Miners’ pensions, indigenous rights, the shrill carder bee – parliament and the public have lost touch with the reality of public spending, writes Paul Ormerod

Early day motions (EDMs) are a longstanding feature of parliament. Some are tabled for local publicity for the MP, such as the one last week congratulating Peterhead on being champions of Scottish League Two.

But they are also a way for members to express their views about what should be done on a very wide variety of topics.

There appears to be no end to the ways in which elected members clamour to spend more and more taxpayers’ money.

Here is just a sample of demands which were made last week alone. More money for the miners’ pension scheme, more to be spent to end child poverty, funds to protect the shrill carder bee, cash for young carers, increased spending on a range of specific diseases. And a Lib Dem called Pippa called for vast amounts to be spent to save global forestry and preserve “indigenous rights”.

Of course EDMs inhabit a sort of fantasy land. They stand........

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