MPs expenses - we're being manipulated into hysteria.

[Cyberman]

I don't see it as hysteria, but an excuse to finally get the corrupt buggers who've been unashamedly screwing the country for decades.
Expenses are only the tip of the iceberg in their personal nest feathering exercises and all MPs of all colours are at it. They've also settled into a very cosy complacency where they felt themselves totally untouchable (attempting to exempt themselves from FOI legislation, smoking ban doesn't apply in parts of the Palace of Westminster, bars open 24/7 waaaay before the public had that) once elected for 5 years.

I'm thoroughly glad that all parties have been slammed by this scandal as it's finally forced them to accept that they are almost universally despised. One can only hope that reforms of our archaic and corrupt system come about as a result.

... and in 2002 Brown also changed the law to exempt MP expenses and allowances from tax while seeking to close all loopholes for the rest of us. He's a total hypocrite !!

[ASB]

... and in 2002 Brown also changed the law to exempt MP expenses and allowances from tax while seeking to close all loopholes for the rest of us. He's a total hypocrite !!

They still have to pass the "wholly, necessarily and exclusively" rules though. The problem I think is that the legislation in the Act effectively seems to state that their allowability is ONLY policed by the Fees Office.

A cynic might feel this legislation was specifically intended to legalise theft from the public finances.

[DodgyAgent]

While it is clear some of them have been taking the piss, if we all calm down and look at WHY the system is as it is.

Basically no PM (including Maggie) has been brave enough to listen to the recommendations of an independent body on MPs pay. MPs are told that it is an allowance to which they are entitled, not expenses.
So much so that if an MP divorces, that allowance is added onto their base salary for the purpose of working out child support etc. So they've been treating their allowances as entitlements because that is what they are told - its a substitute for salary, to be done with as they wish.

Who is behind the Telegraph? The Barclay brothers, nuff said.
Real question is what are they trying to do?

Not trying to defend MPs here, but I'm far more concerned of manipulation by non-elected powerful interests.

Are we in danger of shooting the messenger here SAS? The Telegraph has an agenda to sell papers and possibly to destabilise the govt to get the Torys in. They have been very clever because they have been consistent accross all parties, but it is the incumbent govt that will suffer the most.

The Telegraph is my favourite paper but I am now very bored with the expenses revelations and it is time to move on.

These MPs meddle in our lives believing that they have some sort of moral and democratic right to do so. The Telegraph has reminded them that they are our servants and not the other way round.

So all those arrogant attention seeking controlling pr*cks who think that by becoming an MP makes them special, we can thank the Telegraph for reminding them that they are ordinary people with a serious job to do, and that they are indeed answerable to all sectors of the population.

[xoggoth]

The expenses thing is a trivial issue in itself, it is just the straw that etc.

People have been utterly peed off for a long time about the sad lack of democracy whereby government has totally ignored the will of the people on views held by the great majority for decades, on the destruction of our own culture by immigration, the abdication of our law making rights to the EU, the utterly pointless wars with a tongue firmly up the @rse of the US and human rights laws that put the rights of human excrement like Abu Hamza and Learco Chindamo above the safety of the UK population.

Very few MPs have the integrity to be guided by their own good judgement and conscience let alone their constituents' views. They troop through the lobbies like trained pidgeons, their only concern being their own advancement within the party.

If you compare the UK with the US, there are also far too many of the useless bastards in the Commons and the Lords, over two or three times the number as in Congress and the Senate for a national population of only one fifth.

There are honourable exceptions but most of them are self-seeking arrogant scumbags. If the population strung half of them up from lamposts it would be no loss whatever.

[threaded]

Are we in danger of shooting the messenger here SAS? The Telegraph has an agenda to sell papers and possibly to destabilise the govt to get the Torys in. They have been very clever because they have been consistent accross all parties, but it is the incumbent govt that will suffer the most.

The Telegraph is my favourite paper but I am now very bored with the expenses revelations and it is time to move on.

These MPs meddle in our lives believing that they have some sort of moral and democratic right to do so. The Telegraph has reminded them that they are our servants and not the other way round.

So all those arrogant attention seeking controlling pr*cks who think that by becoming an MP makes them special, we can thank the Telegraph for reminding them that they are ordinary people with a serious job to do, and that they are indeed answerable to all sectors of the population.

Oh, you're getting bored with the whole thing, hey?

There's more, and much worse to come...

You think the only thing let loose is the expenses?

Woot!

You should have half an inkling of what I've seen, you'd be down there with a hot pot of tar and some feathers.

[swamp]

Personally I couldn't really give a donkey's about all the MPs dipping their hands in the cookie jar, and stealing the jar, and coming back and emptying the whole pantry, and then building a duck island.

What boils my goat is the government (via HMRC) robustly fighting tax avoidance. Of course tax avoidance is legal, and yet MPs have been 'flippling' houses to avoid CGT, something that most reasonable folk would call tax evasion.

Leave us alone and we'll leave you alone. That would be my message.

[scooterscot]

While it is clear some of them have been taking the piss, if we all calm down and look at WHY the system is as it is.

Basically no PM (including Maggie) has been brave enough to listen to the recommendations of an independent body on MPs pay. MPs are told that it is an allowance to which they are entitled, not expenses.
So much so that if an MP divorces, that allowance is added onto their base salary for the purpose of working out child support etc. So they've been treating their allowances as entitlements because that is what they are told - its a substitute for salary, to be done with as they wish.

Who is behind the Telegraph? The Barclay brothers, nuff said.
Real question is what are they trying to do?

Not trying to defend MPs here, but I'm far more concerned of manipulation by non-elected powerful interests.

OK who's London pad are you staying in rent free? Own up which mp is it...

[TykeMerc]

Personally I couldn't really give a donkey's about all the MPs dipping their hands in the cookie jar, and stealing the jar, and coming back and emptying the whole pantry, and then building a duck island.

What boils my goat is the government (via HMRC) robustly fighting tax avoidance. Of course tax avoidance is legal, and yet MPs have been 'flippling' houses to avoid CGT, something that most reasonable folk would call tax evasion.

Leave us alone and we'll leave you alone. That would be my message.

I understand but I don't agree with your final point.

There has to be the rule of law (unless you're a big fan of anarchy), that rule of law has to be applied universally to all of the population. When you have a 1 rule for them and another rule for us situation then you get an awful lot of people who're damn irritated which is exactly what we have now.

The rule of law must be fair and reasonable and when it comes to tax it should raise sufficient funds for the necessary functions of Government.

[BrowneIssue]

I disagree...people are too hacked off and there is too much of a head of steam. As stupid as politicians are, they know there will be BIG riots if they don't sort this out.

I've never seen people so angry. And its about bloody time too.

Can't see it myself.

An illegal war didn't do it.

2% of the population protesting in London didn't do it.

It'll blow over in a few days.

[threaded]

Can't see it myself.

An illegal war didn't do it.

2% of the population protesting in London didn't do it.

It'll blow over in a few days.

All so true. The parasites are now doing the rounds briefing how it's all a Tory plot against the government.

Even the Tory ones.

And that isn't fair.