John Bercow’s liberal views on abortion and hearing about his ridiculous amendment that he tabled for the third reading of the Embryology Bill last year, (which wasn’t heard in the end, due to a Government guillotine on the bill) reflected his new ultra liberal views on moral issues. I therefore fear for the protection of unborn children in the UK; when the emotive issue is next debated in the House. I and many others will be watching for his promised fairness and impartiality on such issues. How will he stop himself from ridiculing people who disagree with him? Will he continue to use his old method of shutting down the debate, by personally attacking his opponents to undermine them? I and many others will be watching him very closely on important debates; especially on moral issues.

David Keen´s last blog post..‘Killing God’, Youth and Faith

[...] Carl Gardner • June 23, 2009 The New House of Commons SpeakerGod help us. John Bercow is the new SpeakerElecting the new Speaker – by ChrisWe should give John Bercow a chance (Mathew Hulbert)Like it or [...]

Pardon, sorry? There isn’t a flat rate, but generally their stipends seem to start at around £31,000 for a suffragan, up to £37,000 for a diocesan (rising to about £55,000 for Richard Chartres as Bishop of London). £22,000 is more like a senior parish priest’s pay (which I think starts at £18,000).

Which isn’t a huge amount for the work they do, and would rather bear out your initial point, but even so…

See here.

The Half-Blood Welshman´s last blog post..The right man for all the wrong reasons.

[Ed: Point taken - I've quoted the wrong figure. I'm actually after £30k->£38k, as borne out by the spreadsheet on the CofE website here.

Realistic "responsibility" comparisons with MPs could be with "Bishops who sit in Parliament", or "Bishops who run offices with several personal staff" (i.e., all of them).

Bishops also have responsibility for anything between (estimating) several dozen and several hundred clergy. On that basis, no backbench MPs come close to the same level of responsibility.

Matt]