Confidence In Parliament And Parliamentarians

EDM number 1135 in 2009-10, proposed by Austin Mitchell on 18/03/2010.
Categorised under the topic of Members of Parliament.

That this House, recognising the vital importance of hon. Members in protecting and supporting constituents, defending and advancing constituencies, serving their parties and controlling the executive and considering that the great majority of hon. Members work hard and face considerable strain for pay lower than most comparable occupations, and further seeing that the standing of Parliament and its members has been deeply damaged by the clamorous campaign whipped up by sections of the media who want to arrogate to themselves Parliament's job of controlling the executive, leading the political debate and articulating the grievances of the people and further recognising that this campaign has been facilitated by the failures of the Fees Office, the ineptness of the Kelly and Legg reviews and the failure of party leaders to defend and sustain their rank and file members, urges hon. Members, as this Parliament draws to a close, not to be cast down by the populist clamour and the lack of respect that this maelstrom of misunderstanding which this has led to, but urges them to bear the slings and arrows of outrageous politics with magnanimity in order to maintain confidence in their work and value, and to go forth with confidence wherever their destiny now calls them whether to a happy retirement, a new and less stressful job, or to renew their bonds with their constituents in the coming election, congratulates them all on the sterling but insufficiently appreciated good service they have performed in this Parliament, and wishes them hail and farewell.

This motion has been signed by a total of 8 MPs.