CBANDY

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2009/05...6908-21363689/

Anyone else think that this could get ugly?

jmh

I think it already has. Why do MP's need to have their food paid for by the tax payer?

dunroving

I think some of them should get fired, or worse.

Others are simply getting caught up in this media firestorm of indignation. The papers are listing some items in outrage, that I think are perfectly reasonable - if I had to keep a second residence because of my job, I don't see why garden maintenance for that residence, for example, should come out of my pocket.

the troubadour

Why indeed.A bit of Anarchy in the UK may well be what is needed even if it is 33 years late in coming.

cricket1again

Where's the issue? He has already been fired. For being caught albeit but it's not just politicians stealing from the coffers. Councillors, the police, anyone belonging to the Mason's, they've all done it for centuries.
It's only when they get caught that it becomes an issue. I remember years ago having to receive a bus load of councillors who had arrived to see if our youth group centre was worth funding.
There was a bar on the bus so they all turned up drunk to a 3 course lunch and afternoon drinkies. All paid for of course.

Londonuck

As much as it annoys me what they've been up to, believe me it does, i still think its a bit rich when so many take the mick with their expenses, not swimming pools and moats obviously more booze and slap up lunches. Having worked on Fleet St in the 80's & 90's the worst piss takers of the lot were the journalists.

jmh

I work in the public sector and I heard last week that there is going to be another cut in budgets. We are on the front line and this will mean services to the public will be cut. I understand the need to save the taxpayers' money, but to see it spent in turn on a set of bookshelves in some retiring MP's home, is hard to stomach.

CBANDY

I know where you are comming from. I worked for the comunity education department in the 90´s. Budget cuts galore and I remember a local councilor paying 12,000 pounds for a conference table for his office And BRAGGING about it.

cricket1again

Yes but what does it take for the Brits to find the balls to get out there and protest? Instead they pack their bags and leave for another country where there is no Domestic Bill of Rights then they are really stuffed.

I do hope the UK public fight back but in their fight they especially know who they are up against. It's not just the politicians but anyone who steals from the system. That goes for anyone with the idealised perception of being entitled to something for nothing. Isn't one of the reasons Brits complain about the UK because of Chav Britain?

jmh

I suspect the spotlight will fall on senior civil servants next. I think this story will run and run.

Fleaflyfloflum

As you can imagine, this issue is getting near enough blanket coverage in the media right now.
Of course i am disgusted with some of the MPs and i truly hope the ones who have taken the p*ss get arrested, but what keeps puzzling me is WHY aren't the people who sanctioned these payments being outed?? I was listening to one MP on TV this morning (he is one of the few that have not abused the system) stated that he had purchased a second home in London and it needed repairs. It is allowed to claim for repairs. He also wanted to improve it to his own tastes and said he made sure that he only claimed for the basic repairs. When he put the claim in someone from the department that sanctions handing out the money, phoned him up and told him he could get away with claiming for the lot if he so wished

cricket1again

So what's the difference between a politician claiming for everything and a dole seeking layabout claiming for everything? Isn't there a fair rule for all? If we're all paying taxes, we 're paying for someone to get life the easy route while we work?
I honestly believe this current recession is like no other. I think it's so bad that we will ALL have to pay for what we want in the end beit a free new wallpaper scheme for the second home, a health insurance to cover chemo and a layby scheme to cover a new buggy for the next infant born to a single mother.
All these revelations about creaming off the profits aren't new, there's just no money to cover up for them.

Fleaflyfloflum

I think some of them will be running scared now. It seems Scotland Yard are investigating.

http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/article.as...=MSNToolbar100

cricket1again

There again it's a fairly humble offence compared to similar offences going on in the world
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/ar...president.html

dunroving

Alan Duncan was on I've Got News for You a couple of weeks back, laughing and joking about what a wonderful system it was (the housing allowance). A week later he is being named as one of the MPs having to pay back, and then appears on telly very seriously saying how this situation all needs to be cleared up and we need a system that doesn't allow for taking advantage ... of course, all this was played on IGNFY last night ... very funny. There are some real pillocks in politics but it's a shame ... like lawyers, bankers, etc., I assume most are doing a good job and being honest - it's just the few dingbats that give them all a bad name.

Personally, I try not to get too indignant over all this hoo-hah. Life is too short to spend it all wound up - though the British media seem to want to whip us all into that state constantly ... and a lot of people take the bait every time they read the news.