Reply to: MP's expenses

[voodooflux]

Interesting (yes, it's another slow day at ClientCo) snippet on the Guardian data blog today showing a Google Maps mashup of MP's travel expenses by distance: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datab...houseofcommons

The full map is here.

[EternalOptimist]

Zero. Apart form anything else, it would almost certainly contravene Human Rights legislation.

Also whilst McNulty is twisting git, he hasn't done anything illegal (except in the court of you know where!).

What is the Italian legislation you're talking about?

this is one of them. I was a bit suprised to find a fair few examples

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7474474.stm

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Anyone remember Berlusconi (sp?) bringing in legislation to make something he had done legal ?

what are the chances that this lot will bring in some retrospective legislation at some point to make some of their dodgy dealings leal ?

Zero. Apart form anything else, it would almost certainly contravene Human Rights legislation.

Also whilst McNulty is twisting git, he hasn't done anything illegal (except in the court of you know where!).

What is the Italian legislation you're talking about?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I don't think the sleaze matters. In comparison with the lie about the "weapons of mass destruction", a few millions being stolen off the taxpayer to line their pockets are not important. Especially compared to their incompetence and mismanagement, anyway.

Thousands of civilians have been killed.

Scores of people have been tortured.

How about we pay all these cabinet ministers and ex-cabinet ministers £10,000,000 tax-free to leave office. (It's cheaper than baling out the banks.)

But on condition they stand trial for the consequences of their lies.

I bet they wouldn't take the money.

Most Tories voted for the war with Iraq. My (Labour) MP at the time voted against. We would've had the war if the Tories had been in power. I was against it then and I still am.

[EternalOptimist]

Anyone remember Berlusconi (sp?) bringing in legislation to make something he had done legal ?

what are the chances that this lot will bring in some retrospective legislation at some point to make some of their dodgy dealings leal ?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Here's what I don't get: if a contractor claimed the sort of expenses these MPs are claiming for working out of town, they'd have HMRC coming down on them for tax like a ton of bricks.

I know there's the usual 'one rule for them' sigh-and-tut response - but really - why don't HMRC give a damn?

Totally agree -it's ridiculous.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Name them. All of them should be answerable to the public that pay their salaries and expenses and if they are proven to be morally bankrupt such as McNulty and Jackie Smith, they should resign. It does appear though that Labour are the real hypocrites having preached ' whiter than white'.

Sir Nicholas and Ann Winterton

Conservative-MPs-Sir-Nicholas-and-Ann-Winterton-broke-Commons-expenses-rules


Derek Conway

BTW I agree Smith and McNulty are scum and should go - unlike you I don't think the Tories would be much better - based on their past record.

[BrowneIssue]

I don't think the sleaze matters. In comparison with the lie about the "weapons of mass destruction", a few millions being stolen off the taxpayer to line their pockets are not important. Especially compared to their incompetence and mismanagement, anyway.

Thousands of civilians have been killed.

Scores of people have been tortured.

How about we pay all these cabinet ministers and ex-cabinet ministers £10,000,000 tax-free to leave office. (It's cheaper than baling out the banks.)

But on condition they stand trial for the consequences of their lies.

I bet they wouldn't take the money.

[Green Mango]

Hamilton

Not sure what that means - he took cash for questions and paid the price although not admitting his guilt.

BLAIR - manipulated data to get us into a war in Iraq,
- took money a million off Ecclestone in return for allowing
tobacco to be reprieved for a few years
- took money off private equity managers - tax law changed in their
favour
- took free holidays all round the words
etc etc etc

Labour incompetence, corruption and sleaze beggars belief ...

[Slumdog]

completely agree with cybersquatter.

First home 8 miles from work place and second one 11 miles, not exactly a huge difference really

[cybersquatter]

I've claimed expenses in permie job that have been more than many MPs.

It wasn't a perk. I was just claiming expenses.

So if I had to work in a different location I stayed in a hotel and claimed it back. It was just something you do to get your business done. Spending 20k on hotels a year isn't that uncommon for people who work away a lot.

Nobody becomes an MP for the money.

It is all a piece of nonsense.

So have I. But claiming legitimate expenses for hotels is completely different to kitting out a second home 11 miles away with taxpayers' money.

Could you have claimed a £200-a-night per diem? Could you have claimed for a fridge and a plasma TV? I doubt it. But if you were an MP, until recently you could.

[DieScum]

I've claimed expenses in permie job that have been more than many MPs.

It wasn't a perk. I was just claiming expenses.

So if I had to work in a different location I stayed in a hotel and claimed it back. It was just something you do to get your business done. Spending 20k on hotels a year isn't that uncommon for people who work away a lot.

Nobody becomes an MP for the money.

It is all a piece of nonsense.

[cybersquatter]

Here's what I don't get: if a contractor claimed the sort of expenses these MPs are claiming for working out of town, they'd have HMRC coming down on them for tax like a ton of bricks.

I know there's the usual 'one rule for them' sigh-and-tut response - but really - why don't HMRC give a damn?

[minestrone]

Name them. All of them should be answerable to the public that pay their salaries and expenses and if they are proven to be morally bankrupt such as McNulty and Jackie Smith, they should resign. It does appear though that Labour are the real hypocrites having preached ' whiter than white'.

Hamilton

[Cyberman]

What about all the Tories "trousering" the large sums - are they not hypocrites because we all expect them to be sleazy?

Name them. All of them should be answerable to the public that pay their salaries and expenses and if they are proven to be morally bankrupt such as McNulty and Jackie Smith, they should resign. It does appear though that Labour are the real hypocrites having preached ' whiter than white'.