So why have the unions paid all that money if it was not to buy influence?

The principle is the same though Boris surely? A special interest group is paying money to gain influence for their particular agenda, which in the case of the unions does not always chime with the wider public good. The classic example being Skinner's support for Scargill. Clearly Skinner was not acting in the interests of the country or even his own constituents who were denied a ballot and then attacked when choosing to return to work to support their families.

clive,

There is surely a difference between taking cash for your personal benefit in return for asking specified questions, and Skinner's links with the NUM.
As far as Skinner is concerned I understood that during the miners strike he gave all his salary to miners; and for many years (it may still be his practice) he took the average skilled workers wage and gave the rest to miners.
His conduct seems poles apart from the "cash for questions" affairs.

In terms of expenses Skinners record is among the better.

Amicus have contributed to costs in the last two elections, but as Boris points out unless we have taxpayer funding that is our system.

They are not donating that money for nothing.

Memories of Bernie Ecclestone.
"You don't give somebody a million pounds for nothing"

^er... i have. but cannot involve myself with this adolescent drivel. it is like a sixth-form debating society. can you improve on it?

Part of the smoke and mirrors society we live in is the fact that whenever an election comes around,
the candidates proffer themselves as a desire to serve, but when in office the change in attitude is
totally opposite to their humble plea for votes, when will we waken up to their shenanigans?

Never heard of the guilds bazza ? They operated a restricted entry hundreds of years ago just like most skilled unions. It always made me laugh how often the skilled unions behaved in such  snobby fashion when I worked in a factory, they relished the opportunity to look down on others, it must be the british psyche !

Oh ffs here come smug,sanctimonioyus,pious patrnising ar sehole orioles with his holier than thou know it all stuff,YES MATE,A FEW OF US ON HERE HAVE STUDIED POLITICAL HISTORY,and probably know a damned sight more about it than you, stick to law or getting on your high horse on the chit chat forum you w anker

Those who claim Skinner is beyond criticism seem to have forgotten all the 'Beast of legover' headlines. When Dennis growls that he likes to f*ck the Tories he's not lying. Wasn't he found skulking around in the bushes in Chelsea waiting for his yank heiress who was a neighbour to the Duke of Portland to let him in.

There are far better men them him in the Commons.

no there ain't clive sorry old chap - he is the genuine article - having met the old comrade and spoken with him on a very humorous occasion, I can confirm his attitude, directness and honesty regarding representation of his constituency.

Take your rose tinted specs off.. Is he above criticism?

You've met him and liked him (that's pretty much what MPs do) excuse me if I don't attribute too much weight to that.

He was very direct when he said he would give up his seat at 65, in fact he was trying to make a wider point about employment opportunities for the younger generation. He has also repeatedly sought to mock Conservative MPs for personal indiscretions whilst all the time carrying on his own sordid affair with his Chelsea fancy women.

He once revelled in the spotlight having called a government minister a 'slimy wart,' my own view is as a father of three his own conduct would make those descriptors equally as apt.

his Chelsea fancy women.

Love that expression.

Whatever happened to carrying on or even worse clearing off, with his fancy piece.

What about SAINT TONY is he immune from pursuing fancy pieces or is he the architect of the imminant divorce proceedings
of his "friend" MURDOCH?

You righties are a right sorry bunch!

You try to make political capital out of the most trivial and ridiculous.

Dianne Abbott once, or even a couple of times, used the word 'white'.
Dennis Skinner said he'd retire & didn't. No doubt. Dennis fully intended to retire, but when the time came found there was only a selection of career minded young t****** to replace him. No doubt his constituency mail bag was full of plea's for him not to retire, all saying they did not want a career minded young  t***** to replace the Beast of Bolsover.  So Dennis  did the honourable thing and changed his mind purely in the interests of his constituents.

They are better served by Dennis than a "researcher" with rich parents.
Do you think  everybody acts solely out of self interest ?

Purely for the interest of Dennis more like.

I'd venture that a clear majority of his constituents, not to mention Labour voters, not to mention a significant minority of right-wing and liberal voters who have a grudging respect for the man, don't want him to retire either.

The Labour Party and parliament in general has enough wanky little careerist pricks.

the labour party is full of tories

Dennis is a closet Blairite. He plays to the gallery of luddites but he voted for David Miliband ffs!

Put him out to pasture before he crokes it on the floor of the house in the middle of one of his envy laced rants about Cameron or Osbourne.