Scottish Referendum / Independence - Vol 7
Discussion
GreigM said:
There is plenty that the SNP do wrong, we don't need to focus on trivia like this.
I think the point though is that their behaviour since being elected is in stark contrast to the image they portrayed of themselves as being 'better than' the previous incumbents, who they accused of being fatcats living on expenses at the taxpayer's cost.At the time, SNP candidates stood on a platform of giving their salaries to charity and other such nonsense. The opposition were left struggling as it is difficult to counter someone who has no record for telling lies but clearly is doing so.
A ten-fold increase in overall expenses claims for Scottish MPs since the SNP won 56 seats at the 2015 election!!? They are royally taking the piss.
PS. With regards to Mhairi Black and her flight expenses, I am sure that this is a targeted response to the very same accusations that were made against Douglas Alexander by SNP activists in the constituency in the run-up to 2015, the message being 'hey, look - your darling perfect Socialist Mhairi has discovered that being an MP means behaving the same way as her predecessor some of the time'. I know of one person who voted against Alexander because of this one revelation ie. that he used aircraft to commute to London. I think said voter thought he was supposed to walk or cycle or something instead....
Edited by r11co on Tuesday 27th September 12:03
Cobnapint said:
Edinburger said:
Did I miss an email from PistonHeads suggesting people start partially quoting posts to get one over the original poster?! Jeez!
What has the fact that Grangemouth supplies power to the grid which extends into England (who haven't banned fracking) have anything to do with the SNPs stance on allowing another country's shale gas into Scotland when it is so opposed to it's extraction, for various reasons, on it's own soil?It's telling to me that no Scottish Goverment ministers were 'available' to attend today's opening event, they really don't like to celebrate anything which brings prosperity to Scotland, doesn't fit in with the downtrodden Scots lie they like to peddle.
Unfortunately the tanker is doing donuts in the Forth at the moment as it's too windy to get it into the docks and berthed.
neelyp said:
It's telling to me that no Scottish Goverment ministers were 'available' to attend today's opening event, they really don't like to celebrate anything which brings prosperity to Scotland, doesn't fit in with the downtrodden Scots lie they like to peddle.
It has probably more to do with pretending to be green to keep the only other pro-independence party in Holyrood on-side.FN2TypeR said:
It's cheaper to not take it 
The lounges at Edinburgh and London City must be pretty bloody swanky, alas, I have never been in either.
Alas, London City doesn't have a BA lounge but the Edinburgh lounge is lovely The lounges at Edinburgh and London City must be pretty bloody swanky, alas, I have never been in either.
It doesn't do chips in a roll so Ms Black would be out of luck.Edinburger said:
r11co said:
Edinburger said:
Another non-story.
NoNeed said:
ETA I just got an online quote for a 7 seater private hire at £545
Edited by NoNeed on Tuesday 27th September 12:29
NoNeed said:
Edinburger said:
r11co said:
Edinburger said:
Another non-story.
NoNeed said:
ETA I just got an online quote for a 7 seater private hire at £545
Edited by NoNeed on Tuesday 27th September 12:29
Thankfully you're not in the corporate travel market!
GreigM said:
Gecko1978 said:
So the SNP "Hag Troll" is using the ba lounge and getting a flexible ticket...hmmm I wonder if others who make the journey often at theit firms expense have the same choice or do they fly economy. In grand scheme of things it's not much but seems a bit of a waste when it's a 50 min flight and frankly one seat is much like amother. More telling is the fact miss black basically does f all for her constituanets but hey it takes a moron to elect one
I think this is being massively overblown - the "business" ticket is fully flexible and cancellable. I travel a lot on business and always buy a flexible/cancellable ticket as we frequently change flights and works out more cost effective this way. I would imagine the life of an MP demands changing plans on a frequent basis, hence the necessity for flexible tickets. There is plenty that the SNP do wrong, we don't need to focus on trivia like this.In general, the SNP landslide on the back of a single issue has been extremely damaging to the political landscape in Scotland. There were a lot of seasoned, experienced politicians who were cast aside by their constituencies to be replaced by SNP newbies with a single aim and no real interest in the communities they are supposed to serve. While I disagreed with a lot of their party politics, a lot of these MPs did extensive work in their communities, and this work will be sorely missed.
Edinburger said:
So a 7 hour taxi drive for £545 is better value and a more productive use of a MP's time than a 1 hour flight at £150? (Assuming one way)
Thankfully you're not in the corporate travel market!
Estimated travel time is 4-5 hoursThankfully you're not in the corporate travel market!
And flights are not 1 hour you left at 4:30 and got home at 8pm
And this isn't corporate travel, it's public service travel.
And when going as a group of 50 a coach would be even cheaper, yet I bet they have never even looked at that option, despite modern ones being equipped with wifi and everthing thye need to be productive.
Edited by NoNeed on Tuesday 27th September 12:46
tvrolet said:
Edinburger said:
Another non-story. There is no business class option on domestic flights (as tvrolet said).
I fly to London City most weeks to and MPs fly into Heathrow or occasionally City.
BA offer domestic class with/without baggage and flexible tickets. That's your lot and she'd find it more economical in the long run to get a flexible ticket. FlyBe offer a similar proposition, but I avoid them like the plague.
I sometimes see MPs and MSPs in the BA lounge and that's absolutely right. The costs published there seem good value to me. Total non-story.
No, that's not what I said. I said there was no difference in the service on board or seating between business class and economy on a domestic flight, but there most certainly is a business class FARE and an economy fare. It buys you lounge access, pre-boarding and more Avios and tier points. And if you had achieved a Silver level in the exec club then you get the lounge access and pre boarding on an economy ticket. So the cynic in me says it's basically buying you more Avois (freebies)...so the opportunity for free fares for private travel comes quicker with someone else paying.I fly to London City most weeks to and MPs fly into Heathrow or occasionally City.
BA offer domestic class with/without baggage and flexible tickets. That's your lot and she'd find it more economical in the long run to get a flexible ticket. FlyBe offer a similar proposition, but I avoid them like the plague.
I sometimes see MPs and MSPs in the BA lounge and that's absolutely right. The costs published there seem good value to me. Total non-story.
My return flight next Monday to Heathrow on BA was only booked yesterday, and cost £214. And it would have been cheaper if I booked earlier, or flew on Sunday night. So an AVERAGE of £342 per flight isn't a good deal at all. Someone somewhere isn't booking and choosing the 'Lowest price (earning reduced Tier points)' option like everyone else who pays their own fares does.
tim0409 said:
FN2TypeR said:
It's cheaper to not take it
The lounges at Edinburgh and London City must be pretty bloody swanky, alas, I have never been in either.
Alas, London City doesn't have a BA lounge but the Edinburgh lounge is lovely The lounges at Edinburgh and London City must be pretty bloody swanky, alas, I have never been in either.
It doesn't do chips in a roll so Ms Black would be out of luck.Animals man, animals
tvrolet said:
Likewise - maybe we've even rubbed shoulders.
Say hi if you spot an 'older' slightly podgy baldy guy, always window seat on the right in the first few rows. It might be me
I remember bumping into you in a hotel just outside Bracknell one weekday eve' around ten years ago! Say hi if you spot an 'older' slightly podgy baldy guy, always window seat on the right in the first few rows. It might be me
Its not the 13k in flights Ms Black has spent that bothers me nor the Business Class (though my firm has an economy policy for short haul flights). Its more the over all ten fold increase indicates they are spending more time in the air than previouse MP's an thus less time working.
Did Danny Alexander never go to Westminster perhaps or do one week there 1 week at home etc. I don't know the answer but I do know when its not your own money you have little incentive to shop around and unlike corporate travel where there are guidelines and rules MP's effectively get a blank cheque to run there office and expenses.
One way to settle this really. The Tory and Lib MP's still in Scotland what are their expenses bills in comparison?
Did Danny Alexander never go to Westminster perhaps or do one week there 1 week at home etc. I don't know the answer but I do know when its not your own money you have little incentive to shop around and unlike corporate travel where there are guidelines and rules MP's effectively get a blank cheque to run there office and expenses.
One way to settle this really. The Tory and Lib MP's still in Scotland what are their expenses bills in comparison?
Big Rod said:
tvrolet said:
Likewise - maybe we've even rubbed shoulders.
Say hi if you spot an 'older' slightly podgy baldy guy, always window seat on the right in the first few rows. It might be me
I remember bumping into you in a hotel just outside Bracknell one weekday eve' around ten years ago! Say hi if you spot an 'older' slightly podgy baldy guy, always window seat on the right in the first few rows. It might be me
Not sure how we worked out we were both on here though - maybe the secret PH handshake?
tvrolet said:
O/T I remember it too - it was the pub next to what's now the beefeater at Sandhurst.
Not sure how we worked out we were both on here though - maybe the secret PH handshake?
There or thereabouts. I haven't been in that neck of the woods for some time.Not sure how we worked out we were both on here though - maybe the secret PH handshake?
My addled memory seems to recall you were a little more interested in my pretty young travelling companion/colleague, (understandable LOL!), then realised we were both Scottish, (I live a few miles upstream of you), and we were talking about motor vehicles of some description, (motorcycles I think), and one of us mentioned something we'd read on here.
O/T I attended her wedding in Wakefield on Friday.
ETA:- I remember, I jokingly asked you if you were 'chattin' up ma' burd'. LOL
Edited by Big Rod on Tuesday 27th September 14:15
andymadmak said:
It's a 'non-story', dontcha know. She only embezzled £30,000 (allegedly).andymadmak said:
Definitely Westminster's fault that.r11co said:
I think the point though is that their behaviour since being elected is in stark contrast to the image they portrayed of themselves as being 'better than' the previous incumbents, who they accused of being fatcats living on expenses at the taxpayer's cost.
At the time, SNP candidates stood on a platform of giving their salaries to charity and other such nonsense. The opposition were left struggling as it is difficult to counter someone who has no record for telling lies but clearly is doing so.
A ten-fold increase in overall expenses claims for Scottish MPs since the SNP won 56 seats at the 2015 election!!? They are royally taking the piss.
PS. With regards to Mhairi Black and her flight expenses, I am sure that this is a targeted response to the very same accusations that were made against Douglas Alexander by SNP activists in the constituency in the run-up to 2015, the message being 'hey, look - your darling perfect Socialist Mhairi has discovered that being an MP means behaving the same way as her predecessor some of the time'. I know of one person who voted against Alexander because of this one revelation ie. that he used aircraft to commute to London. I think said voter thought he was supposed to walk or cycle or something instead....
Point of order - isn't it business class flights bills that have gone up by 900%? As opposed to all expenses.At the time, SNP candidates stood on a platform of giving their salaries to charity and other such nonsense. The opposition were left struggling as it is difficult to counter someone who has no record for telling lies but clearly is doing so.
A ten-fold increase in overall expenses claims for Scottish MPs since the SNP won 56 seats at the 2015 election!!? They are royally taking the piss.
PS. With regards to Mhairi Black and her flight expenses, I am sure that this is a targeted response to the very same accusations that were made against Douglas Alexander by SNP activists in the constituency in the run-up to 2015, the message being 'hey, look - your darling perfect Socialist Mhairi has discovered that being an MP means behaving the same way as her predecessor some of the time'. I know of one person who voted against Alexander because of this one revelation ie. that he used aircraft to commute to London. I think said voter thought he was supposed to walk or cycle or something instead....
Edited by r11co on Tuesday 27th September 12:03
I know many on here don't like Wings Over Scotland for various reasons ranging from jealousy to different political beliefs or plain old-fashioned SNP BAAADD! but the Rev has provided a fairly comprehensive rebuttal of the flights story, including the fact that flight costs for Scottish MPS reduced by £9k inthe last year, and by £42k from the year before. You can read his take on the story http://wingsoverscotland.com/expressway-to-lietown... and then fight among yourself as to whether The Express, desperately needing to sell newspapers to unionists, or the Rev who is writing for the independent-minded among us, are spinning the story or making things up.
Personally,I don't care because I don't want us to have representatives in Westminster at all but, while we are chained to this union, we are going to have to pay the costs associated with that.
So, how about everyone having a look at Lords expenses next? Oh, we can't because the SNP won't take seats in the other house. Nothing to see here, move along before anyone checks Darlings claims, or Mones or any of the other unelected and unsackable ermine-clad elite, including convicted and jailed criminals still passing laws for the rest of us.
As for the fracking - the SNP have put a moratorium in place while the science is studied. They haven't imported the gas but yeah, SNP BAAADD!
Personally,I don't care because I don't want us to have representatives in Westminster at all but, while we are chained to this union, we are going to have to pay the costs associated with that.
So, how about everyone having a look at Lords expenses next? Oh, we can't because the SNP won't take seats in the other house. Nothing to see here, move along before anyone checks Darlings claims, or Mones or any of the other unelected and unsackable ermine-clad elite, including convicted and jailed criminals still passing laws for the rest of us.
As for the fracking - the SNP have put a moratorium in place while the science is studied. They haven't imported the gas but yeah, SNP BAAADD!
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff