Well let’s first look at the terminology “hung parliament”. It is a term that is designed to send shivers down your spine. Hung, drawn and quartered, a hung jury, hung from the highest tree.
It provokes the public into a sense of unease, if not outright terror. The danger is that this sense of doom can translate into a self fulfilled prophecy with less consumer spending as the public starts to gird their loins against the terrifying consequences of politicians having to put aside party self-interest in order to work together for the good of the Nation.
Yet need it really be like that? Apparently we are paying a good level of salary and additional benefits in order to attract the brightest of people to be MPs. People who say they put the interest of the Nation before all else. Yet we are fully expecting them to act like unruly gangs in a school yard, destroying the play equipment and breaking the school windows.
Shouldn’t we instead insist that they act like the intelligent public servants that they claim to be and put away the sling-shots and stones in order to work together to run the country.
While it was necessary to scaremonger about “hung parliaments” during the election campaign to stop the public from voting for that nice Mr. Clegg, it can stop now.
Germany’s three main parties work together as a coalition government, Greece has a single party. Which has the stronger economy?
With all that has happened recently to destroy the public trust in members of parliament, now would be a good time to show that they can after all behave responsibly and help to grow the economy, rather than see it wither for their own political self interest.
It is perhaps too early to say this but my thoughts are that the hung parliament will be no better than the previous Government. MP’s seem to be all about themselves. I was interested in reading some comments on your Business LInk blog about the size of companies the Government will trade with. By their own admission they do not have expertise in certain areas but because I am a SME I will not be engaged in helping reduce costs, an area they are highly focused on despite having tabled over £100 million saving in one area alone. MP’s are busy people they have a team who respond on their behalf with incorrect information! I had such an experience earlier this year when the Department of Health advised a particular route for me to take in my quest to help. I found the recommended source did not have the responsibility and they kindly suggested another source who has totally ignored my approach and further prompts. I therefore wrote back to the the D of H and they sent me to the blind alley as before. I told them ‘politely’ they didnt know what they were doing! Need less to say I got the ususal response – thank you for contacting we will respond within 20 days! I think Government should comprise of respected figure heads, experts in respective fields and civilians who have their feet on the ground and who care for the future of our Country not egotistical boffins