Salter is in today's Guardian calling himself 'a little saint' for never having claimed for a flat in London 'since 1997'
writes a correspondent. Well, I am not a Guardian reader. However, a cursory search of their website turns up the following by Sir Michael White:
Reading West's Martin Salter, who commutes like so many constituents, tells me how long his day is – and says he couldn't have done it if Tony Blair or Gordon Brown had made him a minister: that would have meant getting into bed after midnight and on the 6.30am train the next day.
Aahh, poor love. He will leave politics a disappointed man. Too two-faced to be a minister. And it's the only thing he ever wanted. And his pledge to get back to Reading every night is worth exactly that much - would have been jettisoned for a ministerial job. As we all know, although he has never had a place in London, he claimed for one from 1997 to 2001. Well over 40K.
6 comments:
If he had been a Minister what would he have been one for? Just like what has he been an MP for? What did he want to do with it? As far as I can see it was all about Martin being a Minister or,if he couldn't then an MP. All about the greater glory of Martin John Salter rather than for anything he might do with it.
Getting into bed after midnight and on the six thirty am train the next day?
Dear me.
This is the 21st century. People do this every day to commute to London from everywhere in the country.Many have never known any other working pattern.
As for life as an MP - I don't think I have ever met one, living in London or not - who has not gone to bed after midnight and set off for the office at 6.30am. That's what MPs do and what they are like. Actually, 6.30 is a bit late - many arrived at their offices at that time and could be seen having a cuppa with the police officers in the Lords' canteen.
Martin has clearly found the whole experience just too taxing. A good job that he is retiring and can then spend time legitimately with a 9 pm Horlicks and Olay night cream. Because he's worth it.
I must live in a different world.
If someone can 'normally' get into bed after midnight and then be on the 6.30 train they cannot be fit for duty.
No wonder this country is in a mess. Do they sleep all day?
L9
No they can't. They have to be working in their offices, attending Select and Bill Committees, speaking in either the House or Westminster Hall, catching up on the 100 plus items of correspondence they receive each day etc etc - at the same time as dealing with constituency casework. This, last Anonymous, is the life of an MP. Like to try it?
No doubt you, like 99.9% of people in this country think that bieng an MP is wearing a posh suit, drinking champagne all day and sitting on the green benches at noon on Wednesdays for PMQs.
Oh, and it is also attending lots of events in the constituency not to mention party meetings and events.
Not so cushdy now is it?
Oh - and being monstered in the press Diary columns just for existing - or when a pissed off party member has phoned in with a piece of untrue gossip etc etc etc.
No Lag, I wouldn't like to try it at all, in fact that's the argument I use when some people think the Queen has an easy life.
The point I am making is that, going by my own fairly normal standards, 5 hours sleep is not enough for someone to work efficiently.
L9
Quite so. T'isn't.
I suggets that you make these points properly and in writing to Legg, Kelly and the rest.
Dear old Legg-over.
What a naughty boy. Just shows that the gonads can blossom at any age.
Mail needs to do a follow-up.
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