Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
I didnt write about this before, was tempted, but financial skullduggery and shenanigans happens now with such tiresome regularity that if one wasnt so mad one would stifle a yawn. McNulty, government employment minister, has at this stage claimed more than £60,000 for a second house that lies less than 11 miles from parliament itself, the house his parents live in.
"I use it for constituency business two or three times a week!" says McNulty with a straight face, while shacking up in another residence less than 9 miles from parliament, and less than 9 miles from the first house. But of course okay... it is legit to claim for a second residence...but the traditional home of your parents?? and so near to your other home?? and so near the Houses of Parliament itself?? I mean...come along you milkers!! The defence by him and countless others is that they are within the rules. But, its an understatement at this juncture to say that the rules need tightening!!
Now its been announced today that the watchdog committeee or similar will look at a review. First they were going to, then the werent, now they are going to again. Jeezez wept....these guys are regulating themselves.
Of course this fiddling has always been going on to some degree, I even saw similar referred to in a re-run of the legendary House of Cards the other day, but its a raw festering sore right now. While the rest of us lose jobs by the truckload in this withering recession, these guys dont hardly notice, because their gregarious heads are stuck so deep deep down in the feeding trough!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i think that people just expect it now, and fails to have shock value.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
That is a sad comment howard. We should not accept it and should expect better from MPs of all Parties.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
true all mp,s are milking one way or another.
This infuriates me. Tax payers' money should be sacred, not there just to provide a free-for-all pot of cash for dodgy MPs. Yes it does happen a lot, and yes as a news story it probably does get boring. But surely the corrupt and greedy will use our apathy to their advantage which is why we must never accept it and always challenge it.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
yes barry, it is a sad comment.
i listen to people giving their opinions, and the general concensus is that all political and banking snouts are in the trough at the expense of the taxpayer.
in the original post paul pointed out that there is only policing from the inside.
it is fairly predictable that an enquiry will go and on until we have all forgotten about it.
with regards to the latest alleged skullduggery, can anyone imagine going to their employer and saying that they could not handle the travel from dover to deal on a daily basis for 30 weeks per year, therefore the employer should pay the rent on a house in deal?
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
That last paragraph is very telling Howard. And similarly millions of commuting Londoners must be totally aggrieved. They all go through the commuting rat race everyday some from quite a way out of town, and nobody is paying for or offering them a second home nearer their job, in fact a second home would be a pipedream. The MP's are supposed to be representative.
McNulty also has an office (yes a third establishment) a short way down the road from his parents home, the one he claimed the £60,000 for. So clearly wouldnt need or use this second home.
This is all rather disappointing. I saw this guy on Question Time just a few weeks back and I thought he was an excellent politician on the rise. He was probably at the time passing comments on other peoples expense claims, but underneath he was in the trough himself. Thats the problem. Who can you turn to for a genuine comment? The guy making the comment will possibly be the next expense scandal revelation.
I have been commuting by car to London from Dover daily for over 2 years. Pay me. Buy me a house. Pay my rent. Gimmee.
Unregistered User
By car Bern? Don't you come home drained?
yup.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
today it was announced in the tory ladies paper that MP's were willing to forgo their second home allowance in exchange for a 40 grand pay rise.
this is at a time when other public sector workers are facing a pay freeze.
i will be passing the bucket around later for our poor old honourable members, please give what you can afford.
squatting on the will not be allowed.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
MPs should lead the way with a pay cut. Even a small one of 5% would set a good example.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,696
The following are long overdue:
Our politicians taking a pay cut
Civil and public servants taking a pay freeze
Civil and public service pensions being overhauled in line with the prevailing norms
Particularly in light of:
Most private sector firms enforcing pay freezes - most people in my firm received no pay rise and much reduced or even no bonus
Most private sector firms have pushed through rate cuts for contractors - anything between 10 & 30%
Almost all private sector firms have closed final salry pension schemes and put staff on money purchase schemes.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
Im at 1 with barryw here this has gone on to long and no signs of improvement and all its doing is switching even more people off politics and thats sad
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Like minds, Ross you are 100% right on all the points in your last post. And, keith
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
As we all agree this is wrong and I'm sure people up and down the Country do as well; MP's are blind to any moral code, which as our representatives, is doubly sad - out and out greed and "I've not broken any rules, so there"
Being policed by themselves doesn't help their reputation, nor does the fact that they are happy to keep taking our money when they are already over paid. Another £40,000 indeed, what planet are they on for goodness sake ?
Roger
Ross, Keith BarryW
. If Government represents and is responsive to The People, why have they not already taken the lead here? It is clear how The People feel - it's not difficult to predict! - and it is impossible to see why MPs etc should feel they can be treated differently to us ordinary folk who have to "get on our bikes" and find work wherever and suck up the travel.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
mr mcmoney still insists he will not hand a penny back.
this individual is the employment minister whilst millions are in fear of their jobs.
maybe it is time for a revolution?
over to you citizen keith.
Come the revolution Brothers and Sisters!!! Frankly there is a bit of a groundswell - what with the taxes proposed on booze, the MPs and MEPs soaking us and the rampant capitalism roaming our streets there is a high level of anger. Remember the Poll Tax riots........................
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Although we have had a number of Labour bigwigs involved in this rule bending and pocket lining, it was always disappointing re Jacqui Smith and now McMulti, who are or were respected politicians, we also have those on the Conservative side too and I expect there are many stories not yet told.
Eric Pickles on the BBC TVs Question Time last night stated, to boos from the audience, that although he only lives 30 or so miles from the House of Commons he too has a second home. Poor old Eric's PR is appalling, he tied himself in knots by saying he had to get up in the morning and commute, woe woe thrice woe, all the while forgeting that almost everyone else does the same thing. It did NOT go down well with the audience. Eric Pickles is a Conservative.
There is clearly a danger among MP's that they get totally removed from real life in the hallowed halls. I fear thats the case.