Thurrock resident Peter Perrin, a regular commentator on public affairs in the borough, writes an occasional blog for Thurrock Nub News and her he reflects on the integrity of politicians.

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THE integrity of those we elect to serve as members of parliament and local government councillors has many times been found wanting, lacking credibility.

This is not a new phenomenon, history is full of instances of political scandal, dishonesty, hypocrisy, arrogance and indifference by our elected representatives.

However, it is my opinion that over the past four decades politicians, both national and local, are in denial when they are challenged regarding their conduct and resent any suggestion they may have behaved improperly.

If a politician is accused of lying he/she indignantly protests such a slur upon their character and seeks to mitigate their conduct with absurd phrases such as "economical with the truth", "terminological inexactitudes", "a genuine failure of recollection"and "spin doctoring". A lie by any other name is still a lie.

My question is, how do these dodgy politicians get elected and re-elected time after time? They are selected and endorsed by their local constituency members who, I presume , believe they are most likely to win in spite of, or even because of, questionable morals. These dodgy politicians are not harmless loveable rouges of the Arthur Daly ilk. Beneath the cloak of respectability lurks a crook ever ready to exploit their position to their advantage. They would like us to believe they conscientiously "serve" but the reality is they ruthlessly "exploit" the public. This exploitation often comes at a great cost to the wellbeing of the poor, the sick and disabled, the mentally ill and other disadvantaged people. But that does not appear to bother these dodgy MPs in the slightest. There is another possible explanation as to why these dodgy politicians succeed in elections and that is maybe we, the voters, at best tolerate at worst approve of their immorality on the premise that, if I were in the same position I would probably do exactly the same. If that be so it is a damning indictment of the morality of the people of the UK. I hope it is not so. To conclude. Not all politicians are dodgy. Many are hardworking, honest and decent. Unfortunately they undeservedly get tarnished with the same brush.