I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again

Just one month ago, whilst in a state of despair about the appalling lack of leadership skills displayed by David Cameron, Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg when compared to CIOs I called for more CIOs and their peers to enter politics. Little was I to know that in the ensuing weeks the Daily Telegraph newspaper and website would reveal that our politicians have been living in a cosy club of luxury lifestyles supported by us the tax payer. No CIO I have met would expect moat cleaning or islands for ducks to be part of the expenses they put through to their organisation. No CIO we have interviewed would then hide behind the system, as if it wasn’t their fault they were fiddling it, but it had to be fiddled because of the system. All the CIOs I have spent time with seem to be the type to put their hands up when things go wrong and take the blame. Not, as the politicians have, force the Speaker to fall on his sword to protect them. He of course deserved to go, but so do they all. What sickens me most of all is to see our troops come back home dead or injured for fighting a war no one but the politicians wanted. They come back and reveal that the equipment they have to literally do battle with is not up to the job. Our forces were reduced drastically in the last decade, which at the time was a sensible policy, but to then expect them to fight in two conflicts without the right tools is shameful. How politicians can claim these expenses and to profit from them and then watch troops suffer terrible injuries is beyond me, they must have very thick skins or care so little it is unbelievable. The revelations are painful for our country, but also form a healthy purge that will, if the right overhaul is carried out, leave us a stronger, leaner nation. Once again, this series of leaks demonstrates that our politicians lack the moral compass and common sense business leaders develop, is it any wonder election turn-out is so low. The only positive to come out of this sorry saga is that the Telegraphhas shown that journalism still has a valuable place in our national fabric. In a media awash with regurgitated press releases from vendors and celebrity gossip in titles owned by Australian Rupert Murdoch, the Telegraph has rocked our political establishments to the core and change will have to happen.