UK Parliment Faces Unprecedented Situation

[Boggy1 45]

A UK national newspaper, The Telegraph, has released part of the documents which detail in full Member of Parliment expenses.

For those unaware of the background behind this; over the past few months the Government has had a series of major scandals involving public money and allowances being used by high-ranking 'Front benchers' and aids to the Prime Minister for personal reasons. Every MP is able to claim expenses for things like second home and travel, which a Parliment Office approves or disproves. It means that they don't have to pay for it; the public does.
But, there has been a huge fuss over stuff like the Home Secretary claiming that her large family home in Worcestershire was her "second home", allowing her to claim £116,000 in money, while her sisters flat in London was her "main home". She also claimed expenses on two adult films and other pay-to-view movies, expenses on a £40 barbeque, and a bath plug.

The Government tried to block part of the expenses list being released under the Freedom Of Information Act, but they lost; and the expenses were due to be released in July when Parliment has been dissolved for the summer.

Now, The Telegraph has gotton hold of all of the expenses; and will be releasing them over the next few days.
So far, we've found that:
Gordon Brown, PM, claimed £6,500 for a cleaner for his brother.
Hazel Blears, Community Secretary claimed £24,000 a year because she said that three seperate homes in London were her "second home", and £5,000 on furniture.
Jack Straw, Justice Secretary, claimed full council tax; even though he is already getting a 50% discount.
Peter Mandelson, Business Secretary, claimed £2,850 on his Home; and then sold it almost immediately after for £136,000
Geoff Hoon, Transport Secretary, claimed nearly £65,000 over four years, after buying a townhouse and claiming it was his "second home."
Andy Burnham, Culture Secretary, claimed £16,500 on refurbishments, and a £19.99 bathrobe from Ikea.
John Prescott, former Deputy PM, claimed £312 for mock-Tudor beams on his Home, and several hundred on plumbing and 'fixing WC seat'.
Alistair Darling, Chancellor, claimed over £10,000 on furniture in his £226,000 London flat, and changed his second home status four times in four years, allowing him to claim thousands extra.
Shaun Woodward, Irish Secretary, claimed £100,000 for mortage repayment.
Caroline Flint, European Secretary, claimed for the costs of Hotels over a number of months.
Margaret Beckett claimed £600 on plants and flowers, and £72,000 in second home allowances.
David Miliband, Foreign Secretary, claimed £30,000 for refurbishment on his home, and £180 every week for three months on his garden.


Yikes. As if confidence in the Government couldn't get much worse.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5295537/MPs-expenses-Gordon-Brown-forced-to-defend-allowances-system.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8039977.stm


Updates: So, many many people have resigned. Including Home Secretary, one of the top Cabinet positions. There is a vote of no-confidence going around some MPs to kick out the Prime Minister. Oh dear.
 

[mcdrye 105]

The Government should be ashamed of themselves, it is disgusting that they essentially steal money from the public, whilst our public services are struggling

In my opinion it doesn't matter whether a Labour or Conservative or whatever government leads the country, they are all incompetent. It's annoying that the public in general have such short memories, eg voting in Labour in 1997 in favour of the 'incompetent' Conservative government.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: Boggy1

A UK national newspaper, The Telegraph, has released part of the documents which detail in full Member of Parliment expenses.

For those unaware of the background behind this; over the past few months the Government has had a series of major scandals involving public money and allowances being used by high-ranking 'Front benchers' and aids to the Prime Minister for personal reasons. Every MP is able to claim expenses for things like second home and travel, which a Parliment Office approves or disproves. It means that they don't have to pay for it; the public does.

But, there has been a huge fuss over stuff like the Home Secretary claiming that her large family home in Worcestershire was her "second home", allowing her to claim £116,000 in money, while her sisters flat in London was her "main home". She also claimed expenses on two adult films and other pay-to-view movies, expenses on a £40 barbeque, and a bath plug.

The Government tried to block part of the expenses list being released under the Freedom Of Information Act, but they lost; and the expenses were due to be released in July when Parliment has been dissolved for the summer.

Now, The Telegraph has gotton hold of all of the expenses; and will be releasing them over the next few days.

So far, we've found that:

Gordon Brown, PM, claimed £6,500 for a cleaner for his brother.

Hazel Blears, Community Secretary claimed £24,000 a year because she said that three seperate homes in London were her "second home", and £5,000 on furniture.

Jack Straw, Justice Secretary, claimed full council tax; even though he is already getting a 50% discount.

Peter Mandelson, Business Secretary, claimed £2,850 on his Home; and then sold it almost immediately after for £136,000

Geoff Hoon, Transport Secretary, claimed nearly £65,000 over four years, after buying a townhouse and claiming it was his "second home."

Andy Burnham, Culture Secretary, claimed £16,500 on refurbishments, and a £19.99 bathrobe from Ikea.

John Prescott, former Deputy PM, claimed £312 for mock-Tudor beams on his Home, and several hundred on plumbing and 'fixing WC seat'.

Alistair Darling, Chancellor, claimed over £10,000 on furniture in his £226,000 London flat, and changed his second home status four times in four years, allowing him to claim thousands extra.

Shaun Woodward, Irish Secretary, claimed £100,000 for mortage repayment.

Caroline Flint, European Secretary, claimed for the costs of Hotels over a number of months.

Margaret Beckett claimed £600 on plants and flowers, and £72,000 in second home allowances.

David Miliband, Foreign Secretary, claimed £30,000 for refurbishment on his home, and £180 every week for three months on his garden.

Yikes. As if confidence in the Government couldn't get much worse.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5295537/MPs-expenses-Gordon-Brown-forced-to-defend-allowances-system.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8039977.stm quote>

Welcome to the Dallas City Council

 

[Duke87 1,070]

Just goes to show you that if you give someone power and don't keep an eye on them, they'll abuse it.

Hence the importance of public scrutiny of the government.

[Boggy1 45]

Ahaha, so, an MP claimed

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

No morals at all. Many of the Tax Payers can't afford to run one home and these crooks steal some of that from them.

Like the minister that lived in a publicly owned block of flats, claimed second home allowance, then rented his second home out for profit.

[krbe 193]

Originally posted by: Boggy1

Ahaha, so, an MP claimed £2.50 for a KitKat bar. We, the taxpayer, had to pay two pounds fifty..for..a bar of chocolate....quote>

Consider the government you got from it!

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: Boggy1

an MP claimed £2.50 for a KitKat bar. We, the taxpayer, had to pay two pounds fifty..for..a bar of chocolate....quote>

Oh, Gimme a Break

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Originally posted by: Duke87

Originally posted by: Boggy1

an MP claimed £2.50 for a KitKat bar. We, the taxpayer, had to pay two pounds fifty..for..a bar of chocolate....quote>

Oh, Gimme a Break

quote>

Nice one, top marks.

[Jezus53 18]

Why should they be paid to have a second home while some are struggling to even have a place to stay? I understand that most politicians have to live in their district then go to the capital to do national business, but there should be a better way. How about a complex for the officials, or maybe have them live in paid apartments when they come to the capital. It's just ridiculous what they try to cheat the people out of. If they get to claim all of that stuff, then why should we pay them? What's the point of their salary if they get to "claim" everything the spend?

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Originally posted by: Jezus53

Why should they be paid to have a second home while some are struggling to even have a place to stay? I understand that most politicians have to live in their district then go to the capital to do national business, but there should be a better way. How about a complex for the officials, or maybe have them live in paid apartments when they come to the capital. It's just ridiculous what they try to cheat the people out of. If they get to claim all of that stuff, then why should we pay them? What's the point of their salary if they get to "claim" everything the spend?

quote>

Well said!

On top of a wage which I believe is about £60,000 they can claim:-

2nd home allowance £24,000

2 Offices allowance £100,000

Office consumables £24,000

30 tickets for their family to come to London to visit them (Whilst a) they go home each weekend, b) they have long holidays.

I'm thinking of two words:- Gravy Train.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

It is reported today that David Cameron leader of the Conservative party is "Angry" at some of the revelations on the way Conservatives have abused the parlimentary allowences. Such as buying furniture, repairs to swimming pools, tennis courts, houses etc. After meetings with the shadow cabinet the members have agreed to pay back some of the amounts.

[Jezus53 18]

Originally posted by: Merlin of Flyote

It is reported today that David Cameron leader of the Conservative party is "Angry" at some of the revelations on the way Conservatives have abused the parlimentary allowences. Such as buying furniture, repairs to swimming pools, tennis courts, houses etc. After meetings with the shadow cabinet the members have agreed to pay back some of the amounts.quote>

Some? They should pay back all of the money. Personally, none of that should be able to be claimed if the average person can not claim it. Why should they get any special exceptions?

[ILL Tonkso 1,239]

One of them claimed expenses on Porn... fantastic use of the taxpayers money....

[toxicpiano 125]

Originally posted by: Merlin of Flyote

Personally, none of that should be able to be claimed if the average person can not claim it. Why should they get any special exceptions?

quote>

Because they have to have somewhere to live in London. It's not practical to go 300 miles everyday.

The majority of MPs aren't rich.

[Jezus53 18]

Originally posted by: toxicpiano

Originally posted by: Merlin of Flyote

Personally, none of that should be able to be claimed if the average person can not claim it. Why should they get any special exceptions?

quote>

Because they have to have somewhere to live in London. It's not practical to go 300 miles everyday.

The majority of MPs aren't rich.quote>

That was me that siad that and I already stated an answer to that problem.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Originally posted by: toxicpiano

Originally posted by: Merlin of Flyote

This is not my quote.

Personally, none of that should be able to be claimed if the average person can not claim it. Why should they get any special exceptions?

quote>

quote>

However I basically agree with the  sentiment. They should stay in Government (people's) owned buildings in London.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

The leaders of the 3 main parties have now decided that MP's should pack back some of the money.

Is that good enough, or is a prosecution for fraud the answer?

We now here more.

2 MP's married to each other have both claimed 2nd home allowance to stay in London Monday-Thursday nights on different address's. One for their London home and one for their constituency home.

MP claiming £16,800 for a mortgage he had already finished paying.

Another MP caught claiming for a mortgage he had finished paying.

Also 2 Lords have been suspended for misconduct, this will cost them tax-free allowances of £335.00 per day.

As I understand it most Lords are independantly wealthy. Why are we paying these allowances for this privilege.

The 3 main parties are now worried about the forthcoming European and English county council elections, where the votes are expected to favour the small parties such as BNP, UKIP and the Greens, as a protest.

[Boggy1 45]

Speaker quits 'for sake of unity'

Michael Martin has told MPs he intends to stand down, so becoming the first Commons Speaker to be effectively forced out of office for 300 years. In a brief statement to a packed House of Commons he said he would step down on 21 June, with his successor set to be elected by MPs the next day. Mr Martin, who will also step down as an MP, has faced criticism over his handling of the MP expenses issue. ...   Meanwhile, in other events linked to the row over MPs' second homes expenses, the Metropolitan Police have said they will not investigate how details of claims came to be leaked to the Daily Telegraph. A spokesman said it was likely the "public interest defence would be likely to prove a significant hurdle" to a criminal prosecution. But he said officers from the Economic and Specialist Crime Command had met senior Crown Prosecution Service solicitors to discuss allegations some MPs had misused public money.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8057203.stm

Now this is really major news. Totally unprecedented.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Anybody wan't to buy a Duck Island?

I wouldn't mind if it were in a public pond, but a MP's private home, that takes the biscuit.

British Tax Payers have paid for it, and now he has the cheek to move it to his other house in France.

[Randomtaskk 1]

I'm glad I havn't been paying taxes for the past 5 years

Maybe it will be sorted out when I come round to it (but I doubt it).

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Originally posted by: Randomtaskk

I'm glad I havn't been paying taxes for the past 5 years

Maybe it will be sorted out when I come round to it (but I doubt it).quote>

Oh! I think it will! I think this will be sorted out very soon, there's a General Election due in less than a year.

In the words of the Moody Blues, GO NOW.

In the words of Manfred Mann, IF YOU'VE GOT TO GO, GO NOW.

Quote from Question Time, "I hope Esther Rantzen stands in Luton, and Johanna Lumley can name her seat."

[Jezus53 18]

Sickening. Anyone who took part in any of this should be removed next election. The sad thing is there is barely anything we can about it short of revolting. Sure we can vote them out, but who's to say that the next guy won't do the same thing? We trust these people to run our countries efficiently and keep us safe, and yet they spend recklessly and get us into trouble with other nations. I just want to unleash a rage storm on all of them.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Originally posted by: Jezus53

Sickening. Anyone who took part in any of this should be removed next election. The sad thing is there is barely anything we can about it short of revolting. Sure we can vote them out, but who's to say that the next guy won't do the same thing? We trust these people to run our countries efficiently and keep us safe, and yet they spend recklessly and get us into trouble with other nations. I just want to unleash a rage storm on all of them.quote>

Now that they have been caught out there is a rush to change the rules, including publishing their claims on the internet for all to see. So I think this issue is unlikely to crop up again next time. Indeed some MP's might get prosecuted for fraud, it remains to be seen. They are currently on a break from parliment and have to face the roth of their constituants. Most of the public want an election, but Gordon Brown won't call one. Nobody else has the power to, so that's not much of a democracy. There needs to be a mechanism whereby the people can sack a government.

We now know the name of the middleman who passed the infomation to the Daily Telegraph. He is a former SAS office John Wilkes. Metropolitan Police and The Crown Prosecution Service have said there will not be any proceedings against the people involved, as the defendants would undoubtedly plead Public Interest, thereby making a conviction unlikely.

[Jezus53 18]

Originally posted by: Merlin of Flyote

Now that they have been caught out there is a rush to change the rules, including publishing their claims on the internet for all to see. So I think this issue is unlikely to crop up again next time. Indeed some MP's might get prosecuted for fraud, it remains to be seen. They are currently on a break from parliment and have to face the roth of their constituants. Most of the public want an election, but Gordon Brown won't call one. Nobody else has the power to, so that's not much of a democracy. There needs to be a mechanism whereby the people can sack a government.

quote>

That's what the Founding Fathers thought when they created the US. Things change and they will just find ways of hiding the corruption better. I truly wish that it won't happen again, but history has proven that no matter how good of intentions you have and how much restraint you put down, people will become corrupt. But that's just my bleak view on humanity and I could be wrong, I hope I'm wrong.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Originally posted by: Jezus53

Originally posted by: Merlin of Flyote

quote>

That's what the Founding Fathers thought when they created the US. Things change and they will just find ways of hiding the corruption better. I truly wish that it won't happen again, but history has proven that no matter how good of intentions you have and how much restraint you put down, people will become corrupt. But that's just my bleak view on humanity and I could be wrong, I hope I'm wrong.

quote>

I hope you're wrong, democracy would depend on it.

John Wilkes (see 2 posts back) has said he has no regrets it had to be done, if he had waited until parliment issued the figures later in the year, they would have been so sanitized as to tell us nothing. Personally I think the people concerned with this leake deserve a knighthood for services to the public.

9 cabinet ministers have spent public money on accoutants, something which is not normally allowed as a business expense for us.

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Today we hear about MEP's £363,000 a year, no receipts, no need to account for the spending, no questions asked.

2 more MP's have decided to stand down at the next election (why not now?) Julie Kirkbright (Bromsgrove) who paid for an extension to her Mansion, and Margret Moran (Luton) who paid for decorating her house in Southampton (100 miles from her constituency and 77 miles from London).

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

2 cabinet ministers are to stand down just 2 days before the Euro and English county elections. Also 4 MP's have been barred from standing at the next election. This government is falling apart. Time for a General Election NOW not wait until next year. I don't understand how it is that Gordon Brown doesn't see that things are getting worse for the Labour party the longer they hang on to power.

This is now a lame duck Government. The general elections must be held by 3rd of June 2010 We always hold elections on Thursdays that means less than 52 days to choose from.It could be possible to hold one before Parliments next parlimentry year whch starts in September. However Gordon Brown doesn't like elections he managed to avoid them all so far. Will he try to avoid this one in true communist style.

[Boggy1 45]

Now James Purnell has resigned. Amazing..

Pressure on PM as minister quits

Mr Purnell called on Mr Brown to 'stand aside' James Purnell has stepped down from the cabinet and told Prime Minister Gordon Brown to "stand aside". In a letter to the Sun and the Times, the work and pensions secretary said he was not seeking the leadership but wanted to trigger a debate. Mr Purnell is the third cabinet member to announce in the past few days they are standing down from cabinet. Mr Brown is set to reshuffle his team as he fights to hang on to his tenure as prime minister. In his letter to Mr Brown, Mr Purnell said he owed it to the Labour Party to "say what I believe no matter how hard that may be". ...

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8083585.stm

[Merlin of Flyote 8]

Now Caroline Flint who swore allegiance to Gordon Brown yesterday, quits today, launching a scathing attack in which she accuses Gordon Brown of looking at women cabinet ministers as "window dressing" (ie. Eyecandy).

The results of the ENGLISH county council elections are an increase of 230 councilors for the conservatives and a loss of 270 for Labour. The Liberal party have pushed Labour into 3rd place, taking many former Labour innercity seats.

A disaster for the government. Blue is the colour.