Why doesn’t the government want to answer the following questions, would they be available under the Freedom of Information Act?
- The suicide rate amongst Armed Forces returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Visas into the UK given to preachers of hate.
- The number of school leavers without any GCSE qualifications.
- The level of Green Belt destruction under Labour.
- Taxpayers’ cash to the unions from the new state ‘modernisation’ fund.
- Sex attacks by NHS doctors and dentists.
The increase in the number of train stations deemed unsafe due to crime. - The estimated influx of migrants from Bulgaria and Romania in the UK from next year .
- Child abuse by Roman Catholic priests.
- Murders committed by prisoners on parole.
These are just a few of almost 1,000 questions waiting for answers which, Theresa May highlights here. The Shadow Leader of the House of Commons quite rightly reminds the government:
“It is clear from this new dossier that Labour Ministers have systematically sought to avoid public scrutiny by evading awkward Parliamentary Questions. Labour may not like it, but the fundamental purpose of Parliament is to scrutinise and hold the government of the day to account.
“Not only are Labour’s actions deeply corrosive to our political system and the impartiality of the Civil Service, but I fear it will fuel further cynicism with politics and politicians.”
I would also like to know how many murderers are still on the loose after absconding from prisons and what action the police is taking to track them down, this has been of great concern in Suffolk.
The government’s refusal to be accountable on these serious issues demonstrates a conceited arrogance. I’m hoping some journalists will quickly get writing a wad of FoI requests to come up with the answers.
Hat Tip Guido.
The Government’s descent into pure realpolitik is beyond doubt now. To think it was this lot who rode to power on the ‘tory sleaze’ bandwagon. Surely they must be unelectable now?
It’s incredible that these important questions have been avoided by the government. I watched the news about Blair being questioned by the police, and then the pictures of him strutting around in Brussels, in disbelief yesterday. How can they hold their heads up now?
I agree these questions need to be answered. But again, I feel that whatever party happpens to be in power, the opposition will always be able to present cases like this. There will always be answeed questionss. All parties are guilty of “spin”. It is the nature of party politics I’m afraid, and that is exactly what has made me, and countless others like me, entirely sceptical about the whole process. Fun to argue about though 🙂
Welshcakes, why do you disbelieve the tv pictures of the Prime Minister present in Brussels? Do you suspect a media conspiracy? As far as I am aware the Prime Minister was not arrested. He has done some appaling things in his term of office (in my opinion) but as yet there have been no charges on this issue, and you sound prejudiced. The Conservative Party seems to be singularly quiet on this matter.
I wish I could “cherry pick” the policies I like from all the parties come the next General Election!
Sorry, I meant there will always be unanswered questions .
1. Incompetence
2. Evil intentions
3. Bad decision making
4. Selling this country down the river to the profoudly undemocratic EU. (Cameron & Hague would be NO better)
Self indulgencehere
Like the cash for honours “scandal” it leave s me cold in that it is corss party . Nu lab won`t answer questions.Cameron won`t form policies.I haven`t yet decided if he is silvery fish swinmming in the sewer or just another old boot.
Jim, give me a break! No, of course I don’t suspect a media conspiracy! It’s just that, if it had happened to me, I would have some difficulty facing the media but I suppose that’s why I’d never make a politician. And I’m not even a bloody Tory, by the way so of course I’m not prejudiced. And while we’re at it, Jim, re Catholicism, I never said I believed it and we all need a little myth in our lives now and then!
Having railed against New Labour for the last year on my blog I’m finding it harder to continue blaming them for all our ills. I’m coming around to the view that they are simply a reflection of modern society, after all, who expects David Cameron to be any different?
Politics is now an art of deception, half truths, lies and doublespeak, if not more so than in the past, it is certainly far more sophisticated in deception and evasion than ever before.
So the big question today is not why don’t they give a straight answer to those questions you posed, but why should they even bother to give a straight answer? They don’t need to, and if they do they open themselves up to accepting responsibility, or to being held accountable. A most unecessary state of affairs from their point of view.
As things are, people will still keep voting them in, admittedly with fewer votes, they are not accountable for their lies, and life rolls on as they feather their nests.
The answer should be fairly simple. It is for the electorate to say, “We won’t vote for you any more because you aren’t worthy of my vote”. Unfortunately, and I suppose it’s fair to say who can blame them, too many voters on both sides of the political spectrum vote for selfish reasons.
You’ve a point John. Also, we can’t expect Governments to do everything for us. I think the time has come for
1. More CSR, and
2. More personal responsibility
There’s a lot on this today and it’s correct that they couldn’t care less now about maintaining the pretence.
I am puzzled why you felt the need to censor my comment in relation to the last question?
Ellee
There is also the question of the treasury hiring external lawyers to try and prevent the publication of two gateway reports on ID cards.
spyblog has more detail of just how much they want to hide information from us that does not paint them in the best poosible light.
John, I have no idea what you are talking about this is the only comment received from you, I’ve never, ever censored a comment.
Damn computers!
All I said was, that in relation to question 10, the amount is so small not to worry about except for the Redtops, which blow it out of all proportion creating a climate of fear.
John, Thanks for coming back and posting your comment again, who knows what happened to it.
I always think the facts speak for themselves,that the public is very intelligent and can make its own mind up on whether an issue is serious or has been sensationalised by the media. Any killer on the loose who has absconded from prison is one too many, as far as I am concerned.
It all boils down to if we are going to have a policy of reintegration back into society, as opposed to lock em up and throw away the key, then lifers as part of this process go to an open prison. Because there are no walls, for whatever reason, some prisoners will abscond and lifers are no different in this respect. For the Prison Service, this is seen as a breach of trust. That is what it is. If each of these who absconded went on to reoffend, this would be a very serious matter indeed. When one does kill again, the butterfly effect harms the prospects of other lifers moving forward in the system. This is unfair, but it is how the Parole Board responds to media hype. They punish all for the crime of one. It is not that I am minimising the effect of it happening, just that I would like to see things kept in proportion.