Monday 15 December 2008

Day of Reckoning

In a speech today given in London Docklands, David Cameron spoke on the theme that those who commit criminal acts should be punished.

 "Doctors who behave irresponsibly get struck off. Bankers who behave irresponsibly should face professional consequences."
"We need to introduce a culture of responsibility" 
"If we are to build a strong society, people must take responsibility for their actions."

Now whilst it is admitted David Cameron was specifically dealing with the banking industry, does this principle not apply to any other sector of employment? If Doctors can be 'struck off' and Bankers 'face professional consequences', should politicians not also face deselection?

How about those politicians who have lied to us, the electorate, over the years? How about the present crop of politicians who have misused and fiddled statistics, have refused to hold a promised referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and have refused to even discuss our membership of the European Union? How about those politicians who have, over the past decade, consistently eroded the liberties which we, as a country, enjoyed?

Perhaps David Cameron, whilst wishing to introduce a culture of responsibility, needs to be able to understand what responsibility is in the first place. Perhaps, if people are to take responsibility for their actions, David Cameron should put himself at the head of the queue and accept his responsibility to debate with his constituents this country's membership of the European Union; something he has, so far, refused to do. Perhaps David Cameron should remember that the one promise he did make, on his election to the leadership of the Conservative Party, namely to pull his party out of the EPP grouping in the European Parliament, still remains unfulfilled - so why should we, the electorate, believe anything he says?


No comments: