I am tempted to send a copy of The Frugal Life: How to spend less and live more to the House of Commons. That way, MPs wouldn’t have to waste more taxpayers’ money by buying their own. After all, we can’t expect them to pay for it with their own money, can we?
It’s obvious from the Daily Telegraph’s exposé on MPs’ expenses last week that some of our so-called honourable members could benefit from a frugal makeover. Perhaps Margaret Beckett could save on her hanging baskets by swapping plants with her neighbours. John Prescott could find his next loo seat gratis from Freecycle (second hand – one previous careful owner), while Andy Burnham could source a used (slightly soiled) bathrobe from a charity shop and take some DIY classes. I think it could work!
I wish I could say I was shocked by what some MPs have claimed or tried to claim on expenses. I’m not. Sadly nothing this government or our opposition does surprises me anymore. Although I have to say I was taken aback by the sheer scale of it. Who on earth has the audacity to claim for three different homes at once and keep changing their ‘second home’ to enable them to do so, or for dog food and Kit Kats? It’s baffling that under the current system MPs seem to be able to claim for so many purchases. If you’re self-employed, the HMRC rules on what you can and can’t claim on expenses are far more stringent. You can claim for petrol and part of your council tax, but you certainly couldn’t claim for Tampax or a chocolate Santa Claus. I’m an Essex girl but I wouldn’t dream of claiming for jellied eels – I hate the things anyway.
The worrying thing is how deep this pocket lining mentality seems to go. Don’t get me wrong – I am sure there must still be people somewhere in the Palace of Westminster who are there because they want to make a difference, not because they want to take us all for a ride. At least I pray there are still such people. My grandfather was an MP decades ago at Stormont so I know that they work long hours and, unless their constituency is close to London, they have to live in two places which can be difficult. They obviously need a good system that enables them to do this. But don’t they have any idea what their constituents are going through at the moment? Perhaps some of them spend so much time filling out expense claims that they haven’t lifted their heads long enough out of the trough to notice there is a recession on and people are losing their jobs and homes?
Personally I don’t think that the offenders being told to ‘say sorry’ is good enough. They don’t mean it – they’re just sorry they got found out, that’s all. Considering the dire situation our economy is in, those who got away with making outrageous expense claims should be made to pay the money back and fined, just as anyone making improper self assessment claims would be if they found out by HMRC.
What do you think about the expenses scandal? What should MPs should be able to claim for? Leave a message and let me know. (Click here to sign our petition to raise the Jobseeker’s Allowance)
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The Frugal Life - with Piper Terrett 
Hi piper,Another nice one. Two years ago, I drove from west Birmingham to Scarborough, for a two hour conference with a tax inspector. A true Lady, much as yourself, she wasted no time telling me, repeatedly, that she would not allow travel expences for the journey, but that I have 7 years to appeal. It also cost me almost £5 for a pathetic lunch at Morrissons, & a fish supper on the way home. If I had been caught sleeping the night in a lay-by, that would have cost at least a further £20. If I travel to London by train after 09:30, with only six hrs for the single journey & my business in town, i can embark on the return journey by 15:30 at the latest, for just over £50 return. The bus is only £15 return, under the identical conditions. If it is a court case, I arrive at least an hour late, & have no hope of leaving on the return by 15:30. By bus or train it will cost at least double the above for the day return. All at my own expence.They choose to stand for election, no one is forcing them. By means of late 20th century electronic, they could all work from home, without leaving the constituency which they purport to serve. They no longer need to commute, or live in /near London, or even Brussels, & could even use a free bus pass, even better, a free bicycle, for any local travel around their constituency. It would help to keep them fit, & on the ball. I would even give them a free laptop & mobi.Our "right honourable" leader, Brown, does not need to fly the entire world, executive class, complete with equaly superfluous entourage. By working from home, they would even have time for a newspaper round, at the handsome wage of £2/hr.When I last did it, we had the grand sum of 62.5p/14 hr week!I would not allow any such complete waste of space a single bean, if they wish to play soldiers, doctors, or any other stupid pass-time, they should do so at their own expence. They are no more than an extremely obsolete old boys club, mostly from public school.Their public behaviour as shown on tv news, reminds me of inebriated squaddies fighting over the padre\’s daughter, much like wild, hungry dogs, attempting to share a bone peacefully. No one should be leading from the front, or by any other means, by such an ignorant example.
That\’s a very good point, Bill. Why don\’t they work from home?! I suppose they have to vote in person in the House of Commons but for everything else there\’s wifi, broadband or a Blackberry.
Not sure if even in the right place to make a comment re: working until 70 but would just like to say that I will be 70 in July and am so glad that I am still able to work. It is a necessity for me, when I was younger, and I worked full time even then, I never thought of thefuture and that I would need money to supplement my pension to survive, so I didn\’t and couldn\’t save, wish I had my day back we just do not know how things will turn out for us long term.
i think it will just drane what is already a well holed bucket,if jobseekers want money, they should do community work for it, that way everything gets done and the money is in a sence being spent on something more worth while then, a lazy lout lying about on the sofa draining or system of tax payers money,why should i work to pay for someone elses life on there butt. if there as fed up looking as what they say they are, they wont mind having something to get up for will they,and i wouldnt resent them a lazy ponces.and for you violent offenders,,send them in the army and let them see what tough is about
Piper, our MPs are supposed to turn up to discuss and investigate the matters that they vote on. I don\’t think that many of them would have the facilities available to research a lot of the things that are supposed to be discussed from home. If you look at the website http://www.parliament.uk/ you will see that there are is an awful lot of information that is available to use and that there are a lot of committees that are involved in the work of MPs. Don\’t just think that the work undertaken is the broadcast slanderous dogfights that we see and hear on the broadcast media (most of which is showmanship for the cameras). I\’m not sure that we appreciate what a good MP does in the way of work. However we now appreciate what MPs feel that their work entitles them to earn. Obviously more than they are paid. But the pay is a given before they apply for the job and if someone feels that they can\’t afford to do the job at the rate on offer, then perhaps that person should not be considering the job. Being an MP is not a job for those with a profit motive but for those with a public service ethic surely?
Liz: I fail to understand how MP\’s can justify needing expenses for anything – their salary is more than I\’m likely to earn as a teacher – and I\’m expected to turn up every day; they can have second jobs – I don\’t have time for that; they need a second home if they live too far away – I know many who\’d be happy to have one home – even if they have to travel a really lengthy journey each way. Why should my taxes go to people who obviously have such questionable ethics in the first place that they think they have the right to call themselves "Honourable Members"?
Sharon a lot of job seekers do work very hard at looking for work and they are the ones who do not get into the public notice because they are far too busy looking for work. However there are times when it is very hard to get a job that pays more than the benefits that are on offer. You have to cover your rent, your council tax, water rates, food, clothes, gas and electricity, telephone and travel to work just to split even. Believe me there are times when the jobs on offer do not cover the bills especially if you have a family with small children. You can\’t afford to take a job on the minimum wage if that\’s all that is available. Tricky, very tricky. And the armed forces nowadays require people who have good basic education so that they can be trained in the modern technology that is now used. There\’s no place for violent offenders – you work as a unit and you have to be able to rely on those around you when you go into a survival situation in places like Afghanistan or other wars. You need trained and reliable units for that not guttersnipes who have never had the inclination to make anything of themselves. I\’ve been there when I was younger and I know that what was the national service intake where all men did two years would be absolutely no use to the modern military. Just a thought. But what the cure is for the won\’t work minority where not working is handed down in families and the children don\’t know how to break out of the situation I have no idea. And what sort of example do our MPs set to the won\’t work and violent offenders I wonder? Or too all the those who turn up for work on a regular basis and do a day\’s work for the pay on offer with no chance of extra expenses? If those who rule us are dishonest and unable to manage on a good wage why should your everyday man in the street go off and work honestly to support a lot of good for nothings?
i agree it is hard on minimum wage and will get no better while we have percentage rises .this just garantees the rich get richer.a pergentage rise on minimum wage is nothing.in the past there were diferentuals in wages but rises were paid across the board,maybe it is time to go bagk to this and stop the greedy at the top.and the idle who think they should have everything given them.
MPs should not be able to claim anything for a overnighting in London if their first home is less than 50 miles away, and any expenses they do claim should be only to reclaim what they have had to spend in order to do their job. If their first home is more than 50 miles from London, they should be able to claim for overnight accommodation in a reasonably priced hotel. Why do they need a second home, when many have to commute more than 50 miles every day, or have to stay somewhere overnight in the course of their job?I claim expenses in my job as a service engineer, but I cannot profit out of them. I can claim for parking the van, any parts or equipment I have to buy for my work, and for overnighting in a Travelodge or similar if neccessary. That is all! Why should MPs claim for any more, especially when they already get more than 4 times my salary.
Well said,Piper. I agree wholeheartedly! The only thing that are are sorry for is that they got caught. What amazed me is that rather than throw up their hands and say \’OOOOps we got caught!\’ the first thing they want to do is prosecute the person who leaked the information! Good grief! Have they no shame at all???
Seems to me that we are very good at exposing all these shenanigans but at the end of the day nothing is done about it. I fully agree that the whole situation is somehow all forgiven by these miscreants abjectly professing to be sorry. Not good enough. They must repay for all of those frivolous expenses they have claimed for and the public should be informed on who has paid back what. And oh, we should now stop this "ettiquette" of refering to them as "honourable" members. Events have proved beyond any doubt they are not worthy of such decription.
My pet peevePoliticians they sayLiars of todayThieving scumSucking bumModern parasiteNever wrong, always rightJobs for the boysPennies are tightScrew them allWe’ll be okThat’s what our leaders sayFreedom of speechWhat is thata mystery No just an old rhymeLike most of our rightsGone for all time!!!I stick by this as like most people I.m scrimping an\’ saving unlike these parasites, it should be made illegal after all it\’s fraud!
This is the most disgusting and population demoralising episode in the life of parliament since Oliver Cromwell sorted it all with be-headings, hangings and striping of stolen assetts by the greedy devious troughswilling "politicians"of that time re-visited by the current encumbants of all parties at Westminster. How they expect pay rises and steal OUR money as well through their expences that they made the rules for and are now angered over the publication of their thieving when we are all being taxed to the hilt,losing or being threatened with the loss of our jobs,asked to go with no pay rises,quizzed by our managers over legitimate work related expences ie travel etc that they can just say sorry and get away with it I dont know???The Police should be involved ie the serious fraud squad to arrest and prosecute and have it all taken away from them like the common thieves do going through proper court cases and be publicly shamed and banned from public life.But I fear there is no modern Oliver Cromwell so this lot will set up a whitewash enquiry send the whistler to jail,and carry on robbing us blind.Is there any politician we can trust ????????
Total disgrace
Such a parcel of rogues in a nation – nothing has changed in over 300 years; they still sell their souls and our future for a handful of silver.
You voted for them!!Now you have the chance not to do so again!!Shut up and think !!! at the next election.Yes, think instead watching the spin.Kick them in the shin and higher!
Would\’nt it be a good idea for the M Ps to have hall of residence maybe in the houses of parliament. Each room would have a shower bed and internet connection. What else do they need. There is absolutely no need for these greedy people to take from the tax payer.
MP\’s expenses, they are all a bunch of crooks and they should be charged with fraud and taken to court,however I can guarantee you that this is only the tip of the iceberg, local councils are exactly the same if not worse!and don\’t talk to me about EU MEP\’s, they are all eqully as bad and in that respect I agree with UKIP to leave Europe, the EU was set up as a trading block, were partners could trade with one another at favourable rates, however it has turned into a group of bureaucrats who want to rule Europe. The Vikings tried, the Romans, Napoleon, the Germans, the Spanish, the Dutch, the Austrians and actually all nations are too diverse (which is a good thing) that they do not want to be ruled by someone from Brussels (a Belgian!!!) Please vote at the next election, but think before you vote, and don\’t vote for a party because your dad and his dad and his dad voted for them, make up your own opinion and malke sure it is an informed one.
In any other job, Joe Bloggs (the ordinary man on the street) has to pay for everything he buys himself (including like,Jacie Smiths husbands, Porn DVD\’s) out of the salery he earns.I think all these MP\’s who claim excessive amounts of expence\’s, are making all MP\’s look corrupt, it looks very much like corruption to me!!If these (allegedly) corrupt people can\’t afford dog food, light bulbs,ect, on an MP\’s salery, they should not be in parliament, its no wonder that the nations finances are in such a terrible mess when people like these are pulling the purse strings, in their (allegedly) own favour.Liam Daniel Messenger
Why don\’t you send them a copy of the book for good will? I\’m sure they\’ll get the message and thank you for it later. 😉
dont mp\’s earn enough money? why do they need expenses?scrap the system! pay your own way! like i do and many other honest people in this country.its just legalized theft! stealing from the system
It is not just the way they have stole and are still stealing from the taxpayer but the bare faced cheek they have to try to justify it.As they have shown that they ALL have the morals of an alleycat can we afford to let them run our country? We need a new party whilst there is still a chance for democracy before the people revolt! Look to your history books and remember all the other dynasties which collapsed due to greed and contempt for the people that they are meant to SERVE!
Let us look to the M.P\’s pensions next. they want us to work untill we are 70 , to pay for the fat cats pensions perhaps?
Why can\’t the government buy a big run down block of flats in London. Do it up adequately but NOT extravagantly and let MP\’s stay there when they are working. It would get rid of the need for 2nd homes or expenses and make security for them cheaper. If we are to believe these people work so hard they don\’t need large 2nd homes to be decorated by Lawrence LLwellyn Bowen to sleep in do they? Sorry certainly is not good enough those guilty of overdoing at the tough should pay it all back and do a bit of community service in their summer recess!
I wish i had their job , they get so much and so many advantages and can claim for virtually anything they want for their second homeFree interest payments on their mortgageStamp duty paidSolictitors bills paidCouncil tax paidutilities paidGarden maintainance paidHouse maintainance paidJohn Lewis shopping account paidDreamworld beds and bedding paidFree PORNFurnitures paidTV internet etc paidTravel , taxis paid (yet they live next to paliment?)New kitchen fittedNew bathroon fittedNew carpet ,rugs , blinds,curtains paidDog food ,vet bills paidBasically £25,000 worths of our taxes a year and yet they can flip that second home to another in london and put the one we have paid for up on rent (ching ching london prices) then we begin all over again with the above list on another property all at the same time earning £64.755 per year salary!!!!COME ON ADMIT IT YOU\’D DO THE SAME IF YOU COULD !!!!! How else do you think these polititions are millionaires on a salary of £65.000???
I think that they should all be made to pay back it is greed, which is a sin. The ordernary people who claim expences have hoops to jump through, so should MPs. And they should be vetted by outsiders not inhouse. And those who have really been wrong should be thrown out, and then more honest rules made to stop this in future, its not as though they dont earn enough, they should not be allowed to rob the country which is struggling to clear debts, no wonder we are in debt.
lieing robbing bastards if you were due the goverment money look out lets get the police invoved there are answeres and the money has to be payed back or swing by a rope
So first things first. Surely all they need is a roof over there heads and that is that after they say they need a 2nd home for when they stay away from home so why all the carperts, tvs, damp proofing, curtains on and on. We normal folk do all our own shopping we travel outside the cities mainly and come home again in stupid horrible traffci do mp,s i doubt i mean day in and out, and do they clean after work i doubt it, do they fetch the kids, do they go to the bank in between all of that, do they work through there lunch hour and knowing we dont get paid, but it does get deducted for but the boss goes all mardy and moody if you say enough is enough im having my breaks that im entilteld to oh know no evers stands up for us do they. i think the labour party hang let me refrase that noice how i spelt refrase yes we too twist the english text to mp,zzzzzz lol. how they have become one big con right from the year 1997 they have made my fathers life a misery so he smokes heavy because he says they took my retirement money and there is nothing he can do about it, the banks took the savings there is nothing he can do about it. so my dad says at least i will die knowing this life is rotten but also knowing this lousy goverment did not get anything else. They have used people so badly and they have set up credit after credit because either you pay in debt or you pay in good payments its all the same to them and they have other ideas for your money, mps are trying to say they cant spend their money on normal every days things BS it really is we all do the common people know hang the brave human beings, we are on only say mostly 10,000 pounds to 15,000 and yet you say mp,s that are on 65,0000 cant buy these things to furnish the houses and take out a mortgage they have to come tous to borrow our wage packet you know our taxes to do it, i am sick to death of all the rubbish and false rubbish i see on tv all that joseph gobels propaganda he never died, we use tv adverts like they do, we use radio like they did, and any product with fancy bright lights to trick your mind into thinking you need all this rubbish you see every where it is just not true, start taking control of your life and live it your way not how some one else tells you to, because the goverment are certainly doing it for there own ends, STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS ENGLSIH MEN AND WOMEN STAND AND FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT WHERE HAS THE LION GONE WHERE HAD THE BRITISH BULLDOG GONE STAND UP AND FIGHT AGAINST THESE LIEING SCUM WITH THERE RICH AND FRUITFUL LIVES, WE WILL NOT EVEN SEE THIS IN OUR LIFE TIME SO WHY SHOULD THEY, SO MUCH FOR IMPROVING LIFE STYLE I STILL CANT EVEN GET MY DREAM JOB SCUMBAGS THE LOT OF EMMMMMM.
Any-one in the private sector who fiddled their expenses would be in jail. Why not M.P\’s?
This is another example of the corrupt, power crazy, self serving pigs in the trough. What is really annoying is that the British citizen sits there moaning instead of taking direct action. No doubt they will continue to vote and give the next group the opportunity to screw us. Come on people, WAKE UP. If this was elsewhere in the world action would be taken!
Mp\’s that have no moral values and are only interested in their own importance- i name Blair among them should castagated and told to stand down or moved to the back benches as a fine. We are only seeing the second house mess-theres the hire a family member that does nothing-the overseas trip to exotic places(which do not have relevence reason for the visit) and more -dont start me on the meps at brussels
Firstly I don\’t see a reason of having 640 odd M PS to run this country. Every thing else is modernised, Why not the the house of (i have done nothing wrong) commons. Reduce the number of MPs . May be an MP for each county. Secondly they should purchase some apartments for the use by MPs as and when they need them to stay in London. I am sure this will reduce the cost and stop all this claiming of expenses. Thirdly all the MPs second homes must be sold off and all the profits given to a charity or a good cause.
just build a block of small flats (2 MPs to a flat) in the centre of London! tell them to make do with it— or use their own salaries to clean their own moats! Better still lets take their high ( clearly unwanted salaries given how much they expect from us) salaries off them and all their bonus\’ and use it fix this economic crisis that they and the banks have landed us in! Clean your own moat and tune your own piano…. and count your luckey stars that you havn\’t been slaughtered for wasting our money on rubbish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lying, thieving, immoral, corrupt, double-dealing, heartless, selfish and greedy. Is that what it takes to be in politics? If so, this bunch of crooks has passed with flying colours. They should be made to pay back every penny, and interest, and any tax they may have avoided by staying within "the rules". Furthermore, they should pay it back NOW, and the results should be given back to us ASAP. After all, it\’s our money that they have laid their greedy hands on, isn\’t it?
disgusting behaviour …. and to think, nothing will happen to them, except they will learn to hide it more. I think jail time and public compensation is well in order. We want our money back so we can pay our own mortgages, do our own cleaning and go on holiday…. I am sick of paying for MPs to have all the luxuries I could have if I didn\’t have to pay for them! Do your own work, spend your own money, build up your own debts LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHO VOTED FOR YOU HAS TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One BIG question that nobody seems to ask is WHO signed all these Expenses claims and passed them as reasonable expenditure???They DO have rules, although they are a trifle baffling and it states quite clearly that reimbursment will be made for expenses incurred with the demands of their work NOT to spend on gardens & tennis courts etc., they buy & sell houses to make a profit but this falls within the Rule Book guidelines to a certain extent, it\’s just the way they have interpreted these rules BUT SOMEONE OR SOMEBODY is responsible for keeping a close scrutiny on this, THEY ARE THE GUILTY ONES TO LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT!!!!!!
They are all at it, bank managers, members of parliament, it goes on and on and on. It shows what contempt they have for the rest of the population. And these are the people in charge. What hope is there for the rest of us. They are an absolute disgrace and because they have been caught with their pants down they think it is okay to appologise and say they will pay the money back,(NOT GOOD ENOUGH). They should all be thrown in jail for obtaining money by false pretences,in fact even better string all the robbing bastards up,( give me the rope i will do it ).
This is the year of "SORRY" we have heard it from the bankers this year and that was laughable now we hear it from the MP\’s sorry does not seem to be the hardest word to say at all SORRY they said when bankers broke the banking sytemSORRY they said when MP\’s ripped off Britain SORRY ……. ?????? sorry just doesnt cut it anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
many people have been prosecuted and jailed for claiming benefits they were not entitled to,and in comparision smaller than any mentioned by PM,s. ALL have fiddled the system, no matter how its worded,Prosecute the PM,s ,With their intelegence they know right from wrong,Sorry they have been found out,sorry means nothing,all put your hands in your pockets,pay back plus interest., how dare they take us for complete fools, sack all and fine and imprison those that dont..Mrs Pensioner .
One of the things that angers me about this is that Gordon Brown made a pathetic apology saying that the expenditure claims were "mistakes". Now, if the average citizen gets things wrong when claiming from the state (for example benefits), and they are paid more than they are due, they are called, benefit cheats, accused of fraud and lying, and can be taken to caught and labelled "criminal". However, if the government gets wrong, it\’s a mistake! This is hypocrisy and double standards at their best…..The "no if\’s no but\’s campaign" made posters to spread the social virus that the government manufactured in the name of "protecting the tax payer" when all the time the government was fiddling their expenses costing the tax payer, in the same manner, I created my own little "no if\’s no but\’s" poster to remind MP\’s they are also committing a crime against the tax payer: http://allflimflam.blogspot.com/2009/05/mps-on-fiddle.html(feel free to take this poster and distribute it)
If any one passed these expenses claim in my business I would assist them calmly to the door, as for the claimants they just need booting out. NOW!
i have been going through the tribunal system in scotland for three years to get equal pay.money owed to me and thousands of other loyal council workers.perhaps we should all just go out and buy that new dream kitchen that we are waiting to buy and tell the council to put it on there expences better still tell them to take it of the money they owe us because if i owed them 1pence it would be taken of my next wage.what a greedy shower of so and sos
They say they are "SORRY", sorry what, for doing it , or getting "cought" No sorry is not good enough, you have done it, sorry can-not undo any of it , so sorry is NOT any good i\’m sorry to say,, Pay this "stolen money back [with interest ] now, that is mucu,much, better than saying sorry, and it shows that you meen it, saying sorry dosn\’t mean a thing at all, you have forgotten that word by the next day.. Lets remind you , what you have done is STEALING from the general public that you rep-present and trusted in you ,, no more thank you,,
The really weird thing is that they forget the fact that they APPLIED for the job of MP, it was not forced upon them, they knew the salary from the start. So to claim they need these perks to make up for a "low" salary is arrant nonsense. How many have had a proper job on normal wages? I would dearly like them to encounter an Inland Revenue Inspector and have an investigation carried out on their expenses. On reflection maybe it is not so weird they apply, cos once the word was out about how they could milk the system it\’s no wonder they fight tooth and nail tyo get the job.
every one in the goverment wants sacking and give the tax money we paid and the wasted pay it back to the works get gordon brown out
That jacqie smith debacle 2 months ago that was about her claiming second home expenses when she was staying with her sister and using our taxes to furnish her sisters house etc (remember the plug) resulted in nothing ? no fine, no suspension,no punishment, no resignation ? A word SORRY was all that was mentioned…..We will soon turn a blind eye in weeks … why ? we all have more pressing , urgent, important, matters right now such as keeping a roof over our heads and keeping employed
So……….. Hazel Blears has written a cheque? Bully for her! Who arrived at this figure of £13,000? If it was her then it begs the question "What more has she got to hide?" Which of us can just suddenly write out a cheque for such an amount? None of us. What savings we may have had have been used up to help us live. Many of us have no income at all. MP\’s greed has contributed massively to our poverty. Small businesses have collapsed, and the jobs that go with hem.Our MP\’s stink!
I find it incredible that so few MPs have even said sorry, and none of them have refused to resign so far. They defend themselves by saying that it was the rules that were to blame, not them. It\’s as though they feel they were entitled to this money. Their greed is breathtaking. For once I don\’t think we will be turning a blind eye to this. It\’s too staggering and too insensitive at a time when so many people are struggling financially.
The worst thing is, they probably only said sorry because they were "advised" to!
I know it\’s supposed to be the Dail Telegraph who are responsible for uncovering this, but you may want to read the B.N.P.\’s website regarding it. http://bnp.org.uk/category/news/" The British National Party’s spokesman on Law and Order and policing matters, Mr Michael Barnbook, has claimed credit for opening up the whole issue of the abuse of parliamentary expenses.“I made a complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in February 2008 against James Purnell, then Minister for Works and Pensions, for avoiding payment of Capital Gains Tax on the sale of his London property,” Mr Barnbrook told BNP News."Wharever your views on them, the B.N.P. are very good at whistle blowing on corruption.
Do not let this expenses debate get forgotten.It\’s ok that the Health Minister, Phil Hope, is to pay back the £41,709 he claimed, saying it was "within the rules", if this whole sorry episode had NOT come to light, Mr Hope and many many others would be Qids in.From what i can understand, nearly all MP\’s are "at it", some should remember their roots and where they come from.Its the Douglas Hogg\’s of this parliament that i am most shocked at, the wealthier they are, the more they claim, Who wants people like this running our country.Do not vote for anyone who used the expenses regime to make profit for themselves.
Strange how they have now been found out for their in their rules expences but thieving in ours,that they all think "sorry" will do?And some think that by repaying their thieving will make all this go away?Bring in the serious fraud squad gordon,david and nick and let us see just how much you politicians have stolen and squandered whilst we have to live just paying all the bills government creates (council tax,income tax nat.insurance stamp duty road fund tax etc) and pay the prices all the rich fat cat companies (bp shell esso tesco asda sainsburys british gas all the water companies etc) keep stuffing us with?If I lose my job because of the mess the goverment and greedy bankers have got us in I might just stand for government in some way and if I get in god help all these thieving b*gg*rs from what ever class.
the thing i cant understand is why none of them have been sacked. if i claimed anything from work like paint for my house or new carpets i would be sacked no nonsense straight out the door.and dont tell me its within the rules one big question who made the f***** rules up.
Anything publically funded is open to abuse. Tax Payers Money is a bottomless pit. Take the BBC it sends hundreds of staff to cover an event, being put up at top hotels, while Commercial Broadcasters only send the minimum of staff. Local Government, MEPs their all at it. We give money to Pakistan, a nuclear power, 60 million to China who spent Billions on the Olympic Games, benefits and houses to Immigrants, who cares it\’s tax payers money. If the money was in the private sector, nobody would get away with it, if they tried they would be prosecuted.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AgeBarriers/