Alastair Stewart: Let’s not delude ourselves that Owen Paterson was a ground breaker

Last night Robert Colvile, the Director of the Centre for Policy Studies, Editor-in-Chief of CapX and a columnist for The Sunday Times suggested there was a good case for paying MPs more.

It would reduce the temptation, for some, to dip their hands in the murky money pot of lobbying.I observed that, in the United States, Congressional pay and perks are much higher - nearly $200k in salary and more than $1m in staff and office expenses.

Despite that, the lobbying and pork-barrelling make what some of our lot get up to look like amateur night at the local report theatre.London is littered with lobbying companies, offering to guide clients through the complexities of Parliament, the intricacies of Government and the MPs - ever present to offer a helping hand for a consideration.

Many have former top civil servants, ex-Special Advisors and former Ministers on their staff.But in the US, there is the glittering Crystal City, across the Potomac from Washington DC: many of the gleaming tower blocks, occupied by lobbyists.

So lets keep it in proportion.Let’s also not delude ourselves that Owen Paterson, whatever he did or didn’t do, was a ground breaker.

For as long as I can remember, MPs and Ministers, serving and retired, have been dipping their toes in murky waters.

Also, in recent days, we’ve been reminded of the expenses scandal, cash for questions, passports for pals and all the rest of it…

What’s more, its not just politicians: retired Generals and Admirals find themselves on the boards of big defence contractors.Senior civil servants are snapped up by companies hoping to do big deals with government.

And not a few broadcasters - retired and still working - make a pretty penny from training big business types on how to come across on TV and radio - with a pointer to two, not doubt, on how to skate over the trickier questions.

I mention all of those examples because our theme today is how we restore trust in politics. They all play their part.

I once wanted to be an MP - not to feather my nest or line my pockets but to change the world and make the UK a better place.

Many of my friends felt the same and some did.I think Robert Colvile’s point about pay might help but isn’t the whole answer.

It needs to be made crystal clear that MPs are there to help solve their constituents problems, to make good laws and avoid the bad. If they become Ministers, to govern with dignity and integrity.

In Opposition, to interrogate the Government’s performance and its proposals, to test to detraction its polices and proposals, and to offer a clear alternative - however difficult that sometimes seems to be.

To do all of that isn’t impossible.It does, however, require a certain type of person: honest, rich in integrity and independent on vested interests. Some say MPs should earn a bob or two - like Michale Hesseltine - before going into parliament.

The rich don’t need the lobbyists lucre… But parliament needs to represent all of the people and for that it needs a wider demographic can wealthy fat-cats.Some turn to trade unions - or the Coop - for financial support.I’m not sure that is a water-tight response, either.

There are two key points in my view: We should seriously consider the remuneration of MPs but also the costs of representing us. The political parties need to be more circumspect in candidate selection.The rules on MP’s and Ministers’ conduct need a root and branch review, independent of Government and with a good view non-Parliamentary voices on the jury.

The penalties for breaches need strengthening.There are any men and women of integrity, morality and honesty in the House of Commons and the Lords.

No one of a day trip to the cash point should be there and anyone dipping their fingers in the till should be drummed out.If you want to see how far we’ve come, watch Black Adder’s brilliant episode ‘Dish and Dishonesty’, featuring he late, great Vincent Hannah reporting from the seriously rotten borough of Dunny-on-the-Wold.

If you want to see how far we’ve still got to go don’t just Google Owen Paterson….. I suspect history will judge him a bit part player in a bigger drama but he might yet be associated with a turning point in the morality and property of our politics.

Now’s there’s a nice thought to end on.