Lawbreaking
I find the attitude of political parties to the breach of laws worryingly ambivalent. Some of their supporters seem to find the breaches acceptable, indeed comments on some of my other postings seem to indicate that they cannot see anything wrong with the situation.
Am I in the minority who believes that the law is there to be obeyed, not observed in the breach? Perhaps it is my professional training or possibly my position as a JP (until later this month), or possibly just a sense of what is right and what is wrong. Maybe I'm just old fashioned and out of touch.
I see that the LibDems are also in breach of the Data Protection regulations, with their leaflet offering to store your data and keep you informed about their policies.
It struck me, and not for the first time I admit, that neither Labour nor the SNP seem to have obtained planning permission for the change of use of retail premises into (election) offices. If either party wishes to email me and confirm that they have the requisite permissions, I'll be happy to publicise the fact, failing which I find myself in the unenviable position of having to report the apparent beaches to the planning department for which I have responsibility (until later this month).
This take into clear perspective the different approaches of local and national politicians. The former has a very clear set of guidance, with full disclosure, everyone else knowing your business and the Standards Commission hanging over one's shoulder with the risk of you being hung out to dry for the tinniest misdemeanour. The later seem oblivious to the responsibilities under legislation on the basis that "everyone else is doing it", which seems to me the worst possible excuse. Which brings the process further into disrepute and begs the question of why we expect so little from them, and let them away with so much abuse of the system.
Am I in the minority who believes that the law is there to be obeyed, not observed in the breach? Perhaps it is my professional training or possibly my position as a JP (until later this month), or possibly just a sense of what is right and what is wrong. Maybe I'm just old fashioned and out of touch.
I see that the LibDems are also in breach of the Data Protection regulations, with their leaflet offering to store your data and keep you informed about their policies.
It struck me, and not for the first time I admit, that neither Labour nor the SNP seem to have obtained planning permission for the change of use of retail premises into (election) offices. If either party wishes to email me and confirm that they have the requisite permissions, I'll be happy to publicise the fact, failing which I find myself in the unenviable position of having to report the apparent beaches to the planning department for which I have responsibility (until later this month).
This take into clear perspective the different approaches of local and national politicians. The former has a very clear set of guidance, with full disclosure, everyone else knowing your business and the Standards Commission hanging over one's shoulder with the risk of you being hung out to dry for the tinniest misdemeanour. The later seem oblivious to the responsibilities under legislation on the basis that "everyone else is doing it", which seems to me the worst possible excuse. Which brings the process further into disrepute and begs the question of why we expect so little from them, and let them away with so much abuse of the system.
1 comment:
Personally, I think we should have a local referendum on the issue to decide whether they should be booted out and made to follow the law like the rest of us but it should be limited only to those who live in Stornoway with a Y and N in their names.
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