It is noted that Ed Miliband has today ventured into the area of world politics, an action that is almost as rare as hen’s teeth; the full text of his foreign policy speech, given at Chatham House, can be read here.

As Isabel Hardman reports, other than the months surrounding the intervention, the party has barely talked about it. After Ed Miliband talked about long-term support for the Libyan government on 5 September 2011, his own party can’t seem to find any mention of post-conflict planning by its own leadership in 2012, 2013, or 2014. Not until 2015 did the Labour leader raise the issue again.

What we see here. yet again, is a politician pontificating on a subject about which he either knows nowt of the cause nor about how it could be resolved. Not that blame should be attributed to Miliband – after all, he is but a politician attempting to become prime minister of this nation.

Not to be outdone, we also had David Cameron announcing yet another tinkering with the bodged devolution imposed on the UK with his speech about England and the unfairness when compared to ‘home rule’ for Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland. The more the political class ‘tinker’, the more problems they store up for themselves in the future.

Closer to home, we have more ‘tinkering’ with a vital public service which caused a ‘kerfuffle’ involving alleged wrong doing where Police and Crime Commissioner’s budgets are concerned. Cleveland and Durham agreed their budgets for the provision of funds in order to continue the support of victims of crime (Victim Support) – but Northumbria prevaricated, leaving doubt from whence any funding would come. See local newspaper reports here and here.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria is Vera Baird (remember her?) who has set up a new charity (Victims First) naming herself and Sue Sim (Chief Constable of Northumbria Police) as Directors utilising, it is alleged, £500,000 of public money.

We all know that it is Labour Party policy to axe Police and Crime Commissioners, so it would appear that Vera Baird has ensured her continued employment – who said politicians do not feather their own nest?

We have, with all three stories, politicians spending taxpayers money without said taxpayers having any method of questioning, expressing their disagreement, or being able to annul such decisions (remember the call for ‘Referism‘?).

Once again we have further evidence that politics stinks, politicians stink and also that representative democracy stinks.

How much longer will the electorate accept the aroma which assails their nostrils?