Would you pay for PM access?
Discussion
k sake why is geroge Galloway running for Bradford?What gets me is this : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17503529
Because he didn't know. Obviously.
Because he didn't know. Obviously.
I haven’t caught up with this story since it broke last night just before midnight and the subsequent resignation as I’ve been out honing most of today, so things may have become clearer whilst I was out and if so apologies in advance; but…
What has this guy done wrong?
My understanding is that he is in charge of fund-raising, was in front of some business people purporting to be interested in funding the party and he said, give me £100-£250k and I’ll put you in the same room as CMD during a dinner – one would imagine so he can say thanks for the donation + if you’ve got anything to add to the direction of the party (you’d assume someone with £0.25m to throw away has something to offer) we’ll put it to the policy committee.
He also added it’s not CMD the PM you’ll be meeting, but CMD the man; so what’s wrong with that?
Here’s money for the party – party boss says thanks (as party boss), you seem like intelligent people, if you have something to offer party policy it will be considered via committee.
Jobs-a-good-un - £250k in the bank, no promises made, CMD eats 3 times a day and tomorrow he’ll meet someone new during one of his meals – only problem I can see is that they may need to buy a bigger table now they’ve advertised the dinning arrangements!
The only question mark I saw was that the ‘business people’ were supposed to be from outside the UK which, AFAIK, against the rules when it comes to donations – but this may have been picked up at the time of donation and rejected.
I just don’t see the problem with saying give us some cash, one of the big-wigs will have dinner with you, if you have an idea put it to us.
Of course, the alternative is far and away better, I’m in government I’ll give this union £20 millionty squidlies (from the public purse) and they’ll give me £22 millionty squidlies back in return (from the public purse + some subs from Public Sector wages).
If you were really doing a deal for funding you’d put the deal on the table, give me x and I’ll give you y – a £250k dinner isn’t y, it’s just stroking someone’s ego – you’ll get a photograph with you and CMD for your money.
Unless this guy has history I cannot see what the fuss is about.
Sorry if I’ve wasted your time if it turns out he’s a promising footballing gangsta-rapper.
What has this guy done wrong?
My understanding is that he is in charge of fund-raising, was in front of some business people purporting to be interested in funding the party and he said, give me £100-£250k and I’ll put you in the same room as CMD during a dinner – one would imagine so he can say thanks for the donation + if you’ve got anything to add to the direction of the party (you’d assume someone with £0.25m to throw away has something to offer) we’ll put it to the policy committee.
He also added it’s not CMD the PM you’ll be meeting, but CMD the man; so what’s wrong with that?
Here’s money for the party – party boss says thanks (as party boss), you seem like intelligent people, if you have something to offer party policy it will be considered via committee.
Jobs-a-good-un - £250k in the bank, no promises made, CMD eats 3 times a day and tomorrow he’ll meet someone new during one of his meals – only problem I can see is that they may need to buy a bigger table now they’ve advertised the dinning arrangements!
The only question mark I saw was that the ‘business people’ were supposed to be from outside the UK which, AFAIK, against the rules when it comes to donations – but this may have been picked up at the time of donation and rejected.
I just don’t see the problem with saying give us some cash, one of the big-wigs will have dinner with you, if you have an idea put it to us.
Of course, the alternative is far and away better, I’m in government I’ll give this union £20 millionty squidlies (from the public purse) and they’ll give me £22 millionty squidlies back in return (from the public purse + some subs from Public Sector wages).
If you were really doing a deal for funding you’d put the deal on the table, give me x and I’ll give you y – a £250k dinner isn’t y, it’s just stroking someone’s ego – you’ll get a photograph with you and CMD for your money.
Unless this guy has history I cannot see what the fuss is about.
Sorry if I’ve wasted your time if it turns out he’s a promising footballing gangsta-rapper.
DonnyMac said:
I just don’t see the problem with saying give us some cash, one of the big-wigs will have dinner with you, if you have an idea put it to us.
Of course, the alternative is far and away better, I’m in government I’ll give this union £20 millionty squidlies (from the public purse) and they’ll give me £22 millionty squidlies back in return (from the public purse + some subs from Public Sector wages).
You don't see the problem with people paying for access to the PM in order to put ideas to him?Of course, the alternative is far and away better, I’m in government I’ll give this union £20 millionty squidlies (from the public purse) and they’ll give me £22 millionty squidlies back in return (from the public purse + some subs from Public Sector wages).
So if you have enough cash you can buy access to the PM.
Do you really not see the problem here?
The government obviously realise this is wrong because Cruddas resigned imediately.
The notion that Cameron didn't know what was going on is quick frankly rubbish. Do they think we are stupid.
No, the Labour alternative is not much better either.
Political parties should be funded through general taxation.
Devil2575 said:
DonnyMac said:
I just don’t see the problem with saying give us some cash, one of the big-wigs will have dinner with you, if you have an idea put it to us.
Of course, the alternative is far and away better, I’m in government I’ll give this union £20 millionty squidlies (from the public purse) and they’ll give me £22 millionty squidlies back in return (from the public purse + some subs from Public Sector wages).
You don't see the problem with people paying for access to the PM in order to put ideas to him?Of course, the alternative is far and away better, I’m in government I’ll give this union £20 millionty squidlies (from the public purse) and they’ll give me £22 millionty squidlies back in return (from the public purse + some subs from Public Sector wages).
So if you have enough cash you can buy access to the PM.
Do you really not see the problem here?
The government obviously realise this is wrong because Cruddas resigned imediately.
The notion that Cameron didn't know what was going on is quick frankly rubbish. Do they think we are stupid.
No, the Labour alternative is not much better either.
Political parties should be funded through general taxation.
I don't know what is more depressing, that fact that they are doing this or the fact that no-one is very surprised about it.
Devil2575 said:
The government obviously realise this is wrong because Cruddas resigned imediately.
Not obviously at all IMO, what is obvious is that the government realise that the sheeples won't get it, so he had to resign immediately.Devil2575 said:
No, the Labour alternative is not much better either.
My bold; so you think £20m theft from the public purse is better, if only a little?Blue Cat said:
you would get a chance to influence policy
As I mentioned earlier, I haven't followed the story today as I was hooning (not honing, unless it was my average driving skills) but a chance, is a chance, one which we're all entitled too - we all have a chance to influence policy, I've done it by talking with my local MP and have met with Boris a couple of times at events because I've become a voice; I'm on the local business steering whatsit because I take an interest, buy a couple of bottles of overpriced champagne at raffles and now have a voice.It doesn't take £250k to do this, but if you're a fund-raiser you'l take the £250k and give them the same opportunity as everyone else has, but chooses not to take.
IMO.
DonnyMac said:
What has this guy done wrong?
Quotes:Cruddas, who has given £1.2m to the party, said he had used his access to Cameron to object to the Tobin tax on financial transactions:
“He said don’t even worry about it . . ."
Cruddas said that big donors could not determine policy, but he would make sure that their suggestions were fed into the No 10 policy unit.
“If you are unhappy about something ... we’ll listen to you and we’ll put it into the policy committee at No 10. We feed all feedback into the policy committee,” he said.
That, I would suggest, is buying political influence. It goes on all the time. Some building group donated lots to CMD. They get guaranteed 95% mortgages for new builds only, lowering of planning restrictions and a new town somewhere convenient. And a third runway. And there's so much more.
The asnwer to your question is: corruption.
DonnyMac said:
Blue Cat said:
you would get a chance to influence policy
As I mentioned earlier, I haven't followed the story today as I was hooning (not honing, unless it was my average driving skills) but a chance, is a chance, one which we're all entitled too - we all have a chance to influence policy, I've done it by talking with my local MP and have met with Boris a couple of times at events because I've become a voice; I'm on the local business steering whatsit because I take an interest, buy a couple of bottles of overpriced champagne at raffles and now have a voice.It doesn't take £250k to do this, but if you're a fund-raiser you'l take the £250k and give them the same opportunity as everyone else has, but chooses not to take.
IMO.
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