The juvenile antics of politicians

We learn today that Kate Green, Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston since May 2010, has used the House of Commons to complain about a guest beer that is available in The Stranger's Bar - despite her reportedly never having set foot there. The actual exchange between Kate Green and Sir George Young is recorded as:

"Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab): Will the Leader of the House arrange a debate on dignity at work in Parliament? Last night I was disturbed to learn that the guest beer in the Strangers Bar is called Top Totty, and that there is a picture of a nearly naked woman on the tap. As well as arranging a debate, will the Leader of the House join me in asking for that beer to be withdrawn from the bar immediately?

Sir George Young: I was not aware of that particular picture in the bar. I will raise the matter with the appropriate Officer of the House through the House of Commons Commission, and I am sure that appropriate action will be taken. I should very much regret it if any offensive pictures were on display in any part of the House."

Beside querying the manner in which the question was raised (publicly), would not a quiet word with the Leader of the House not have been more acceptable? One can only assume that Kate Green exhibits that trait of all politicians, namely that of 'attention-seeking'. Perhaps her next public utterance will be to call for the famous scantily-clad Flying Lady on Virgin planes to be removed - or does one have to be a virgin to so complain? The reply from Sir George Young also begs one or two questions; namely, are we to infer that he has never, ever been in The Stranger's Bar - and if that is incorrect, has he had his eyesight tested lately? That his first response is to regret if any offensive pictures were on display speaks volumes.


Kate Green is not alone though in exhibiting juvenile behaviour when one considers the spectacle of Prime Minister's questions yesterday. Both Conservative and Labour backbenchers indulged in chanting the responses to their leader's rhetorical questions and in so doing indulged in antics that one would expect from children in primary school - although acknowledging the poor standard of our education system, perhaps primary school should be amended to read secondary modern.


Depending on who you believe - Keith Vaz or Jack Straw - MPs are either so busy they have little time for important matters of state, or they are bored out of their tiny little minds. Where Kate Green is concerned we must therefore assume it is a case of the latter and that she does, indeed, have a tiny little mind.


It is regrettable that such behaviour is presented for public consumption by those to whom we mere mortals are supposed to 'look-up-to' and revere. And MPs wonder why the public is 'switched-off' by politics?