Dispatches

Comments

1. It seems extraordinary in this day and age of mass communication that our MPs are that naive as to think their activities are hidden from view. With regard to trips to remote pacific islands - Wouldn't it be of more value to the British taxpayer for a team of experts - say an environmental scientist, another on marine biology and a geologist or geography student to fact find , oh and also an MP with responsibility for the environment and climate change (Mr. Miliband, perhaps) and report on the issues, and the benefit to the UK? The amount of trips these MPs and lords take appears un-justified. To travel to countries where the democratic rule has been usurped should have been stopped.

   Posted by John Clarke on 29/09/2009 06:28:17

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2. An excellent programme, well done Channel 4. It shows that there are still big problems at Parliament. In a way Peter Mandelson's speech today is also a sign of problems in that an unelected Lord has so much power. There is a lot of work to do...

   Posted by David Smith on 28/09/2009 22:20:21

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3. i feel physically sick after seeing this... blood, sweat and tears to pay my quarterly vat bill, which simply amounts to paying for an MP to attend a half hour 'speech' in some far away country for more days than i've taken as holiday in the past six years. i literally feel sick.

   Posted by ry on 28/09/2009 21:40:29

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4. Two of us watched this programme and thought it lightweight, trying to jump on the MPs expenses bandwagon, without making any real attempt to put in context the benefits of MPs travelling abroad - we normally complain that they are too ignorant of world affairsd. You chose to follow a visit to the Pacific by some MPs, but this seems specious when MPs are visiting war-torn and problematic parts of the world as well. I normally believe Despatches is vastly superior in thoughtfulness and value to Panorama (the only other offering on any other channel) but tonight this programme was poor. We were left wondering how much Channel 4 spent on sending reporters and camera crews half round the world for a story that was feeble and often silly. Come on, Despatches, get a grip. What about a serious look at the Israel / Palestine situation, which the BBC won't touch?

   Posted by Nigel Macartney on 28/09/2009 21:29:58

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5. Thankyou for excellent programme, enjoying it very much. No wonder the country is in such a sad state..will any of us want to vote in the next election. I think not'

   Posted by mrsawidow on 28/09/2009 20:52:08

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