MP's Expenses

Howzat · 28-04-2009, 11:42 AM

What is the current situation with MP's expenses? From what I have read today, there is going to be a vote to see if the second home allowance will be scrapped in favour of a set rate for overnight stays.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't it a bit obvious what the outcome of the vote will be? Will MP's want to give up the thousands of pounds they can claim each year in favour of much less? Seems to be a bit of a no-brainer to me!

curleyted · 28-04-2009, 12:29 PM

They're not voting on it, El Gordo realised that no-one was going to vote for it but backtracked... only in political speak he didn't really backtrack, even though he stopped the vote on it.

Funnily enough, in denying that he was backtracking Captain Gord stated that they had already made significant advances in reforming expenses, including restricting second home claims for those 20 miles from Parliament. 20 miles??? Ever heard of the train?

Incidentally, watch this hypnotic video of our illustrious leader where someone is clearly off camera reminding him to smile every 30 seconds (about 1 minute 50 seconds in is the highlight).

Beefy198 · 28-04-2009, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curleyted

Incidentally, watch this hypnotic video of our illustrious leader where someone is clearly off camera reminding him to smile every 30 seconds (about 1 minute 50 seconds in is the highlight).

You missed out the link - I presume you mean this one?

http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19060

It was on Have I Got News For You the other night - funny as ****.

Incidentally, on the same site for a later news story Mr Brown said "British people need to show their skills to the world during a speech to young people in London today.

The Prime Minister called for a “talent challenge” around the country as he visited the headquarters of the Prince’s Trust."

What and get hit by a 50% tax rate?

The SMG · 28-04-2009, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beefy198

You missed out the link - I presume you mean this one?

http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19060

It was on Have I Got News For You the other night - funny as ****.

Incidentally, on the same site for a later news story Mr Brown said "British people need to show their skills to the world during a speech to young people in London today.

The Prime Minister called for a “talent challenge” around the country as he visited the headquarters of the Prince’s Trust."

What and get hit by a 50% tax rate?

I doubt many contractors will be paying 50%. If they know what they're doing, it'll be small salary (c 10K per annum), expenses and the rest in tax efficient dividends. Take home 80% - your uncle Bob

G

Beefy198 · 28-04-2009, 10:14 PM

I was talking about enterprise in general. And don't forget that the government, through shades of grey such as IR35 legislation, are trying to stop as many people as possible paying through dividends.

Beefy198 · 28-04-2009, 10:18 PM

And in other news, MPs wine and dine using our tax money on expensive bottles of wine.

39,500 bottles worth £792,000 - that's over twenty quid a bottle on average. Nice to see our tax money being spent wisely.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8023745.stm

curleyted · 29-04-2009, 11:59 AM

In the vein of ShortStraw posting a link to the Daily Mash, here's one of their stories relevant to MP's expenses:

BROWN SOMEHOW MANAGES TO MAKE TOTAL **** OF MPs' EXPENSES

Quote:

Julia Cook, professor of politics at Reading University, said: "I've been up all night racking my brains and I cannot, for the life of me, work out how he managed to **** this up.

"The key task here was to stop giving MPs lots and lots of free money, or at least make sure that when they got the free money they didn't use it to take the utter ****.

"But what he has actually done is guarantee them even more free money while at the same time - and this is the bit that I love - making it even easier for them to take the ****."

She added: "For a man who has set new benchmarks in being an unmitigated ****ing catastrophe, this could be the crowning moment of his career."

A Downing Street spokesman said: "I don't suppose you've got any jobs going? Please help me."

Clearly, they've just written what all the media have wanted to write.

Azeey · 09-05-2009, 01:07 PM

When an MP talks about ID cards, he or she will often, in a roundabout way, say "if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to worry about".

So... it begs the question... why are they so concerned about the leaks happening around their expenses?

Azeey · 09-05-2009, 01:10 PM

Quote:

The Telegraph also has details of the expenses of Keith Vaz, a former minister who now chairs the home affairs select committee.

Mr Vaz reportedly claimed £75,000 for a Westminster flat although his family's home is 12 miles away in Stanmore.

He said that he had acted within the rules. He added that his designated home was in his Leicester constituency, the Westminster flat was his second home, and he made no claims for the home in Stanmore where his family lives.

When will they learn? It doesn't matter if they act within the rules, in this case it doesn't matter that he doesn't claim for the home where his family lives, the public abhor the idea that they can have three properties and profit like this. What is so unrealistic about him commuting in from Stanmore and saving public funds?

curleyted · 09-05-2009, 06:59 PM

It doesn't get any better, does it?

I think the paper, despite releasing this information earlier than expected, should be given immunity as this information is clearly in the public interest. The only people moaning about the release of this information at the MPs that have been left with eggs on their faces... no wonder they wanted to exclude all of this from freedom of information rules.