asperity Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 MPs can claim for: Their mortgage or rent, Council Tax, electric and heating costs, water, phone bill, cleaner, decorating costs, building insurance and security costs, travel allowance (and a generous one at that), furniture including white goods and their maintenance, up to ?400 a month for food and even their TV licence! So why do they need a salary on top of all that? Everybody else has to use their salary to cover living expenses. Talk about pigs with their snouts in the trough. :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 It's human nature, problem is the rest of us don't get the opportunity to rip off the system; MPs vote in "the system"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windy Posted April 27, 2008 Report Share Posted April 27, 2008 The worst thing is that they can still claim it all on expenses without reciepts (I have a ?3 limit at my work). A first class ticket to London is not too much change out of ?200 but they can book in advance save a fortune but still claim the ?200! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted April 27, 2008 Report Share Posted April 27, 2008 Eh ???????  Is that right Asperity as if it is that's absolutely appauling !! Surely they can't claim all that CAN THEY ???  Talk about perks of the job  I presume WE ALL pay towards their salary and their free living.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted April 27, 2008 Report Share Posted April 27, 2008 Of course the big problem is that if they are allowed to do away with their expenses claims and have a big salary increase to cover it instead (?35-40K a year has been mentioned); that means that all of their pensions would rise as well because they are on the final salary ones. That would cost us the taxpayer more money for even longer!!  There is no easy answer other than to stop their daft expenses and make them fund their lifestyles out of what they earn already like the rest of us have to  Baz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 Simple answer:- Put them all on the National Average Wage; provide them with an office in their constituency with non-related staff; build an MPs barracks in London where they can stay (thus scrapping all second homes); remove all claims systems and substitute with reasonable provisions. Also, reduce the total number of MPs by 50% (saving at least ?40million), and reduce the number of Lords to 100 and have them elected by Party list. SORTED! And before anyone starts bleating about attracting the right calibre of folk; we're throwing money into the trough now and it doesn't seem to be improving their calibre, far from it, it's making their grubby little avarice worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windy Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 Observer, Â Exactly its not about the quality of the people is it? The main parties select their people often parachuting them in because their face fits. Most of them don't really serve the people who elect them - let alone the majority in each area that didn't. Â I noticed a job as an MPs researcher advertised yesterday - it pays up to ?40K plus bonus (not sure about pension) but if the MPs have to pay above this they can put it inder general expenses!! Not bad pay for surfing the net all day and then probably being given a safe seat of your own after a few years servitude! Â Give them a season ticket on the cheapest form of transport to London - 2nd class like the rest of us. It would give them time to get to know the public! They could do open surgeries on the bus/train each week to keep them occupied and give them a few quid for a bottle of water and a coffee on each trip. Â I could go on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 Some presenter on TV the other night estimated, that MPs pay and perks amounted to around ?250,000pa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windy Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 As I said nice work if you can get it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted May 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2008 The Speaker's barrister yesterday told a High Court judge that forcing MPs to publish their exp?enses is a "substantial intrusion" into their private lives. Disclosing a detailed breakdown of their claims for running a second home, including addresses, might attract "the mad and the bad... They might simply not want the world to know the details of how they were furnishing their home in some particular respect", Nigel Griffin QC claimed. Â Perhaps they shouldn't expect the taxpayer to pay for the furnishings in the first place!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 8, 2008 Report Share Posted May 8, 2008 Perhaps a docile Joe Public should be asking why we allow them to have "second homes" in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 The Speaker's barrister yesterday told a High Court judge that forcing MPs to publish their exp?enses is a "substantial intrusion" into their private lives. Disclosing a detailed breakdown of their claims for running a second home, including addresses, might attract "the mad and the bad... They might simply not want the world to know the details of how they were furnishing their home in some particular respect", Nigel Griffin QC claimed. Perhaps they shouldn't expect the taxpayer to pay for the furnishings in the first place!!  see thats where all logic fails, if its business expenses its not private life.  if they simply said you can only claim expenses you are happy to be public then its self regulating.  I have to say there is so much common sense by the members (well most) of this forum we should form our own political party, one thats not heldd back by corruption and political corectness...its what the people want ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 A sort of "Peoples Party"?! Where everyone's individual motivation is altuistic and geared to a common goal of improving the quality of life for everyone? Well that probably means 99% of folk can't join; be a bit like the biblical David recruiting his Army. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgusted Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 Perhaps a docile Joe Public should be asking why we allow them to have "second homes" in the first place. Parliament's in London, what do you expect them to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted May 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 It has been suggested they all get put into a big block of flats. Of course if there weren't so many of them they could go into a small block of flats. If they didn't want to live with their colleagues there would be no objection to them buying, and furnishing, homes elsewhere at their own expense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 Simple Fat; a barracks for MPs; after all we don't pay for second homes or furnishings in London for the peons in the Brigade of Guards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgusted Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 Simple Fat; a barracks for MPs; after all we don't pay for second homes or furnishings in London for the peons in the Brigade of Guards! Ah, ok. I think that govt accomodation (maybe not quite as austere as barracks like ) isn't a bad idea. The worst bit of the two homes scenario is that the taxpayer pays this second mortgage, but once out of office/retired, the MP picks up the full equity gain. Now surely that as much as anything is wrong, he's contributed nothing towards the place, and gets all the profit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 It's a consequence of their power to make up the rules; thus they make the rules to suit themselves; time for an independent commission to make some austere rules and get their noses out of the trough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 Actually, whilst agreeing that the system seems superficially repugnant, any professional who is required to maintain a second home due to the requirements of their job will receive a variety of allowances. I have a friend who has been told by his firm that he will need to work in Belgium for four days a week for the next 12 months. They are providing him with an apartment, all air fares etc etc. Similarly another friend who is something high up in the marines (don't understand the ranking system) is paid a vast array of allowances, private school fees for all the children, several air tickets a year for wife and family to visit him wherever he is, and so on. Whenever I travel in the course of my work clients pay all my travel, hotel and subsistence expenses on top of my fees. I would like to earn as much as an MP, but I would prefer to earn the salaries offered in commerce and industry, which are substantially higher! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 Chrissy, this doesn't affect your lot too much. Its about MP's expenses... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 I'm really pleased you agree that Lib Dem MPs have more integrity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted May 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 Chrissy, the people you are talking about have real jobs, i.e. they aren't politicians!! We have way too many politicians thanks to the EU. So either we get out of the EU or we get rid of the MPs, we don't need both!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 We could save on a load of superficial expenditure with these folk: get out of the EU - no need for MEPs. 50% cut in the number of MPs - after all most are just lobby fodder in any case. Reduce the Lords to 100 and have them elected proportional to the national vote - might let in a few of the fringe parties. We could save ?millions - alas, not as long as the politicians make the rules - turkeys just don't vote for christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted May 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 You have hit the nail on the head Obs - unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 vive la revolution! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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