Frederick Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 No doubt he will be in the heavily subsidised Commons bars right now buying rounds on his expenses and drumming up support for himself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thibault Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Several pages back, Will made a comment about Norman Baker and how good he was at pointing out problems in the other two main parties.I would have more respect for Norman Baker if he had also made similar points about the Lib Dems (his own party) and the money they received from a convicted fraudster (something like a couple of million) who was not even entitled to donate to UK parties. They have not repaid this money. I know they said they received the money in "good faith" however, surely it is the principle here and they should repay it.I am afraid that Norman's "white knight" behaviour only applies to other parties, not his own. I am worried about some MPs health - today, it was revealed that Eliot Morely forgot for 18 months that he had paid off his mortage and continued to claim £800 per month. Two weeks ago, lightening struck him and he remembered this was a mistake and paid back the money. Hmmmmm - would the sudden regaining of memory have anything to do with getting lists of expenses to redact them before they were released to the public? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedon Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I suppose you could look at it in this way. If you do a bit of shoplifting or rob a post-office and then get caught, just say sorry and hand the goods back or offer to pay back the money. It'll perhaps have the effect at reducing the numbers of people going to prison and save on the courts time. Today Lord Taylor has been found guilty of offering to accept money in exchange for using his influence to block changes of law. I bet he is shaking in his boots at facing the possibility of being suspended for, up to, six months from the House of Lords? Even as we speak I imagine he is scanning the rule book to see if he can claim for his extra electricity bill at home instead of being able to fall asleep in the Lords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Here's the first one to fall on his sword.http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKTRE54A0X920090514 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Skuldugery in Parliament is one thing but, Scumbaggery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Oh what a witty phrase you turn, Sweets: what a witty phrase![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 How can we now tell Mugabe and other African leaders with their hands in the aid till they are naughty boys..They will just say they were taught by UK experts . It will undermine all the work being done in their countries to overcome their corrupt ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 [quote user="sweet 17"]Skuldugery in Parliament is one thing but, Scumbaggery?[/quote]I love made up words and this must be one of the best ever. [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Here is another one for you Benjamin "Shreddugery " ...Tony Blairs expenses claims for the past few years have accidently been destroyed !!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 So,.... not the Moat Parliament but the 'Scumbag Parliament'......works for me, even 'Scumbag-gate' does it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 "The Peasant's Revolt Part II" has a sort of "1066 And All That" ring to it, for older devotees of Sellars and Yeatman......................[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 It is interesting to compare the behaviour of the British MPs in this respect with that of General de Gaulle:"Le couple DeGaulle payait tout ce qui ne touchait pas à la fonctionprésidentiel de leur poche . Tous leurs repas personnels étaient payéspar eux il payait même sa note d'EDF de l'Elysée"General de Gaulle and his wife paid everything that didn't concern his official function of of their own pocket.They paid for own their meals and even the Electricity bill.."Can't say the same for present incumbent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Or any of his predecessors. Norman, dont be selective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Here is a name to conjure with ...... Martin Bell ...... where are you when your country needs you? So far, there has been no mention of Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein has, I think, two elected Members of Parliament. Although elected they refuse to attend the Westminster parliament but claim for the rent of London accommodation. Are they:(a) Freeloaders who should be exposed for their corrupt activities like any other errant MPs?(b) Noble Soldiers of the Irish Cause fighting the despised enemy in a covert manner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Any one watch Question Time last night ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 [quote user="Russethouse"]Any one watch Question Time last night ?[/quote]Sorry, but I didn't. Tell us about it.I was too busy rolling around with mirth having watched Chanel 4's 7.00 pm news where a LibDem, Huhne(?) said that as he had to go to meetings looking smart he couldn't see why £200 for a trouser press (which he's agreed to pay back) wasn't a legitimate claim.I thought back to when I worked and was expected to turn up for work and meet clients wearing a suit. Not one employer ever offerred to buy me a trouser press. [:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 [quote user="Clarkkent"] Sinn Fein has, I think, two elected Members of Parliament. Although elected they refuse to attend the Westminster parliament but claim for the rent of London accommodation.[/quote]You are right the two 'people' concerned have never entered the HOC although they are elected MP's and are entitled to do so. I am sure I saw a figure of £500k in one of the papers that they have claimed in total over the years. What the breakdown of this amount is I do not know, I am sure if you 'googled' around a bit you can find out. I wonder if they also use the £7k for HOC headed letters and prepaid envelopes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 I believe so far about £130k has been handed back to the tax payer and the Inland Revenue. Still a pea in the ocean, must be about 1.5% of whats been claimed by them all.The guy who claimed for his mortgage after he had paid it off in my opinion should be taken to court and prosecuted for fraud. I mean one or two accidental claims OK but a whole years worth and then to say it was an accident/oversight, I don't think so, he saw an opportunity, nobody questioned him so he carried on. He's a fraudster and a cheat plain and simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Quillan you are quite right .....but...when such an investigastion is carried out they know very well there is a paper trail to sort through ..Paper that has been through the hands of lots of Westminster employees ..These employees will be interviewed and statements taken and if they have cleared dodgy payments then they may face charges .also they will spill shed loads of beans ....and that they will do anything to avoid !. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Mr Adams was interviewed last week when it was put to him that he was claiming £3,600 per month for the rent of a two bedroomed London flat that a local estate agent estimated should have been costing £1,500 pcm. In his normal style he waffled around without ever getting anywhere near answering the question.As for legal action being taken I'll refer again to last night's Channel 4 news programme. A panel of ordinary people were questioning three M P's. One of the audience was a Magistrate and he made the point very strongly that apologising and paying the money back was no excuse to evade the due process of the law.The pressure group The Tax Payers Alliance have made complaints to the police and have said that if the police don't take any action they will be looking to bring private prosecutions against these people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 From Question time : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8051222.stmThe clip is fairly short but the mood shown went on throughout the program, sadly they didn't really get to the question of the speaker..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 [quote user="Benjamin"]The pressure group The Tax Payers Alliance ...[/quote]They are a Conservative support group and have 'joined forces with the Daily Mail" (http://www.taxpayersalliance.com/)Will they bring them all to book, regardless of political allegiance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterG Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Have I got this right………….? The Commons Select Committee is lambasting the greedy bonus culture of the banks and saying it needs to be overhauled. Who's on this committee, non other than our valued and honest MP’s who would not even think of increasing their income by other means. Kettle black…..Black kettle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 [quote user="Russethouse"]From Question time : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8051222.stmThe clip is fairly short but the mood shown went on throughout the program, sadly they didn't really get to the question of the speaker.....[/quote]There wasn't any heckling on CH 4 but the mood of the audience was very much on a par. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 [quote user="Clair"][quote user="Benjamin"]The pressure group The Tax Payers Alliance ...[/quote]They are a Conservative support group and have 'joined forces with the Daily Mail" (http://www.taxpayersalliance.com/)Will they bring them all to book, regardless of political allegiance?[/quote]Interesting that Clair and I wasn't aware of their connection to the Tories. we'll have to wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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