ALL Conservatives and Lib Dems to vote against FoI - Expenses

[Solidec]

Apparently it is not for secrecy that Brown and Harman want to keep the claims secret, but because publishing it would be costly.

They're really trying to save us money, see?

hehe, irrespective of the fact that most iof the work has been done and they have already spent hundreds of thousands of pounds. They wont be saving money, they will have wasted half a million!

[Doggy Styles]

Apparently it is not for secrecy that Brown and Harman want to keep the claims secret, but because publishing it would be costly.

They're really trying to save us money, see?

If that's true then fair enough. As I say, I'm not overly bothered as long as someone is keeping an independent eye on them. I don't agree with the likes of that tory (Conway?) who took the p1ss by paying a big salary to his son for doing nothing.

[TykeMerc]

Apparently it is not for secrecy that Brown and Harman want to keep the claims secret, but because publishing it would be costly.

They're really trying to save us money, see?

Of course we all know that every politician would never so much as bend the truth let alone tell an outright lie!!!!!

On the other hand the cynical bastards amongst us might think that the Government are quite content to cover up the fact that MP's are a bunch of corrupt twats who happily feed from the trough of taxpayers money and can expense things that would see their electrorate jailed for tax evasion if we had the audacity to try to claim.

I don't want an independant oversight behind closed doors I want all MP's expenses to be in line with those allowed to taxpayers and open to public scrutiny and accountability.
The other alternative is that they open up THEIR expense rules to the rest of us to use, I could quite happily build, furnish and equip a second home somewhere nice, tax free and at the taxpayers expense.

[ace00]

Actually it doesn't bother me. I think MPs pay should be increased, doubled in fact. And access to employment in the political system opened up, bring the free market in, a bit at least.

[thelace]

Didn't the thread posted yesterday say that there was MP's on both sides that didn't want the info released.

Cat in hells change of them ever letting us know their perks on the gravy train.

[Cyberman]

Pigs and snouts in troughs springs to mind. Is it any wonder that a government that have wasted so much money do not want public accountability. Their philosophy is either to keep things quiet or if that does not work, just lie about it.

When the Tories get into power, I want to see a full audit of the country's debts including national debt, PFI, current account and bank bailouts, and to see the Tories publish it to the masses, and then to explain why taxes will no doubt have to rise in the short-term alongside public sector cuts.

[expat]

Didn't the thread posted yesterday say that there was MP's on both sides that didn't want the info released.

Yes, indeed. But the Opposition have cottoned on that they can safely oppose it and let Labour take the flak. Just don't tell Cyberman, he thinks the Tories are squeaky clean on this.

[Mich the Tester]

Looks like Gordon's bottled it;

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5559704.ece

[expat]

Looks like Gordon's bottled it;

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5559704.ece

The guy seems unable to realise in advance how his actions will be seen in the country. he starts off with a blithe confidence that whatever he does will be OK. Then his advisers prevail so he changes his mind.

Characteristic of the tail-end of an administration (except in strong characters like Thatcher, where the bit about listening to advisers doesn't happen).

[TykeMerc]

Looks like Gordon's bottled it;

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5559704.ece

[Burns] Excellent!!! [/Burns]