Yet More People Scoffing from the Trough

[Rodders]

Unfortunately, this is human behaviour. Most people are going to take whatever they can get. Power corrupts etc, etc, etc.

[mosaix]

Originally Posted by Ursa major

What makes it even worse is that at least MPs have to stand for election and may be turfed out (unless they're in a really safe seat). But we've had peers in prisons on both sides of the Atlantic**, but no steps to remove from them their privileged position in the legislative process are ever taken.





** - At least in the case of Mr Black, President Bush did not repeat President Clinton's abject behaviour in handing out a pardon to someone involved in large-scale financial shennigans. Sadly time alone is needed to allow this convict to take up his seat again.

Don't get me started about the Upper House UM. The discrace is that it contains politicians who were actually voted out be the electorate!

For people from outside the UK it works like this. At a general election, sometimes high profile politicians are voted out, they lose their seat. However, leaders of their parties decide that, despite what the electorate say, that these failed politicians should still be part of the governmental process. So they put their names forward for promotion to the House of Lords - and they're always accepted.

This is even more disgraceful than polticians promoting random members of the public to the Upper House. These are politicians the the public have actually said "no we don't want them". But the Brotherhood of politicians says "well we've decided to give them a job for life anyway and let them have a say in the life of the electorate who rejected them". Bonkers.

[The Judge]

I read in one of yesterday's papers that three MPs were on 'suicide watch' because as and when their receipts are published it will reveal they have been having affairs! No idea if this is true or not - but if some %$£&**%$ has been paying for his mistress with my tax money, I want him charged with theft.

J

(And Ursa, no puns on Honourable Members, please!)

[Ursa major]

So, Judge, you're not someone to say, "Hang the expense, then?'






(Apologies for the bad taste, but I'm taking that report you mentioned with a rather large pinch of salt (my own, naturally).

[Ursa major]

In the latest twist in the Parliamentary expenses saga concerns dubious claims for the recovery of Council Tax (a local property tax) on second homes.

BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | MPs 'over-claimed' on council tax

What caught my eye was this:

The Telegraph says Labour MP Eric Illsley was accused of over-claiming by more than £6,000 between 2004 and 2008.

Mr Illsley said the claims were submitted during a period when receipts were not required.

Until recently, MPs only needed to provide receipts for claims higher than £250 a month.

He said: "Many MPs claimed a notional amount which wasn't related to the actual bill.

"The House of Commons authorities encouraged that system and encouraged MPs to claim the full amount.

*shakes head*

[Urlik]

of course they encouraged MPs to claim the full amount. if any didn't claim the full amount it would draw attention to those who were submitting high claims

[TheEndIsNigh]

On reflection -

Are we being to harsh on our hard working underpaid representatives.

Be honest. Would you have time to accurately fill in your expenses if you were doing your best to hold down three, four or sometimes 20 other jobs/directorships/law suits. Especially if the part time one (being an MP) was the worse paid.

I think not. Give them their due. They give us what they get paid for.

Imagine how hard it must be. Travelling on pubic transport, sometimes up to twelve miles a day mind, reading/scanning/skipping over convoluted dross that will affect all our lives. Preparing/planning for lunches, diners, foreign 'fact finding' junkets. I would certainly find it hard to fill all this effort in to my day on a measly 60,000 a year.

It must be really tough - Who else would scrimp along on these petty rewards.

They don't have to do all this work on our behalf you know.

They could just sign on and live in the lap of luxury on the dole.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by TheEndIsNigh

Imagine how hard it must be. Travelling on pubic transport, sometimes up to twelve miles a day mind, reading/scanning/skipping over convoluted dross that will affect all our lives.

And then leaving your laptop behind on the railway carriage seat filled with sensitive information that would need to be redacted if it mentioned themselves.

But seriously, up to £400 a month for food and up £250 a month in "petty cash" from the Incidental Expenses allowance without any receipts? Petty Rewards?

[TheEndIsNigh]

Dave: It's a hard life but someone has to do it. Poor sods.