How big is the Westminster gravy train?
Discussion
So just how big is it? we have the second home "fiddle",relocation grants and probably hundreds of minor fiddles we never hear about.I don't think I'm alone when I say how bad it looks to the electorate and also I don't think there is the will to stamp out the fraud because too many fingers are in the pie. It's nothing short of a national disgrace!!!
There used to be a time that the rich turned to politics because they were incensed by the inequality / red-tape / lack of forward vision / corruption [delete as appropriate]. However, these days, people turn to politics as a positive career choice in the first place. While many work their way to fund an MBA or appropriate qualification, these people lie, cheat and steal their way to their first nomination.....
Then its onto the gravy train for life. Take a look at the current crop - most have had mediocre careers before turning to politics, if any career at all. They are professional politicians and as a result are there to take us tax-payers for every penny they can. Not only do we pay them a respectable salary to start with, we buy them second homes, allow them to make expenses claims with no forms of receipts and then employ their friends, family or partners - all at our cost. Take Smith for example - she's taking home in excess of £200k a year from the public funds. For what exactly? 25 weeks work a year? Come on, bloody nightmare....
Then its onto the gravy train for life. Take a look at the current crop - most have had mediocre careers before turning to politics, if any career at all. They are professional politicians and as a result are there to take us tax-payers for every penny they can. Not only do we pay them a respectable salary to start with, we buy them second homes, allow them to make expenses claims with no forms of receipts and then employ their friends, family or partners - all at our cost. Take Smith for example - she's taking home in excess of £200k a year from the public funds. For what exactly? 25 weeks work a year? Come on, bloody nightmare....
This whole MP's allowances and expenses debacle is totally outrageous. Just had a look at this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7840678.stm unbelieveable
If the MP's etc can claim for all this, why can't every other legitimate hard working business in the country? No, they have to have detailed receipts for just about all expenses incurred!
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others - Orwell, never a truer word spoken.
If the MP's etc can claim for all this, why can't every other legitimate hard working business in the country? No, they have to have detailed receipts for just about all expenses incurred!
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others - Orwell, never a truer word spoken.
What irks me most about it all is the amount of husbands, wives, girlfriends, friends etc employed as "research assistants", "secretaries" and the like whilst they shovel the pc/equal opportunity bulls
t down our throats. 
Ignoring the dubious amount of work that a lot of these people do to "earn" their salaries, how can they seriously expect us to believe that these people are employed on their merit, rather than because they're related to the MP?!
Still, I'm sure it's all within the rules, so that makes it ok.
t down our throats. Ignoring the dubious amount of work that a lot of these people do to "earn" their salaries, how can they seriously expect us to believe that these people are employed on their merit, rather than because they're related to the MP?!
Still, I'm sure it's all within the rules, so that makes it ok.
off_again said:
Not only do we pay them a respectable salary to start with, we buy them second homes, allow them to make expenses claims with no forms of receipts and then employ their friends, family or partners - all at our cost. Take Smith for example - she's taking home in excess of £200k a year from the public funds. For what exactly? 25 weeks work a year? Come on, bloody nightmare....
As someone who tries to run their own limited company and suffers the attempted buttfking of IR35 where I can't claim the slightest expense I find the above very, very hard to take. It really sticks in my throat.It's almost as if they have become so corrupt and drunk on power that they now know that we know, and are simply giving us the finger and saying "so what?".
Orb the Impaler said:
off_again said:
Not only do we pay them a respectable salary to start with, we buy them second homes, allow them to make expenses claims with no forms of receipts and then employ their friends, family or partners - all at our cost. Take Smith for example - she's taking home in excess of £200k a year from the public funds. For what exactly? 25 weeks work a year? Come on, bloody nightmare....
As someone who tries to run their own limited company and suffers the attempted buttfking of IR35 where I can't claim the slightest expense I find the above very, very hard to take. It really sticks in my throat.It's almost as if they have become so corrupt and drunk on power that they now know that we know, and are simply giving us the finger and saying "so what?".
Yet, our wonderful politicians don't have to turn in receipts for their expenses. They can just 'claim' they spent some money. The excuses that I have heard are utterly ridiculous. Stuff like 'how am I expected to remember to claim that taxi?". Err, how about because I want accountability and fairness from my public servants? How about, you liar, I want you to prove you took a taxi and not the tube and pocketed the money?
On an aside, I shared a house many years ago with some customs officers. They went on strike because the expenses system changed and they were expected to provide receipts for everything (like the rest of the bloody public). They viewed this as unreasonable and these two chaps used to be able to subsidise their income to the tune of thousands in fake or exaggerated expenses claims. Multiply that by the thousands of customs officers and you get an idea of the problem. £25 here and there does add up..... but our wonderful MP's are doing £100,000+ a year and say that its their 'right'.
God I just want to punch the
s.....thought I would take the futile step of writing to my MP.
Dear George Young,
Another week, another revelations of blatant abuse of the MPs expense policy, this time not only is the spirit of the policy ignored, but rules blatantly broken. We now have a home secretary using public money, my money, to buy pornography. Why are the conservatives not calling for her resignation ? What are you going to do, to correct this profligacy with our money ?
You are my MP and I would like you and your party to take a much stronger line with these abuses. I and many of your constituents are sick and tired of the gravy train that is politics in the UK today. Either something is done now, or we opt for alternatives, the Liberal Democrats, independents anyone who will tackle this problem head on and now, zero tolerance. Derrick Conway, Tony Mc Nulty, Jacqui Smith twice, Myner, Taylor and these are only the publicised examples. What other abuses are going on unseen by the people ultimately paying for it ?
This is an embarrassment to the country, she is using my money to pay for her depravity. You have people losing their jobs,their houses, the economy in meltdown, yet the public servant, yes public servant, a term many politicians seem to have forgotten the meaning of, enjoy generous pay rises, enormous defined benefit pensions, unfathomably generous expenses and still abuse their position for financial gain. This must stop now, not in 6 months or after yet another useless money wasting enquiry but immediately. What are you doing to do to correct this situation ? not your party, but you, the person paid by the state to represent my views in parliament.
Dear George Young,
Another week, another revelations of blatant abuse of the MPs expense policy, this time not only is the spirit of the policy ignored, but rules blatantly broken. We now have a home secretary using public money, my money, to buy pornography. Why are the conservatives not calling for her resignation ? What are you going to do, to correct this profligacy with our money ?
You are my MP and I would like you and your party to take a much stronger line with these abuses. I and many of your constituents are sick and tired of the gravy train that is politics in the UK today. Either something is done now, or we opt for alternatives, the Liberal Democrats, independents anyone who will tackle this problem head on and now, zero tolerance. Derrick Conway, Tony Mc Nulty, Jacqui Smith twice, Myner, Taylor and these are only the publicised examples. What other abuses are going on unseen by the people ultimately paying for it ?
This is an embarrassment to the country, she is using my money to pay for her depravity. You have people losing their jobs,their houses, the economy in meltdown, yet the public servant, yes public servant, a term many politicians seem to have forgotten the meaning of, enjoy generous pay rises, enormous defined benefit pensions, unfathomably generous expenses and still abuse their position for financial gain. This must stop now, not in 6 months or after yet another useless money wasting enquiry but immediately. What are you doing to do to correct this situation ? not your party, but you, the person paid by the state to represent my views in parliament.
and after this response,
Many thanks for the email and I know the views you express are widely shared.
One of my responsibilities at the House of Commons is to chair the Standards and Privileges Committee. This is the body which decides whether or not rules have been broken, and, if they have been, what sanction should be imposed.
Both the Home Secretary and Tony McNulty are being investigated, so I hope you understand if I don’t comment further at this stage.
Best wishes, George Young
I thought I might make a wider point.......
Dear George Young,
Many thanks for the prompt reply, it is much appreciated. But one of of my questions remains unanswered, namely, why are the conservatives not asking for Jacqui Smiths resignation ? She has brought her office and the entire country into disrepute and yet none have the strength of character and morale conviction to ask and fight for her resignation, now, not in 1 months time, or 6. She has become an international joke, along with our unelected Prime minister Gordon Brown.
What do you actually have to do in this so called democracy to lose your job ?
Destroy the economy
Saddle the populace with generations of debt
Invading a sovereign country in an illegal war without the peoples consent, resulting in deaths of true service men / women and innocent civilians
Buy pornography with public money
Take money to amend laws
Lie and cheat with expenses. For us mere subjects this is called fraud, enriching oneself through deception. Politics in the Uk has lost the trust of the people. Actions have consequences, but not it seems once you have become part of the political Labour elite. Power has corrupted.
Does this role call of shame above not bring down a red mist of rage and anger at the state of this, our once great country ?
I understand that you are unable to comment on some of the points, but a mere slap on the wrist will not satisfy the us. Zero tolerance with enforceable and enforced sanction commensurate with the crime committed. At best, criminal charges and dismissal from parliament, at worst, loss of position of secretary of state, You have a portcullis in your signature, why is it not closing on the likes of Jacqui Smith and her like ?
I do apologise for this tirade, but enough is enough.
Many thanks for the email and I know the views you express are widely shared.
One of my responsibilities at the House of Commons is to chair the Standards and Privileges Committee. This is the body which decides whether or not rules have been broken, and, if they have been, what sanction should be imposed.
Both the Home Secretary and Tony McNulty are being investigated, so I hope you understand if I don’t comment further at this stage.
Best wishes, George Young
I thought I might make a wider point.......
Dear George Young,
Many thanks for the prompt reply, it is much appreciated. But one of of my questions remains unanswered, namely, why are the conservatives not asking for Jacqui Smiths resignation ? She has brought her office and the entire country into disrepute and yet none have the strength of character and morale conviction to ask and fight for her resignation, now, not in 1 months time, or 6. She has become an international joke, along with our unelected Prime minister Gordon Brown.
What do you actually have to do in this so called democracy to lose your job ?
Destroy the economy
Saddle the populace with generations of debt
Invading a sovereign country in an illegal war without the peoples consent, resulting in deaths of true service men / women and innocent civilians
Buy pornography with public money
Take money to amend laws
Lie and cheat with expenses. For us mere subjects this is called fraud, enriching oneself through deception. Politics in the Uk has lost the trust of the people. Actions have consequences, but not it seems once you have become part of the political Labour elite. Power has corrupted.
Does this role call of shame above not bring down a red mist of rage and anger at the state of this, our once great country ?
I understand that you are unable to comment on some of the points, but a mere slap on the wrist will not satisfy the us. Zero tolerance with enforceable and enforced sanction commensurate with the crime committed. At best, criminal charges and dismissal from parliament, at worst, loss of position of secretary of state, You have a portcullis in your signature, why is it not closing on the likes of Jacqui Smith and her like ?
I do apologise for this tirade, but enough is enough.
Edited by Traveller on Monday 30th March 14:34
Traveller said:
thought I would take the futile step of writing to my MP.
The tories are not going to say a word, very soon all MPs accounts are going to be published and there will be a few sheepish tory faces.They are not going to start calling for resignations when they are in the same boat.
"cyclists get 20p a mile"
20p per mile for what exactly?!
RESETTLEMENT ALLOWANCE
Paid to MPs who lose their seat or stand down at a general election - it is based on their age and length of service and amounts to between 50% and 100% of their annual salary.
WHAT?! They get voted out because they're st at their job (i.e. they get fired) and then get between 50% and 100% of their ANNUAL salary effectively as a redundancy payment?! Yet anyone else gets made redundant (incl civil servants) they get about £250 for every whole year they've worked at the business... That is fking disgraceful.
20p per mile for what exactly?!
RESETTLEMENT ALLOWANCE
Paid to MPs who lose their seat or stand down at a general election - it is based on their age and length of service and amounts to between 50% and 100% of their annual salary.
WHAT?! They get voted out because they're s
t at their job (i.e. they get fired) and then get between 50% and 100% of their ANNUAL salary effectively as a redundancy payment?! Yet anyone else gets made redundant (incl civil servants) they get about £250 for every whole year they've worked at the business... That is fking disgraceful.Sheets Tabuer said:
The tories are not going to say a word, very soon all MPs accounts are going to be published and there will be a few sheepish tory faces.
They are not going to start calling for resignations when they are in the same boat.
Yup, too true. That is why I am pressing for an answer as to why they are not calling for her resignation.They are not going to start calling for resignations when they are in the same boat.
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