Who Can You Trust These Days?

As a Liberal Democrat for 24 years and having done my own stint in public service, I just could not believe that some MP's were prepared to "gossip" when questioned by undercover Daily Telegraph reporters and the responses they gave. They did not know who the people were, who turned up at their surgeries, with an alleged problem with their benefits.

I certainly never made such comments to people I didn't know, let alone people I did. Its always best to keep your personal thoughts to yourself and for Vince Cable to make comments about Murdoch, was sheer stupidity to the nth degree.

Yes, Milliband wanted Cable out of the Cabinet, but not for the reasons he was giving, in my opinion. He wanted Cable on the outside, attacking the Government as he was always thought of as being close to Labour. A sacked Vince Cable would definately be disgruntled!

I am sure Cameron wants Cable in the Cabinet as its safer to have him on the inside, than on the outside. Cable also has great ability.

I am also sure that worse things were said in both Labour and Conservative Governments, showing there were probably even greater splits within the governing party as there are between the current coalition.

John Major made reference to the "bastards" in his party and we were all aware of the differences between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and between Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson, so I guess the comments from the Lib Dem Ministers are embarrasing at the least, but also sheer stupidity by the individuals who were prepared to make such comments to people they didn't know.

The Daily Telegraph, 2 years ago was making a name for itself by exposing the MP's expenses. Now, they are reduced to sending undercover journalists into Lib Dem MP's surgeries by pretending to be people they were not. In other words, their intentions were to get comments by what can only be by deception, if not by fraudulent means and it would be interesting to see if the Police and the DPP consider whether to make any charges.

Yes, the MPs should not have made the comments and they were very stupid and I even wonder whether they could face internal disciplinary action by the Liberal Democrat Party.

But the actions of the Daily Telegraph is near to the gutter and like they did with the expenses scandal, they are dripping the stories, to make the story continue, day after day.

It will also be interesting if they went undercover to Conservative Ministers surgeries.

All MP's will now be wondering if the person sat opposite them at their surgery is genuine, or an undercover reporter. They will now be VERY careful what they say and no doubt Daily Telegraph reporters will now be treated as lepers by Liberal Democrat MP's and probably even Conservative and Labour MP's.

So the media could be the long term losers in all this sad state of affairs. And maybe some prosecutions could be on the cards in 2011 as essentially, the MP's were victims of a sting, if not an organised fraud operation.

So I am greatly annoyed and disappointed at those MP's for making the comments they did and congratulate those who probably acted professionally and when questioned on Cameron/Osborne/the coalition, just made no comment. It would be interesting to know how Stephen Crabb and Simon Hart as the Pembrokeshire MP's will change, when they are at their regular constituency surgeries.

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