The Sun discovered that fat-cat politicians claimed for an astonishing array of goods and services – from designer furniture to manure.
Pint-sized minister Hazel Blears claimed £14,000 in expenses – charging taxpayers for everything from a luxury bed to three Kit Kat chunkies.
The expenses claimed ranged from trivial items such as biscuits, a trouser press and, in one case, a box of sanitary towels — to the sublime. One Conservative MP reportedly charged taxpayers to repair a pipe under the private tennis court at his home, while another is alleged to have charged for the cleaning of the family moat –
Not forgetting Tory MP Sir Peter Viggers who claimed £1,645 on expenses for his now legendry floating duck island.
Gordon Brown said the system was at fault.
You’re damned right about that Gordon.
The system is a joke, but there’s actually nothing we can do about it, and nor can Gordon in reality. You see, there is no real democracy – parliament is a closed shop. Yes, the politicians are all shouting out about their disgust and how it’s all got to change – but quietly they don’t want to shoot themselves in the foot. They’re onto a winner and they know it. They couldn’t care less that we have to pay for it all.
In reality why the hell should MP’s have their council tax paid – they came up with the bright idea to start with!
If the rules were changed and an MP received no expenses at all – just a straight salary of around £65,000 as it is today, are you seriously telling me we couldn’t find one sensible person in each constituency who would manage to drag themselves to work each day. I, for one, will happily stand for my area tomorrow – I reckon I could struggle into Westminster for that. Of course I wouldn’t make it through the selection process unless I was a woman or wearing a turban – that’s democracy.
People will argue that we couldn’t get top class MP’s unless we pay all their bills – Don’t make me laugh – have you seen the crowd we’ve got running the country – I wouldn’t trust them to run a bath.
Here’s a few more chestnuts: Phil Hope, care services minister, claims more than £37,000 in just over four years to furnish and refurbish a tiny one bed-room flat and says he has acted entirely within the rules laid down by Parliament.
Shadow climate change minister Greg Barker makes over £320,000 in just over two years buying and selling a Chelsea flat bought with the help of expenses. His spokesman says ‘all claims were entirely legitimate and within the rules’.
Labour backbencher Margaret Moran spends £22,500 treating dry rot at her seaside house a hundred miles from her Luton constituency days after switching – or flipping – her second home there. She has failed to comment.
MP’s are supposed to only claim expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of parliamentary duties. Now, if they need to stay in London the night lets book them into Travelodge like everyone else – Do they all need a second home in Chelsea?
They’re robbing us blind.
When the pathetic Tax Credit system was introduced, people were claiming the wrong amounts, often by accident, only to be forced to repay the lot – no nicety involved – pay up or get dragged into court – and now they want us to show understanding as they accidently fill their pockets.
No way.