So BAD, I just dont know what to say!

Carolly · Post by **Carolly** » Thu May 14, 2009 12:41 pm

Clodhopper;1188706 wrote: There's no doubt that £65k is a good wage, but many if not most would be able to earn at least twice that in business. I'd rather pay them £120k and no expenses, but the tabloids would see a chance for a good old rant to sell a few more of their rags, so no Parliament would risk it. Result - the current unsatisfactory system.And many have their fingers in other pies also remember and also many do it for the pure power.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu May 14, 2009 12:43 pm

Carolly;1188805 wrote: And many have their fingers in other pies . Would that be eel pie in Bethnal Green? :sneaky:

kazalala · Post by **kazalala** » Thu May 14, 2009 12:47 pm

Clodhopper;1188706 wrote: There's no doubt that £65k is a good wage, but many if not most would be able to earn at least twice that in business. I'd rather pay them £120k and no expenses, but the tabloids would see a chance for a good old rant to sell a few more of their rags, so no Parliament would risk it. Result - the current unsatisfactory system.

some of them do earn twice that

and some of them earn a lot more through their property businesses:sneaky:

Carolly · Post by **Carolly** » Thu May 14, 2009 12:47 pm

oscar;1188807 wrote: Would that be eel pie in Bethnal Green? :sneaky:Alot of dosh in jellied eels and pie mash.....prices they charge I aint surprised:-5:-5;)

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu May 14, 2009 1:17 pm

Carolly;1188809 wrote: Alot of dosh in jellied eels and pie mash.....prices they charge I aint surprised:-5:-5;) I have no idea and never will :wah: I only know what scallops, lobster and oysters cost :p:p:p Oh and crab :p

OpenMind · Post by **OpenMind** » Thu May 14, 2009 1:42 pm

What concerns me is the amount of publicity being given to the expenditure claims of the MPs. I have a feeling that it is being used to overshadow something else; to draw our attention away from something perhaps more important than this ongoing scandal.

We’ve known for a very long time that MPs are generally corrupt, power seeking individuals who live off the backs of our earnings and who couldn’t do a day’s work if their lives depended on it (they’d soon talk there way out of it). It is our taxes that pay our MPs. All three main parties have been shot down in this expenses scandal. Yet, it’s nothing new except that now it’s been made available for the public to see. The calls to repay the false claims for the last 4 years is just as much a farce.

So, what’s being said here? Is it that both Government and Parliament is a corrupt body? We all know that the system is corrupt and that we are, ultimately, just slaves to a system that calls itself a democracy. We have known that for a long time. Can anyone see the Statutorial Instruments in the reference section of your public libraries these days?

I think this expenses scandal farce is a cover for something else and we are being led along by the noses pinched tightly shut so we can’t smell the real crap that’s being laid. Maybe it has got something to do with the European Union. We’ll see.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Thu May 14, 2009 2:01 pm

OpenMind;1188850 wrote: What concerns me is the amount of publicity being given to the expenditure claims of the MPs. I have a feeling that it is being used to overshadow something else; to draw our attention away from something perhaps more important than this ongoing scandal.

We’ve known for a very long time that MPs are generally corrupt, power seeking individuals who live off the backs of our earnings and who couldn’t do a day’s work if their lives depended on it (they’d soon talk there way out of it). It is our taxes that pay our MPs. All three main parties have been shot down in this expenses scandal. Yet, it’s nothing new except that now it’s been made available for the public to see. The calls to repay the false claims for the last 4 years is just as much a farce.

So, what’s being said here? Is it that both Government and Parliament is a corrupt body? We all know that the system is corrupt and that we are, ultimately, just slaves to a system that calls itself a democracy. We have known that for a long time. Can anyone see the Statutorial Instruments in the reference section of your public libraries these days?

I think this expenses scandal farce is a cover for something else and we are being led along by the noses pinched tightly shut so we can’t smell the real crap that’s being laid. Maybe it has got something to do with the European Union. We’ll see.

Sorry mate. I can see your lips move but I cant hear what your saying. :-3

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Thu May 14, 2009 10:47 pm

I have have been away from the threads for a while, and I've not watched a lot of TV about Britain lately, this expenses claim thing seems to have gotten people up in arms alright. What I love about it is the idiosyncratic things that British MPs have been claiming expenses on from Moat rennovation to Kit Kats, a very British Scandal. :wah:

It does also somewhat take the wind out of those parliamentary EU-hating blowhards who continually bang on about "The Brussels Gravy Train" while making sure they get their hands on all that lovely British tax payer lolly courtesy of the byzantine rules of Parliament in Westminster. Pot-Kettle? No? In any case Parliament as an institution is actually totally soveriegn over you lot, so they might all collectively decide to suspend democracy, bring the army back from wherever its been out taking on johnny foreigner, shoot the royal family, declare martial law, and sell you all into slavery to the French to cover their tennis expenses. :rolleyes:

In any case, I don't know what else to make of it, we have our own problems over here in rainy old Ireland, and Britain certainly isn't alone in having venal politicians. For all its faults, I would say that although the British Parliament is a strange and bizarre institution, but it has endured for centuries, has been a great civilizational force, and under its watch Britain gained and lost the world's largest Sea empire and changed the modern world, so whatever happens try to not throw the baby out with the bathwater. I certainly wouldn't be handing out medals though spot, the current Parliament has not covered itself with glory.

There does seem to be a fin de siecle air about at the moment as the days of wine and roses of the last 20 years fall apart, and the hangover kicks in taking down a lot of cozy notions with it, interesting times, interesting times.

Post by **spot** » Sun May 17, 2009 7:31 am

Clive James comes down on my side, I think.In the bad old days, MPs from out of town crashed in a cheap hotel or festered in bedsits. Only an unreconstructed Maoist radical would say that they should go back to that. The belief that a politician must live like a student is one that only a student would hold.

[...] Some of the reporters currently pounding out stories about MPs avoiding thousands in tax are working for proprietors who avoid millions.

[...] it isn't corruption, it's just working the system. And the answer to it is to fix the system, by improving the regulations.

BBC NEWS | Magazine | A little feeling of entitlement

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Sun May 17, 2009 8:04 am

I work away from home often. I earn considerably less than the average MP. Cheap hotels are fine. When I work in London I have to find the money myself for the travel card to do my job. Theres no system that allows for me to claim for a second home, pay my mortgage, bills or flat screen television. I have to clean my own moat. If a public servant manipulates a bad system by, in effect using tax payers money, it says a lot for that individual and I have no sympathy whatsoever for those that get caught. Stop blaming the system. It was abused and that shows a measure, at least of apathy towards the electorate and at worst a great deal of greed.

The clamour to grovel and appologise shows the amount of shame and embarrasment these people feel.

Michael martin has done his level best for a year - and used tax payers money to form legal battles to do so - to keep all manner of expanses hidden from the public gaze and then publically rallied against members that happened to be honest. I dont care that the system, legally allowed him to claim for a second home while living free of charge in a grace and favour flat. The fact he thinks that that is acceptable, shows he should not be doing the job he does. He is a disgrace along with those that manipulated money from our pocket

kazalala · Post by **kazalala** » Sun May 17, 2009 8:21 am

Snowfire;1190182 wrote: I work away from home often. I earn considerably less than the average MP. Cheap hotels are fine. When I work in London I have to find the money myself for the travel card to do my job. Theres no system that allows for me to claim for a second home, pay my mortgage, bills or flat screen television. I have to clean my own moat. If a public servant manipulates a bad system by, in effect using tax payers money, it says a lot for that individual and I have no sympathy whatsoever for those that get caught. Stop blaming the system. It was abused and that shows a measure, at least of apathy towards the electorate and at worst a great deal of greed.

The clamour to grovel and appologise shows the amount of shame and embarrasment these people feel.

Michael martin has done his level best for a year - and used tax payers money to form legal battles to do so - to keep all manner of expanses hidden from the public gaze and then publically rallied against members that happened to be honest. I dont care that the system, legally allowed him to claim for a second home while living free of charge in a grace and favour flat. The fact he thinks that that is acceptable, shows he should not be doing the job he does. He is a disgrace along with those that manipulated money from our pocket

i agree,,, and im sick of people saying the wages athey get are not that good! its a simple case of once again theres no where else exists except London and south of it..go up North and see what people manage to live on there:rolleyes: some of these mp's are married,, both of them earning a salary of 65 grand:rolleyes: both of them claiming for the same thing ,, one said £400 a month is not unreasonable for food in London,,, no its not, so pay for it out of your wages like everyone else has to:-5they are just plain greedy, arrogant and corrupt,, and out of touch with real life if you ask me:mad:

Maybe in these hard times of unemployment the government will pay travel expeses to people willing to travel a long way for work,, maybe they could buy them a second home too ,,or pay for their living expenses 5 out of 7 days :rolleyes: after all it wasnt that long ago they were telling the people of Sunderland that it was dead and they wouldnt be trying to revive it so why dont you all just go to London and get jobs:rolleyes:

Post by **spot** » Sun May 17, 2009 8:28 am

Perhaps I should stand.

kazalala · Post by **kazalala** » Fri May 22, 2009 7:16 am

The arrogance and total seperation from reality astounds me:-3

A TORY'S EXTRAORDINARY OUTBURST - mirror.co.uk

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri May 22, 2009 7:59 am

spot;1190188 wrote: Perhaps I should stand.
Yes, you should

OpenMind · Post by **OpenMind** » Fri May 22, 2009 10:28 am

This is corruption at the highest level and those individuals think it's their right? It's about time MPs were made to earn their income. They should be paid on the basis of their performance. Expenses should be relevant to campaigns approved by the public.

Neither should anyone become a PM unless elected in a national vote by the electorate.

Victoria · Post by **Victoria** » Fri May 22, 2009 10:36 am

I just heard someone on the news bleating about how the press should stop hounding the MP's because one might kill themself.

Give me a break.

400 pounds for eating out each month?. my 63yr old mother who is a diabetic gets an extra 3 pounds a week to pay for her special dietary needs

If I claimed expenses I wasn't entitled to not only would I be sacked in a heartbeat but proberbly also arrested for stealing/ fraude and the the tax man would have a field day with me. After all of that I doubt I would ever get another job. Because I would be classed as a criminal...

So what are they the men and women who sit at the Houses of Parliament?????

OpenMind · Post by **OpenMind** » Fri May 22, 2009 12:00 pm

Victoria;1192755 wrote: I just heard someone on the news bleating about how the press should stop hounding the MP's because one might kill themself.

Give me a break.

400 pounds for eating out each month?. my 63yr old mother who is a diabetic gets an extra 3 pounds a week to pay for her special dietary needs

If I claimed expenses I wasn't entitled to not only would I be sacked in a heartbeat but proberbly also arrested for stealing/ fraude and the the tax man would have a field day with me. After all of that I doubt I would ever get another job. Because I would be classed as a criminal...

So what are they the men and women who sit at the Houses of Parliament?????

They are hogspawn.

They don't and can't do a day's graft. The only thing they can do is talk a donkey's hindleg straight.

They get us to elect them but they never listen to our demands unless it serves their political careers. Then they tell us how we should live and what we can and can't do.

OpenMind · Post by **OpenMind** » Sat May 23, 2009 2:01 am

And it just goes on and on. Their self-serving belligerence and their contempt for the electorate is old school.

MPs' expenses: Why should MPs retain risk-free pensions while the rest of us face an uncertain future? - Telegraph