: Mon May 11, 2009 7:24 pm  

The Watcher wrote:

They all sit together in the House & we all know where that is.

True didn't really consider that one , most times I've seen them in their it's like a Quins/Celtic match

: Mon May 11, 2009 7:31 pm  

The Watcher wrote:

They all sit together in the House & we all know where that is.

That only happens to be a sell out when its CLAIMS DAY. Otherwise its usually inhabited by a handful.

leigh mp : Mon May 11, 2009 7:36 pm  

The Watcher wrote:

The Watcher has always held the belief that whatever percentage pay rise the MPs vote themselves that same figure shall be awarded to all public employees & whatever pension scheme they are on that shall be awarded as standard to everyone.If one or both these ideas were taken up then we might see a bit of responsibility from our elected representatives .

Now thats a good idea but who would pay for it ?

What astonishes me though is the way David Cameron and Hazel Blears for example now agree with non MP,s that this gravy train was wrong and needs reform

Well we have to wait for Mr Camerons expenses claims to be revealed in the same way as for his mate George Osborne but Hazel has not just taken advantage she is guilty of tax fraud.

Makes me think that they are not paid enough and that the block of flats for MP,s isn,t a bad idea although the security implications would probably cost more than the ten and a half million the lot of them have "legitametly"
claimed, with one or 2 exceptions.

: Mon May 11, 2009 7:46 pm  

Whilst working within the Public Sector Im pretty sure putting dodgy claims in is deemed as misappropriation of funds. Going back a few years a high ranking official within our job was given a Prison Term for this .
I very much doubt that our elected highwaymen would receive the same treatment.

: Mon May 11, 2009 7:49 pm  

Barty,you are correct,it is stealing & does warrant a prison sentence

: Mon May 11, 2009 8:27 pm  

trainee_lobbygobbler wrote:

If there wasnt a recession on do you think all this about MP expenses would come to light????

Nothing to do with the recession. This has been looming for a couple of years now ever since a journalist ( can't think of her name but think she's an american living over here) decided to use the Freedom of Information Act to request this sort of info.For the last couple of years MP's have been battling to control if the information is released and if it is how much of it is.

leigh mp : Wed May 13, 2009 9:09 am  

What makes me chuckle about Hazel Blears, who is my MP by the way, is that she says she is sending a cheque to pay for Capital Gains Tax that isn,t due.

This therefore is a voluntary payment and will be set against any future liabilities shey may or may not incurr.

In effect therefore the gesture isn,t what it seems because if say in 12 months time or less when all this fuss has died down she is entitled to ask for it back, and, the Inland Revenue would have to refund it but couldn,t tell the press.

: Fri May 15, 2009 7:58 pm  

the latest claims are a disgrace david blunket has claimed for a moto cross bike, a hand glider and a pair of binoculars.