Cameron compares British politics with India

David Cameron says India's Electoral Commission is 20-times better than Britain's, but what do the facts say

David Cameron, in a key-note speech today on cutting the cost of politics, compared India’s Electoral Commission with that of Britain’s, impyling that it was 20-times better value.

A detailed look at the levels of corruption in each country, however, might lead one to a different conclusion.

In the Indian elections in June this year:

– 150 of the 543 MPs elected were facing criminal charges;

– 17 have been charged with murder;

– 19 have been charged with attempted murder;

– Three MPs face multiple charges of murder;

– One of these, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury – MP for Baharampur, West Bengal – faces three counts of murder, as well as charges of voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint, criminal trespass and criminal intimidation;

– Various other MPs have been charged with slave trading, child prostitution, domestic violence, forgery, rioting, arson, harbouring an offender, extortion, obscene acts and bribery;

– And of the 64 candidates standing in by-elections this month, 15 have charges of murder and attempted murder hanging over them.

4 Responses to “Cameron compares British politics with India”

  1. Ben WP

    I suspect someone in CCHQ will now be thinking that their cute line about Indian politics was now not so cute….

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