bil

Well, one of the great and good has gone down over the MPs expense fiddling. I don't doubt that a couple more will be thrown to the wolves in the hope that once they have had a bit of fresh meat, the public will forget just how widespread the whole disgusting business was.

Those of us tempted to call it a day should remember this.

Both Brown and Cameron paid back money that they knew damn well they shouldn't have taken. So tell me, if even the leaders of the two main parties had their nasty, greasy little paws in the till, what does that make the houses of parliment if not a veritable thieves kitchen?

Dick Dasterdly

That's it,get it off your chest bil,..I bet you feel much better.

Whilst I basically agree with you, it must be said that the system has improved considerably with the transparency of MPs expenses, which anyone can check up on at anytime on the net.

As for permanently putting an end to bribery and corruption, we all know that will never happen, and there will always be some conniving barstewards who have figured out a way of fiddling the system.

What p!sses me off much more is the Brussels MEPs gravy train, which is much worse.
There was a Dispatches programme about it a couple of weeks ago,...shocking.

Guess who were the EUs top fiddlers.

steviedeluxe

Wasn't UKIP was it? Nigel Farage used to boast of taking £2 million in expenses

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...p-nigel-farage

If the "anti-Europe" party are taking the michael to this extent, we can only guess at what the rest are up to. No, scrub that, I don't want to know...

bil

Not really. If you fiddle your taxes by a single quid, the least you will get is to have to pay it back double. I just want to see everyone equal under the law, which means pay back double.

Why should that be so? Why should we be penalised and not them?

bil

Yeah, that's why I try to watch as little news as possible. It ain't good for my blood pressure.

agoreira

I agree, and it'll be hard to stop absolutely everything, but I believe that for the vast majority that were caught, their crime is pretty small stuff. Doesn't make it right, fiddling is fiddling, but the I'm sure the MP's from other countries must be laughing their heads off reading about our MP's, an 88p bath plug, a blue movie, a kitchen sink etc. Compared with the likes of the corruption in Marbella, our boys are mere novices! I see the latest stink here is about MP's claiming for accommodation whilst renting out their own properties. Still nice to see Chaytor brought to book.

bil

Just as a policeman who steals is worse than a common criminal, so is an MP who fiddles.

Plus they are then hypocrites when they criticise people for fiddling benefits.

steviedeluxe

I'm sure it's "small stuff" compared to other countries, but it's a bit misleading to talk about 88p bath plugs, when £116,000 of claims have been rejected I know you hate to see anything negative about the UK, and despite the coldest ever start to winter apparently it's not gloves and scarf weather in your world!

At least they've prosecuted this guy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...ty-mp-expenses

As for Marbella - I remember a certain Gil y Gil. I wonder if that place will ever be above board..

bil

Oh yeah, plus any claim for less than 25 quid didn't need a receipt.....

If I make a claim against tax, I need a receipt or I don't get it.

Thieving bastards.

HBG

I think we need to be careful in how angry we get over what is perceived as unacceptable corruption. That silly MP went over the top and got found out and will undoubtedly be sent to prison for a short time.

But in comparison to the real amount of corruption going on all around all of us, it’s just a tiny drop in the ocean. I read some daft story about that daft Prince Andrew earlier today where his aide described how he would return from the Middle East in his role as trade ambassador laden down with personal gifts from the Arabs.

Maggie Thatcher’s son got paid millions by the Arabs over some trade deals on behalf of his mother.

Are the Arabs guilty of corruption? Not under their laws.

What about the Norfolk copper copping a free Christmas turkey from Bernard Mathews for directing the traffic outside his turkey factory to allow all those container lorries get out of the driveway?

My former accountant used to tell me exactly how much money I should pay into each bank account and I always gave him an envelope at Christmas.

Guilty? Well, that depends . . .

bil

Well, the simple answer is that common sense is required. If the amount given to your accountant was less than 3K it was allowable as a gift.

There is a huge difference between a free turkey (especially since the copper wasn't doing anything he wouldn't have had to do anyway) and someone who is standing there saying that taking state money you are not entitled to is theft while he is robbing the state himself.

steviedeluxe

All too true... karma given

bil

But, how many of those people were standing up in a position of trust saying that a false claim for benefits makes you a thief?

Bribes in an arab state where it's effectively a comission are a different kettle of fish.

agoreira

What are saying, I'm lying? Haven't you the balls to come straight out with it?
I'm telling you the weather where I am, and I am hundreds of miles from where you are. Looking at the 10 day look ahead for us, the average temp predicted is 7 or 8 degrees, mostly sunny or partly cloudy, but if I listen to the news, they are predicting another week of freezing weather elsewhere. My sister lives in Plymouth and I see they have the same weather prediction as us, not everyone is getting your weather. Anyway, it's drizzling here now, and waiting for my son to arrive, so today I won't be going out.

agoreira

That's a bit like a figure I saw quoted once for things like pens, paper clips etc that go missing from offices, it was enormous. But I bet people that have taken the odd pen would describe themselves as honest people. I know I would, most people do it, but it's stealing at the end of the day. When I'm asked how much I'd like a petrol receipt made out for, it's obvious many are fiddling their expenses, there must be few people that could claim to have never even taken anything at all from work or erred on their side with expenses. But I expect everyone here is an Honest John!