MPs' expenses con trick

[golach]

Who do they think they are? Do they think we are all stupid? I am not aiming this rant at any one political party, they all have their snouts in the money trough.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7420848.stm

[MadPict]

Disgusting attempt by OUR SERVANTS to remove what they do with OUR MONEY from examination by us.

The fact that this is yet another attempt to con us led by Martin just goes to show he is riding the gravy train as hard as he can before he gets kicked out...

If these people want to pay for decoration or gardening or anything else why can they not do it out of their wages like every other person in the country. They chose to become a politician and so should accept the hardships of living away from home like other workers do. Actually if they sent all the Scots in Westminster home to Scotland then there would be no need for their additional home expenses to be paid.....

From one bunch of lying cheating scumbags to another - so much for the sleaze free Nu Labour. They have set a new benchmark for lying and cheating.....

[AfternoonDelight]

I especially liked this bit:

"Mr Baker, MP for Lewes and Lib Dem transport spokesman, said expenses should be limited to those "incurred for their [MPs'] parliamentary duties - no more, no less". "

Eh - shouldn't this be the case anyway???

[emb123]

Disgusting.

Still Barbara Follett has a lovely home - a beautiful old tudor-beam styled place down a lovely quiet little lane in old Knebworth. Be a shame to have to look through dirty windows onto such a big garden.

I've met Barbara, she's a nice lady, very intelligent and she has actually been very helpful to me in the past but it isn't good to hear about anybody on the fiddle. I do feel that politicians should consider their every act and their every expense as publicly accountable because it is.

I find it difficult to believe that she would be on the fiddle be she has no financial need to be, unlike folks who are struggling on low incomes in hovels across the UK.

Politicians can really put you off your food.

[Ricco]

Who do they think they are? Do they think we are all stupid? I am not aiming this rant at any one political party, they all have their snouts in the money trough.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7420848.stm

I'm with you on this one,Golach. Why can't they submit their expense sheets and receipts like everyone else? Just another big con.:confused

[Angela]

I think I'm past being shocked or even surprised by how greedy politicians seem to become once they're in power, but I certainly don't see why we should just hand them £23,000 a year without them having to account for the expenditure.

You'd think in any case they could manage to pay the smaller things (e.g. a window cleaner) out of their own pocket just like the rest of us and maybe they could forego the grandiose and totally unnecessary such as a mock Tudor gable. :eek:

Strange how nice-to-have items become absolutely essential to life when the taxpayer is footing the bill! :roll:

[MadPict]

Isn't this attempt to boost their earnings equivalent to awarding themselves a 60% pay rise? Nothing like rubbing all those public sector workers noses in it, is there?
They can whistle for your 3% rise but we're going to make damn sure we line our pockets even more...

Pigs and troughs is a good description...[disgust]

[Humerous Vegetable]

I especially liked this bit:

"Mr Baker, MP for Lewes and Lib Dem transport spokesman, said expenses should be limited to those "incurred for their [MPs'] parliamentary duties - no more, no less". "

Eh - shouldn't this be the case anyway???

If we ever get independence, we'll only have 3 lots of freeloaders to pay for, MSPs, councillors and the House of Lords, instead of 4. Worth voting for on those grounds alone?

[bluenose]

I am not defending any MP, MSP or MEP or anyone else but it is an anachronistic system, in so much as even 30 years ago they did need a London residence. However, with the advent of e-mail, internet, easy jet etc it should not be too difficult to set up a QUANGO to co-ordinate MP's activities. I find it incomprehensibly that Gordon Brown has not set up local organisations on every street, on at least £25,000 each to put forward local residents views.
PS The European parliament will make it official next week that its illegal to oppose the European State. Its been unofficial since 1959.

[mccaugm]

I especially liked this bit:

"Mr Baker, MP for Lewes and Lib Dem transport spokesman, said expenses should be limited to those "incurred for their [MPs'] parliamentary duties - no more, no less". "

Eh - shouldn't this be the case anyway???

As I see it when someone claims damages they are brought back to the situation that would have occured in the first place. I think that should be the case with expenses. Having someone do your garden is not an expense its a luxury, the same goes for a window cleaner. These are "expenses" they should pick up themselves. I think that these monies should be taken back and only monies such as travel and accomodation expenses incurred.

My hubby travels with his work and will take a hire or his own car and drive to Glasgow or Aberdeen to catch a flight south, as its too expensive to fly from Wick. This adds an extra day on to his time away from his family.
If he was an MP he would probably be encouraged to take a taxi to the airport, sit in the first class lounge (not sure if this exists in Wick), fly to whatever airport and be picked up by a driver to his final destination. This would be at the taxpayers expense. Yes I am annoyed...you may have guessed.[evil]