Transparency for everyone - Shahid too!

Shahid Malik has been cleared of any expense inproprieties, so it says in a report by Sir Phillip (must be good, has a Sir in the title).

In the new spirit of transparency we (the great unwashed non politicians) weren't to be allowed to see what it says because it contained personal details.

However, in the spirit of Gordon wanting to keep his job (for a while), he has bowed to public pressure, and a 'sanitised' version of the report will now be published.

Oh, and Mr Malik got his job back at the ministry (in the Dept of Communities and local justice instead of the Dept of Justice at least).

Now, is it just me, or does this smell a bit fishy? We are told that we can't see the report on a 'public' servant (if you don't want the publicity, don't go in for a job which by its very nature is in the public eye), and then we are told by a grovelling snivelling power clinging political leader in the last days of a corrupt government, 'oh all right then we can see a little bit of it, because we know whats best for you, and if we don't then you might get a bit shirty'

I'm sorry Gordy, the whole point of everything thats been happening over the last few weeks should have told you that we aren't standing for this hidden from public view nonsense any more - if we want to know about any aspect of a politicians life, if it concerns the performance of his duties or his remunuration for whatever reason, then the public - the paymaster - should have a right to know - if you don't want to confuse the two, then don't confuse the two. There should no issue ever of privacy for these sorts of reports (I agree the case is different for security reasons, but this clearly isn't), everything should be out in the open, published, and available to see, then we wouldn't need the guardian to do this necessary work.

source http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5494389/Gordon-Brown-forced-into-revealing-report-on-Shahid-Malik-finances.html