不能允許政治影響力變現

Sir Malcolm Rifkind has faced up to the inevitable and stood down as chair of parliament’s intelligence and security committee. To seasoned Westminster watchers, the circumstances appear wearily familiar: a hidden camera, a bogus foreign company, an MP (and former foreign secretary) boasting of services he can provide for money. Before this particular sting, which also ensnared former Labour cabinet minister Jack Straw, there have been many others, catching parliamentarians of every stripe appearing to trade influence for cash.

馬爾科姆•裏夫金德爵士(Sir Malcolm Rifkind)已經正視了不可避免的後果，卸下了英國議會情報與安全委員會(ISC)主席職位。在經驗豐富的英國政壇觀察家看來，這種場景似乎熟悉得令人感到厭倦：一臺隱藏的攝像機，一家虛構的外國企業，一名吹噓對方交錢後自己能提供服務的國會議員（也是前外交大臣）。這次“釣魚”行動還“釣”出了前工黨內閣大臣傑克•斯特勞(Jack Straw)，而此前的多次類似行動則“釣”出了似乎在用影響力交換金錢的形形色色的國會議員。

Both senior statesmen deny improper conduct and have referred themselves to the parliamentary standards commissioner to determine the extent of any wrongdoing. But even if Sir Malcolm is exonerated, he showed a dismaying lack of judgment that warranted resignation from his important role. An apparent willingness to offer diplomatic contacts to an unknown Chinese firm raise justifiable concerns. These will not have been quelled by Sir Malcolm’s claim to have acted as a former cabinet minister and not a current MP.

兩位資深政客均否認存在不當行爲，並把自己交由國會標準事務專員(The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards)來裁定任何不當行爲的程度。但是，即便裏夫金德爵士被宣佈無罪，他令人失望的缺乏判斷力的表現，也足以導致他從重要位置上辭職。他爲一家不熟悉的中國公司提供外交領域人脈關係的明顯意願，引起人們的合理擔憂。裏夫金德爵士聲稱，自己是以一名前內閣大臣而非現任國會議員的身份來行事的，這種說法也不會消除人們的顧慮。

This is a tawdry end to a distinguished political career. Sir Malcolm’s experience and heft were valuable on the ISC, which is tasked with grilling politicians and intelligence officers on matters of national security. But the integrity and independence required for the role is also why perceived conflicts of interest cannot be ignored. He also appeared to forget his £81,936 taxpayer-funded salary, describing himself as “self-employed”. This will have done little for Tory party attempts to appeal to the ordinary voter, and helps to explain Sir Malcolm’s decision not to stand again in the upcoming election.

對於裏夫金德爵士傑出的政治生涯而言，這是一個不光彩的結束。對於ISC這樣一個以就國家安全問題盤問政客和情報官員爲己任的機構來說，裏夫金德爵士的經驗和影響力是寶貴的。但是，這樣一個角色所必需的正直和獨立，也是一絲一毫的利益衝突都不能被忽視的原因。他把自己形容爲“自由職業者”，似乎忘了納稅人支付的81936英鎊的薪水。這將絲毫無助於保守黨吸引普通選民的努力，能更好地解釋爲何裏夫金德爵士決定不再參加即將到來的選舉。

This episode will inevitably resurrect questions about the relationship between British MPs and outside work. On one side are those who see representing a constituency as a full-time job, with a basic £67,060 salary that is more than twice the national average. Allowing MPs to moonlight elsewhere short-changes constituents and inevitably risks conflicts of interest. Labour leader Ed Miliband has called for an outright ban on MPs acting as paid consultants or directors and a cap on earnings from outside parliament.

這段插曲勢必將使英國國會議員與外部工作的關係問題被重提。一方面是選民把代表某一選區視爲一項全職工作——這份工作基本薪水爲67060英鎊，是全英平均水平的兩倍以上。允許國會議員在其他地方兼職是對選民的欺騙，也會不可避免地產生利益衝突。工黨領袖埃德•米利班德(Ed Miliband)呼籲徹底禁止國會議員擔任有償顧問或董事，並且對議會外工作的收入設定上限。

Those taking the opposing view include prime minister David Cameron, who warns against stuffing the House of Commons with professional politicians lacking experience of the outside world. There are stringent rules requiring parliamentarians to list outside interests for all to see. Had Mr Straw or Sir Malcolm ended up working for a real Chinese firm, this would have been open to public scrutiny, without any need for hidden cameras.

對此持反對意見的人包括英國首相戴維•卡梅倫(David Cameron)，他告誡不能讓下議院充斥着缺乏外界經驗的職業政客。英國有着嚴格的規則，要求議員公示議會外收益。如果斯特勞和裏夫金德爵士真的爲一家實實在在的中國公司工作，這也會公開接受公衆監督，不需要隱藏的攝像機偷拍下來。

On this topic Mr Cameron is right to hold firm. The role of MP has indeed become ever more of a full time occupation but this makes more urgent the task of drawing candidates from a varied pool. It also provides an argument for better pay — just not one that any politician has the courage to make.

在這一議題上，卡梅隆堅守立場是正確的。國會議員的角色確實變得日益全職化，但這也使從多元化的羣體中吸引候選人的任務變得更加迫切。這也爲更豐厚的薪資待遇提供了一條理由——只是並非所有政客都有勇氣引用這一理由。

Since salaries are unlikely to rise, other ways of making the job of MP attractive must be given full rein. This week provides the latest reminder that political careers can end as suddenly as they begin. Allowing outside interests encourages more candidates to chance their luck on what is inevitably a risky career move.

既然薪水不太可能增加，就必須充分利用其他方法，提高國會議員工作的吸引力。本週的事情提醒了人們，政治生涯的結束可能會像開始時一樣突然。允許國會外收益的存在，鼓勵着更多候選人以難免會造成職業風險的舉動碰運氣。

Maintaining another vocation outside politics is acceptable. Trying to monetise political influence is not. Monitoring the distinction is never easy. Sir Malcolm’s departure is a reminder of how the system operates: through transparency, an intrusive media and pressure from restive voters. It appears to work well.

在政治領域外維持另一份工作是可以接受的。但試圖將政治影響力變現則不可接受。監督兩者的區別絕非易事。裏夫金德爵士的離開提醒了人們這個系統是如何運行的：通過透明度、媒體的干預和選民不滿的壓力。它似乎運行良好。