MP allowances

[Jan01]

Walking would be better they could then walk of the large on expenses lunch.
Jan

[kallis3]

Mixing with the plebs on the underground!!!! I can see them recoiling in horror at that suggestion!

Give David Cameron his due - he does cycle sometimes!

[moretolife]

Whilst I agree that MPs should be held accountable for what is obviously wrong in the system with expenses etc...

Our MP has just resigned as an aide re exposure of expenses fraud....he has been MP for our county for decades and whilst I in no away can accept what he has done ...he has been a fantastic contituency MP and there are many people living here who can and will stand up for him....
He has arranged an open audience with his constituents this Friday evening and he is willing to answer all questions in a public forum....

I am reminded all too much of"let he who has no sin throw the first stone"....okay I may not have fraudulently claimed expenses but I have in my own way done a fair bit wrong...our pastor at church this morning asked us to pray for the MP and said this
"if all we had done wrong or our hidden secrets were suddenly exposed in a national paper etc..how would we feel and what would we want people to say about us."

Please note I am not defending him or anyone else in government as I do believe that being given much responsibility means we should be even more careful...but I still want to have mercy where I can.

[Skippy]

I certainly wouldn't have prayed for him! Surely he must have known that what he was doing was immoral if nothing else?

I also don't see how anyone can have a problem with this being exposed in a newspaper - we are their employers and have a right to know how they are defrauding us and using our money to feather their own nests.

MTL, am I right in thinking that your MP is the one who is married and they both claimed a second home allowance? If so as far as I'm concerned it's fraud plain and simple and I hope the police and HMRC treat the MPs the same way they would you or I. I hope his constituents make him squirm!

[freelili]

I would actually agree with this, as much as I wouldnt ever want to publically flog anyone for making a mistake and we all make them, thats why we are here I guess. Knowingly committing fraud is illegal, they are given a priviledged position of trust, they should respect that. W
hatever any of our professions are, we know the rules and should respect the trust of the people who put their trust in us.

While the rest of us struggle on they are stealing good honest tax payers money, we should not ever respect this. If a teacher abuses a child or a preist for that matter, they deserve to be judged.

[freelili]

There are people going hungry and going without a lot in this country (ie Cancer drugs). How can that be justified? Noone needs two houses, most of us have to travel to our work. Noone needs 3 Jags either.

[kallis3]

I wouldn't have prayed either - I don't see how anyone can justify claiming for tv's etc for their houses. We have to buy our own!

I also think that those who have made false claims for mortgages etc that have been paid off should be held accountable in law.

If it was me then I'd soon be hauled up in the courts and punished for it!

[plasticdaft]

Just what do Mp's spend their actual weekly wage on given that they appear to be able to claim for evertything??
And to think they sit there taking the complete p**s by telling us not to expect wage rises for the good of the nation and they claim a taxi fare to take the wife shopping!!!

Fraud,end of story. And anyone of them who offers to pay back what they stole should be publicly flogged.

[kallis3]

They spend it on exotic holidays probably!

They should certainly be made to pay for this both by paying the money back, and by being taken to court.

[Julie]

..and lose their jobs!

[kallis3]

Most definitely!

They won't be able to sit in parliament if they are (hopefully!) languishing in prison!

[sparklywatcher]

I read in the paper one mp claimed 95p for a small packet of iced gems, they would be the ones you buy in Iceland for £1 for a pack of 6... different world they live in..

[kallis3]

Ridiculous! Wouldn't mind if they had a poor salary, but they don't.

[sparklywatcher]

thats what I thought they earn their nice salary and then refuse to spend any of it and claim everything through expenses...

[freelili]

They shouldnt be put in prison Jan, thats another free life they will get at the expense of tax payers. Let them beg on the streets for a cup of tea, then they will miss priviledges they abused.