Thursday 28 February 2008

Why is this man talking such rot about the responsibilities of MPs who happen to be ministers?

If the Tories want to be treated seriously, they should stop people like Charles Hendry talking rot. Apparently, the 'shadow post office minister' thinks that elected Members of Parliament should stop making representations on behalf of their constituents because they are cabinet ministers. Since when? Ministers are paid to do two jobs: as MPs and as ministers. An MP doesn't cease to represent his or her constituents on becoming a minister; indeed it would be political suicide to do so (presumably why Mr Hendry thinks they should). And given that there is a consultation about the practice - rather than the principle - of the post office closures, they are perfectly entitled to do as any MP would do in the circumstances. Or does Mr Hendry think that the 100 or so constituencies represented by ministers should not expect the same service as the other 546?

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