The past couple of days I've read some of the wit going round about Jacqui Smith's husband and have to admit, some of it was very clever. Mr Jacqui Smith's DIY efforts are no business of mine and I couldn't care less if he struts round their home every day in her underwear and high heels, but I do care when our taxes are being misused.
Ms Smith said this weekend that the films shouldn't have been charged because the claim was for her internet connection. The claim was £87, so let's deduct the £10 for helping her unimaginative husband and we have £77 which she is charging us every month for an internet connection. Then of course, something which has been overlooked is that the taxpayer paid for the TV, it's on the list here.
She certainly knows how to rub it in doesn't she, the fact that MPs can claim for anything without question and we've paid a great deal for Ms Smith to be an MP. It would be interesting to know how long this 'internet connection' fee has been claimed but I doubt if we'll ever know.
Not only do the expenses of MPs need to be abolished and their pay raised to say £100,000 from which they pay their own expenses and staff, but the office which checks these claims needs to be far more vigilant. Fortunately for us taxpayers, one person was in the past few days.
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33 comments:
"Not only do the expenses of MPs need to be abolished and their pay raised to say £100,000 from which they pay their own expenses and staff"
Subrosa i like that idea becouse it would curb the MP,s spending habbits when it is comming directly out of their own pocket.
This smith creature should fling in the towel, her face is mud and her hubby watches porn at our expence.
On the TV we also paid for Spook. Good to see you're still working away. Now get your paper in on time.
Although don't forget their pensions are based on salary, not expenses, you'd have to do something about that.
I would put a leash on this woman like no other. She is the fox in the hen house of your civil rights, which are dissappearing. How could she not get caught. She has shown that she is not up to the job. I think she should be fired.
subrosa,
Good morning, your maj,
It's a pity Gordon does not have the courage to send all those with "dodgy" credentials onto the back-benchs and replace them with those with "whiter than white" reputations and no axe to grind on behalf of big businesses.
The only problem with that is that he, himself, would have to fall on his sword.
of course, jackboots shouldnt be xharging us at all, but there are cheaper net and tv packages out there that dont come anywhere near £70+ a month!..do the maths, something here stinks..and it aint mr smiths used tissues.
The only thing that makes me smile is the fact that "the big list" the 1.2 million receipts are to be published in June.
Detailing the whole pork nosed toughing sordid details.
Wait until that day.
They amount of running, back peddling and "oh dear complete error allow me to pay that back" statements will make for some hefty blogging time. I will book a week of work for that one.
Couple of bottles of red wine and whatch the results come in!
However until then anyone for one last ride on the gravy train before it comes off the tracks
But she won't be fired will she Hummingbird? Brown's got no Brownies left to promote.
Good morning Sir, lovely morning it is too again and less windy. You're spot on as usual :)
Old Bag, I think it must be a £70 package to include internet, phone and all the TV channels for the kids and dirty old men. Why should we pay for her family's entertainment. We should even be paying for her internet connection if it's used by them. No business would be allowed to do this.
el-sid, their pension should be similar to the army or police. They get good enough pensions.
TLOTF, there's been a lot of activity in Westminster I think. I read somewhere they get the opportunity to check the things over and delete what they think is security protected etc.
Aye it will be interesting. Did you read Lobbydog yesterday and the row there was which he thought was about expenses?
She certainly knows how to rub it in doesn't she,
If she did, why does hubby need relief in other ways? I entertained old friends of these two, last Sunday. Back in the old days they appeared relatively OK people. I supose 12 years of grooming by Snotty changed all that!
brownlie said...
Budge over buddy, it was me wot crowned Subrosa Queen of Scots first!
So you didn't enjoy yourself last Sunday Oldrightie? Always disappointing when people are so influenced with power and greed isn't it. That's why I'm not a member of any political party, I've seen too much of it.
Did brownlie say that Oldrightie? He'll really have to stop drinking that tea he boasts about; he grows his very own leaves didn't you know?
Oldrightie,
Rubbish, I knew subrosa when she was a slip of a lass breaking all the hearts in the Dundee Palais de Dance with her original version of the Charleston. She was my original Queen of Hearts or was it Hibs?
subrosa,
This is a trivial matter compared to the total of more than £1 billion the Labour Government has spent on 'spin' since the last election. You could buy a few bath plugs with that lot.
Sorry folks but doubling their pay will not eliminate their frauds.
It is in their DNA
Do you think that ARTHUR THOMSON Snr or Jnr would have given up gangsterism if they had won the Lotto?
No they wouldn't, because it is what they know, what they can do well, and what rocks their jollies.
Politicians screw us because that is the sort of person who is attracted to todays political system; the career politician, on the make.
The SNP, maybe some LibDums and possibly a Tory or two actually do it out of political conviction rather than the expectation of avoidinga criminal one.
The SNP has as its central plank, independence and they have been wandering the Great Political Desert fro generations until now. The people in the SNP have political convictions otherwise they would have joined another party some time ago to advance their wallets.
That has always been the SNPs problem, in a way too "much" democracy too much personal political conviction
If the SNP gain more ground and attract defectors then would be the time thoroughly vet the aspirants.
Hummingbird
Jacqui Smith is no Fox.
She is an intellectually challenged and programmed political aparatchik.
It is the people around her pulling the strings that we should all fear.
She is tolerated for her stupidity because she is so malleable and disposable, as necessary.
FC I think these two posts are the most succinct we've had on the subject of greed from many politicians.
It's my hope the SNP continue as they are and do not become overtaken by the glittering baubles of office.
Quite agree that the porn thing is small beer compared to many of the abuses - and even the Home Sex' £116k is small beer compared to the £11.6bn that is regularly wasted on one project or another. Hopefully we can get beyond the politics of envy to expand the debate from MP's expenses to the public sector culture of spending money as though it's brought in by the tax fairy. It's our money, not theirs. If you've not seen it, the Burning Our Money archive has lots of examples.
While the porn thing is a bit of fun, it's worth thinking that £10 in the hands of Timney represents the basic rate income tax on £50 of someone's wage. Median earnings are £479/week, so Mr Timney's 2-3 hours of fun was paid for by a teacher or junior doctor working 4 hours or more. Isn't that just obscene? It's worth thinking of other government spending in the same terms, it becomes a moral issue.
Faux Cu : "It is in their DNA...The SNP, maybe some LibDums and possibly a Tory or two actually do it out of political conviction rather than the expectation of avoidinga criminal one."
Wishful thinking I'm afraid - just look at the Nats who've got into power, this Sandi Thom nonsense is just the latest example of how they use other people's money to reward their friends. Look at Nigel Don's "convenient" house move that qualified him for a massive mortgage allowance just before it was abolished, or Kenny Gibson claiming £10k in travel down the M8 plus £6,648 for accommodation in Edinburgh. Obviously someone like (LibDem) Tavish Scott will have huge travel costs because he represents Shetland, but some of the others seem to be taking the mick. And the Nats seem at least as eager to put their family on the payroll. So I wouldn't get too complacent about the Nats.
The real problem is that so many politicians have no experience of the real world, where you mind every penny. Last week's episode of the Apprentice was a good example, the girls made more sales but lost because their costs had run out of control. And unfortunately SNP politicians tend have a similar background to Labour, most have had their snouts in the public sector trough all their lives, so they think it's normal for taxpayers to pick up the tab for their excesses. You might have hoped that the Tories would "get it", but even most of them are no better these days, exemplified by that oaf Pickles. It's no surprise that his background is in local government.
So it's not really a party political issue, all the parties are at it. There are obviously individual exceptions - a good example is Philip Hollobone, MP for Kettering - the only MP who doesn't employ any staff. John Young, MSP for the West of Scotland claims the least of anyone at Holyrood. That Hannan bloke seems to get it as well, plus the likes of Teather for the LibDems. But it's depressing that these people are the exception rather than the norm. Not just because of a few million on expenses, but the culture that says taxpayers' money is there to be frittered away.
I'm a big fan of "regionalisation" for bringing politics closer to the people, and I admire a lot of things about Scottish politics. But it really depresses me the way that Holyrood seems to have brought out the worst excesses of local government fatcats, and that there's not an effective voice representing the taxpayer to say "Hold on - that's our money not yours, stop wasting it".
El Sid
I'm a big fan of "regionalisation" for bringing politics closer to the people, and I admire a lot of things about Scottish politics. But it really depresses me the way that Holyrood seems to have brought out the worst excesses of local government fatcats, and that there's not an effective voice representing the taxpayer to say "Hold on - that's our money not yours, stop wasting it".
You should have a look at Denmark, I did and occasionally, still have to.
It is very much a bottom up democracy, maybe too much democracy but, they like it.
Terribly civilised they are, and all inclusive too.
I cannot be there for more that 2 weeks at a stretch without taking a ferryboat to Germany, having a good drink, a good belch and rumbler, and a pish in the street.
Make me feel all good and in control of my life and bodily functions.
Born anarchist maybe me?
Sub could you please read my e-mail and comment as appropriate?
Bisous
FC, have done.
el-sid although I appreciate you saying the SNP have their noses in the trough I have to defend a couple of MSPs who have employed family. Nicola Sturgeon's sister worked with her for years when the SNP were in opposition, similarly Alex Neil's wife has been his secretary for many years.
As for John Swinney employing Ian Hudghton's son yes that's true, but Fraser has worked all through his university holidays free of charge for John Swinney or if he was given anything it came out of John's pocket. You can't truthfully say that's corruption. The Hudghtons are a political family although Lily (the mother) was a school secretary before she worked for Ian.
Personally if I was an MSP I know the friends I would want to work with me and you would think that wrong. If I had the choice, as MSPs and PMs do, then I would use friends rather than have the bother of training someone only to find, after a couple of years, they move on.
Subrosa,
This sad state of affairs has to stop. Great to see MSPs taking a pay freeze. I offered but have Maintenance to pay so they've given us 2.8% - I'm humbled, mind you I given enough to charity!
What I can't stand is the backsheesh that goes on in Europe and that's why I want us Independent and outside the EU.
Labour = underachievement!
A'domani
CD
I'm a wee bit disappointed the Scottish government didn't freeze ministers' pay earlier CD but you're right, it's got to stop all this misuse of public money.
I don't want Scotland fully in the EU I'd prefer trade agreements rather like Norway and Switzerland. We've had enough of being tied to a big ugly domineering brother.
Congrats on your pay rise. All of you deserve it. Mind you the messing bills will increase by 8% and that's your rise back to the MOD. There's never justice.
brownie.........I defer to your recent youthful knowledge of Subrosa. I still claim blogger superiority, though!
Subrosa, it was a super lunch but yes, marred by the realisation these monsters were once human.
How come Virgin Media charge her £70 a month when most folk pay about £30 or less ?
Perhaps she has addition packages such as sport etc., that's all I can think of banned.
I feel that MP's should not be allowed to employ their own family. It just makes the whole system open to abuse as was proved last year with the Tory MP Derek Conway. He claimed for employing his son who was actually a full time Uni student and not able to do any real work for him at all!
Hello DR, if I remember Conway paid both of his sons plus one of his son's pals.
Yes it's obviously open to abuse and, if life was fair, it should stop but I'd prefer if their expenses were stopped first and a reduced defined allowance made for offices and staff.
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