Part of the problem with the drama of expenses/corruption among Westminster MPs is that the very role of MPs and of Parliament is under heavy erosion.

Take this for example (my emphasis added):

The European Union now produces four major pieces of legislation every week, and a tide of other documentation affecting every aspect of our lives: from the way we do business to the price we pay for our food.

In a parliamentary democracy like Britain, we expect our elected MPs at Westminster to hold the Government to account, and to influence the shape of its legislation. However, when it comes to EU legislation – which now accounts for half of all new laws – our Parliament has no power to affect these decisions in any meaningful way.

As well as a shift of power from Britain to the European level, this also means a huge shift of power from Parliament to the Government. The current system allows the Government to sign up to EU legislation in meetings in Brussels, without first having sought agreement from Parliament. Often Parliament isn’t even given time to discuss the issues.

In fact even when Parliament specifically asks the Government for time to debate a new EU law, the Government increasingly chooses to use the so-called “override” mechanism to avoid parliamentary scrutiny.

The Government is using this override more and more: around 350 times since figures were first collected in 2001.

Some of the most controversial pieces of recent legislation have been exempted from proper scrutiny in this way – including the creation of the controversial EU Arrest Warrant and the setting up of the European Defence Agency.

As this new pamphlet from the think tank Open Europe points out – the problem is not that MPs aren’t trying hard to hold the EU and the Government to account. The problem is the current system, which gives MPs at Westminster no real power to affect EU decisions.

One way or another, this has got to change.

The devil makes work for idle hands?

Samizdata:

Cleaning up politics will not address the central problem that the state plays far too big a role in our lives in the first place. Take away the jam, and the flies will not be such a pest.

Welcome to our unhappy irresponsible post-democratic Europe.