MPs expenses

**1952224** · October 15th, 2009, 08:45 PM

is there one law for the ordinary folks and a different one for the so called mother of parliaments.i,ve been following this story since we read about the former home secratarys choice of residence was highlighted.the information had to be prised out of her saying ihave acted within the rules later found to be untrue .she claimed £116000 let off ,no sanction.apparently she is likely to be given apeerage ,more expenses.

**billybunter** · October 15th, 2009, 09:04 PM

Unfortunately elected representatives are not held to account like us ordinary folk. And that applies to many countries. What makes me sick is someone who is on the dole (unemployed) does an hours work and gets dragged through the courts. And some TD/MP/MEP claims a fortune for painting their dining room and weeding their garden.

**haldane4** · October 15th, 2009, 09:41 PM

They're a bunch of corrupt self-serving corporate-loving bastards. The USA and the UK escaped the worst of the 20th century - they weren't ravaged by war and revolution like much of Europe and Africa and Asia. But, the way things are going, they'll get theirs in the 21st century. This kind of inequality is not sustainable in the long-run, and 5% of the population lording it over the rest of us with 95% of the wealth is the best reason for revolution I can think of.

I predict a great future for lamp-posts. Invest now, and buy a rope.

**1952224** · October 15th, 2009, 10:50 PM

exactly.why not have a system like austrailia where you have to vote.listening to the three party conference speeches they tell you what you want to hear but if they get in nothing changes . referendum on europe? no chance.cameron telling his party to comply and pay up is just a excuse to clear out all those trouble makers he knows do not agree with him blairs reciepts mysteriously got shredded very convinent he has now made millions offthe backs of dead and maimed soldiers what next lord and lady blair.your right we let them get away with it.they say no one is above the law bollocks

**knobby109** · October 16th, 2009, 05:17 AM

The activities of some MPs are being investigated by the Inland Revenue and police so it's not over yet.
What bothers me though is when they say "I wasn't breaking any rules" when anybody who could distinguish right from wrong could see their activities as dishonest.To claim to Parliament that a particular property is your main residence at the same time as you tell the Revenue that it's a second home (so you can claim expenses on one and avoid tax on the other) is devious and corrupt.

jawbone · October 16th, 2009, 06:09 AM

If you think MPs are bad you should look at the media. Journalists expense claims make public officials look like kids in comparison. Lets now see the Daily Telegraph investigate the BBC journalists, who after all are paid for by taxpayers money, but don 't hold your breath because they know that if they open that can of worms they would get caught up in it as well.

MrKinkade · October 16th, 2009, 07:52 AM

This is a global trend 'bent politicians' there's been a big sea change in what is deemed morals ?
It's basically everybody out for what they can get ! Life in the 21'st century get used to it cause it aint going to change sometime soon.

**Puhbear69** · October 16th, 2009, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1952224

exactly.why not have a system like austrailia where you have to vote.listening to the three party conference speeches they tell you what you want to hear but if they get in nothing changes . referendum on europe? no chance.cameron telling his party to comply and pay up is just a excuse to clear out all those trouble makers he knows do not agree with him blairs reciepts mysteriously got shredded very convinent he has now made millions offthe backs of dead and maimed soldiers what next lord and lady blair.your right we let them get away with it.they say no one is above the law bollocks

Right - and not right what you say.
I'm not an English but I see the same problem in different democraties I know. If one voted for a person - and he/she is not doing what was promised, or simple making money out of it, no demokracie I know does have provited any voting out for such members of parlament by the voters during the legestive periode. Yes of course if their party sees it similar - but if not?
As far as I know you (UK) having a direct vote in your your district to the person, what could make it easy to do so. We (Ger.) do have a direct and an indirect vote; so if a candidate failed by the directly vote, he/she can appear in the parlament again, being on the parties list (~50/50)

. This issue makes it more complicate to ban them, some are like dog shit at the shoes (also not easy to get it off).

I followed that issues in GB and have to say: similar issues in here (last: birthday party for the manager of the Deutsche Bank in the office of the federal chancelor). What doesn't makes it better (those issues)!

**scoundrel** · October 16th, 2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knobby109

The activities of some MPs are being investigated by the Inland Revenue and police so it's not over yet.
What bothers me though is when they say "I wasn't breaking any rules" when anybody who could distinguish right from wrong could see their activities as dishonest.To claim to Parliament that a particular property is your main residence at the same time as you tell the Revenue that it's a second home (so you can claim expenses on one and avoid tax on the other) is devious and corrupt.

I would take the case further than that. If you designate your main home in order to claim big bucks in expenses from the taxpayer to improve your second home, then sell that second home and tell the Inland Revenue that it was your main home, in order to be exempt from Capital Gains Tax, then you made a knowing and deliberate mis-declaration on one end of the deal and IMHO that's a fraud. QED. You robbed the taxpayer at both ends. The flashing blue lights should flash and you should have new silver bracelets to wear.

**knobby109** · October 16th, 2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoundrel

I would take the case further than that. If you designate your main home in order to claim big bucks in expenses from the taxpayer to improve your second home, then sell that second home and tell the Inland Revenue that it was your main home, in order to be exempt from Capital Gains Tax, then you made a knowing and deliberate mis-declaration on one end of the deal and IMHO that's a fraud. QED. You robbed the taxpayer at both ends. The flashing blue lights should flash and you should have new silver bracelets to wear.

It IS fraud, pure and simple and some MPs may well end up in court.

October 15th, 2009, 08:45 PM	#1
1952224 Vintage Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: hartlepool u.k. Posts: 804 Thanks: 5,356 Thanked 11,334 Times in 794 Posts	MPs expenses is there one law for the ordinary folks and a different one for the so called mother of parliaments.i,ve been following this story since we read about the former home secratarys choice of residence was highlighted.the information had to be prised out of her saying ihave acted within the rules later found to be untrue .she claimed £116000 let off ,no sanction.apparently she is likely to be given apeerage ,more expenses.

October 15th, 2009, 09:04 PM	#2
billybunter R.I.P. Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Gone But Not Forgotten Posts: 14,404 Thanks: 51,687 Thanked 252,374 Times in 14,171 Posts	Unfortunately elected representatives are not held to account like us ordinary folk. And that applies to many countries. What makes me sick is someone who is on the dole (unemployed) does an hours work and gets dragged through the courts. And some TD/MP/MEP claims a fortune for painting their dining room and weeding their garden.

October 15th, 2009, 09:41 PM	#3
haldane4 Vintage Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: 1977 Posts: 598 Thanks: 3,187 Thanked 7,055 Times in 592 Posts	They're a bunch of corrupt self-serving corporate-loving bastards. The USA and the UK escaped the worst of the 20th century - they weren't ravaged by war and revolution like much of Europe and Africa and Asia. But, the way things are going, they'll get theirs in the 21st century. This kind of inequality is not sustainable in the long-run, and 5% of the population lording it over the rest of us with 95% of the wealth is the best reason for revolution I can think of. I predict a great future for lamp-posts. Invest now, and buy a rope.

October 15th, 2009, 10:50 PM	#4
1952224 Vintage Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: hartlepool u.k. Posts: 804 Thanks: 5,356 Thanked 11,334 Times in 794 Posts	exactly.why not have a system like austrailia where you have to vote.listening to the three party conference speeches they tell you what you want to hear but if they get in nothing changes . referendum on europe? no chance.cameron telling his party to comply and pay up is just a excuse to clear out all those trouble makers he knows do not agree with him blairs reciepts mysteriously got shredded very convinent he has now made millions offthe backs of dead and maimed soldiers what next lord and lady blair.your right we let them get away with it.they say no one is above the law bollocks

October 16th, 2009, 05:17 AM	#5
knobby109 Vintage Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,736 Thanks: 144 Thanked 14,338 Times in 1,702 Posts	The activities of some MPs are being investigated by the Inland Revenue and police so it's not over yet. What bothers me though is when they say "I wasn't breaking any rules" when anybody who could distinguish right from wrong could see their activities as dishonest.To claim to Parliament that a particular property is your main residence at the same time as you tell the Revenue that it's a second home (so you can claim expenses on one and avoid tax on the other) is devious and corrupt.

October 16th, 2009, 06:09 AM	#6
jawbone Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: UK Posts: 251 Thanks: 18,515 Thanked 2,943 Times in 246 Posts	If you think MPs are bad you should look at the media. Journalists expense claims make public officials look like kids in comparison. Lets now see the Daily Telegraph investigate the BBC journalists, who after all are paid for by taxpayers money, but don 't hold your breath because they know that if they open that can of worms they would get caught up in it as well.

October 16th, 2009, 07:52 AM	#7
MrKinkade Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 211 Thanks: 467 Thanked 1,452 Times in 205 Posts	This is a global trend 'bent politicians' there's been a big sea change in what is deemed morals ? It's basically everybody out for what they can get ! Life in the 21'st century get used to it cause it aint going to change sometime soon.