Bite Size Comms

A light-hearted commentary on why politicians face a trust issue with the public.

A = Anarchy in the UK. The Sex Pistols’ 1976 song seems to depict the last five years of politics, with constant plots to oust party leaders.

B = Why are there so many Church of England bishops in the House of Lords when no other religion has such representation?

C = Corruption. So many scandals. From free tickets and designer glasses to a fast track for lucrative PPE contracts for political donors.

D = Democracy. What politics is supposed to be about. But what people see are donations from rich individuals to promote their business interests. Cap the donations.

E = Expenses Scandals. Nothing erodes trust like stories of duck houses, moat cleaning, and dubious claims. The 2009 parliamentary expenses scandal severely damaged public confidence.

F = Flip-flopping. British politicians excel at fudging facts and flip-flopping on promises (like no tax increases, ha ha), which erodes voters’ trust in their word.

G = Grandstanding. Trust diminishes when politicians prioritise grandstanding in Parliament or the media over undertaking the difficult, dull work of governance.

H = Honesty frequently remains the top quality voters genuinely desire, but what they often receive feels more like a Westminster version of “Would I Lie to You?”, except there’s no panel, just the public serving as the punchline. As the old joke goes, how can you tell when a politician is lying? Their lips are moving.

I = Integrity. Repeated promises to restore “integrity, professionalism, and accountability” rarely materialise, breeding cynicism.

J = Jobs for the boys and girls. From the honours system to advisory board appointments, the perception that politics is a closed shop for insiders and cronies persists.

K = The King. Politicians must swear allegiance to the King. Are there any republican MPs, on a similar representation level to the population?

L = Lettuce. About the only time the Daily Star has grabbed the nation’s attention. The “who will last longer, a lettuce or Prime Minister Truss” was clever, although the idea was borrowed from The Economist.

M = Manifestoes from the parties are known for being aspirational, with limited relevance to predicting future policy. Voters realise that half the pledges will disappear quicker than the election posters.

N = “Not me”. The usual first response by a politician to an accusation of sleaze or bad behaviour. It often shifts to “out of context” then “I need therapy” or a parliamentary equivalent.

O = Opposition. Yes, debates in the House of Commons often resemble rival supporters at a football match.

P = Privileged. Unfortunately, MPs seem to think they are above others, sometimes even above the law.

Q = Questionable qualifications. Handing plum jobs to those with dubious credentials or little expertise, sometimes just “old school ties” or loyalty, is enough to secure a ministerial post.

R = Representation. With most of the mainstream parties sounding similar with populist right-wing policies, people like me feel we have no true representation in Parliament, apart from one very small party that is at least on the rise.

S = Slogans. Populist, often meaningless phrases like “Stop the boats”. We would run out of food in the UK if ferries were no longer allowed to bring lorries and containers of produce to our shores.

T = The truth. UK politicians appear to treat it like a rare and exotic species – rumoured to exist but rarely seen in the wild. Only 9% of the British public currently say they trust politicians to tell the truth, making them even less trusted than estate agents, journalists, and builders.

U = U-turns. Frequent policy U-turns send the message that politicians cannot stand firm, nor can the public trust them to do so.

V = Vague promises. Voters have become tired of vague assurances like “it will be better tomorrow, maybe”, with delivery either delayed or denied, which leads to near-automatic cynicism.

W = Words that an MP is not permitted to say about another MP in Parliament. Such terms include racist, liar, hypocrite, coward, swine, drunk, blackguard, pipsqueak, guttersnipe, and stoolpigeon.

X = Xenophobia. Distrust escalates when politicians deliver divisive speeches about migrants, often to divert attention from economic or social issues.

Y = Yawning disconnect. A widening gap exists between Westminster and ordinary life; voters feel politicians don’t “get” their concerns or their country.

Z = Zoo. If you didn’t have time to write a speech, then talk about Peppa Pig, former Prime Minister Johnson.

To rebuild trust, politicians must improve communication, alter their behaviour, and reform the political system.

[Image of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament lit up at night, by Andy Kennedy on Unsplash]