A transparent trough?

[observer]

Like drawing teeth, information about MPs allowances/expenses has been a long time coming; but the latest example of their greed comes with the details of "the John Lewis Catalogue", covering allowances to kit out their second homes in London. Meanwhile, Clegg is now suggesting a cut in the number of MPs of 150; come on Nick, you'll have to do better than that if you wish to appear progressive - hows about a 50% cut, saving the taxpayer ?40million a year, easily achieved by merging every two constituencies into one EG; Warrington, instead of Warr North and Warr South - could produce a bit of a cat fight though!

[Paul Kennedy]

Originally posted by observer:

It would be cheaper to stop all such "expenses" and build a glorified YMCA to house them; with all facilities "provided", they would have nothing to "claim" for.

Agreed something a bit like a Travelodge would be fine, anybody wanting to do anything different could pay for it themselves.

[observer]

Alas, a corrupt Parliament isn't new - one can imagine the ghost of Oliver Cromwell swinging the mace (or was that Michael Hesletine?!), shouting " begone, you have been here too long for what good you do"(or words to that effect!); then being ushered out by a troop of the New Model Army; thus paving the way to a "Protectorate" and the elevation of Britain to the beginnings of Empire and Global respect.

[observer]

Is that right, that the elected vermin in Parliament are now after ?40,000 a year to compensate for not having expenses?

[observer]

Well our elected rats are still at it: they're fighting the freedom of information ruling that they should make their claims public, through an appeal to the courts. OK. I think we can allow a deletion of the address, the term "second home" being substituted, with a list of all expenses claimed.

[little fella]

?13m in expenses, What other company pays that kind of expenses to it employee's?

[Paul Kennedy]

You would be surprised LF. That being said they have to make the profits before they can provide the expenses...whereas Parliament raids the public purse.

 

PS Subject to the nature of employees expenses, they are of course sometimes taxable.

[Paul Kennedy]

Observer makes an entirely reasonable point, and a number of MPs do list their expenses on their websites...not very popular with their colleagues though.

 

My big gripe is the second home and in particular the profit that might be made on it when it is eventually sold. An element of that profit much surely belong to the State...by way of capital gains tax/income tax.....given public money has been used to fund its purchase. Indeed if you or I buy a second home and then sell it on at some future date, any profit less expenses and indexation is subject to Capital Gains Tax.

 

The more MPs protest, the more they will undermine their credibility....afterall some...maybe in some cases all, of their expenses are entirely legitimate and essential for them to carry out their job.

[asperity]

It looks like the shredders are working overtime in Whitehall. telegraph

[Paul Kennedy]

Just read the piece, you've got to laugh at the following you couldn't make it up really could you:

 

Conservative sources alleged that they had been told that there may have been "a mistake" made in Mr Brown's expense claims.

 

Wasn't Mr Brown the Chancellor....a job involving money and numbers...if he can't get his expenses right....makes you wonder......about the economy.

 

PS Shredding records...sounds very criminal to me.

 

PPS In these days of electronic technology, they will need to wipe hard drives as well.

 

[ 26.03.2008, 08:31: Message edited by: Paul Kennedy ]

[Peter T]

"Sounds" akin to legalised Benefit Fraud?

[observer]

As the Police have already said: the system (if you can call it that) is so laxed, that what would normally constitute a criminal act in the real world, is normal practise in Parliament. Oh come back Oliver Cromwell, and clean the stables out!

[Paul Kennedy]

Seems there is a substatial trough for many people employed in the higher levels of local government and the civil service. I notice that 6 local authority chief executives now earn more than a Prime Minster, and many others are not far behind. Wage inflation at the highest levels is becoming totally unsustainable....given it is largely funded by the majority of people on modest incomes.

 

Whilst there are undoubtedly a number of very good senior managers in the so called "public" sector, in my experience there are many who are simply not up to the job...and to make things worse are unaccountable....or accountable to those whose performance is lets say.....equally lacklustre.

 

Just wondering how many local authorities have a Committee that questions its senior officers on a regular basis about their role and their performance....or lack of. Guess such things could be deemed to be bullying...in this touchy feely PC world.

[observer]

Afraid local Gov, is now similiar to the football league, with LAs (clubs) outbidding each other for so-called high flyers, and local Councillors simply go along with it, rather than establishing a national pay rate standard for all posts via the LGA.

[observer]

Seems MPs will only have register the job title of people doing work for them at taxpayer's expense.

[observer]

Latest one on the MPs gold digging scam: seems some of the buildings they use as Offices are owned by their Political Party.