one bed flat for MP's. What about the chidren?

'If only those serving in Iraq or Afghanistan had a one bed flat each'..yeas, my db would like that as he has to share a two man cabin.

The solution to this is simple really. Buy a block of flats. Convert it to bedsits with a wet room. Have a computer terminal, TV point, phone point, desk and easy chair plus bed in the bedroom. Laundry rooms on the landing. Food is taken communally in the equivalent of the in military terms, the mess (canteen with service). Have a bar. Meals and drinks have to be paid for once a month out of your pocket. The cost of the accommodation is free if you are married and maintain a home elsewhere that is not commuting distance. You go home at weekends and holidays. Welcome to the lives of the Armed Forces.

'The Human Rights Act gives everyone (including MPs) the right to a family life' not if you are HM Forces though!

I disagree. They have the right to a family life but that doesn't mean that they have to cohabit 100% of the time. I can't remember the family of any of the armed services insisting on being housed near the front line with their serving spouses. Or what about civvies who get seconded abroad for months at a time?

MPs get family time at the weekends and the recesses. They are not going to win any friends if they try to complain that they only see their family in the recesses - the rest of us only get 4 weeks holidays a year, not 20 weeks!

"They can't bring the Human Rights Act into this, being an MP doesn't mean you can't have a family, what are you on about?
" wrote Darcymum

Read my post properly before posting rude comments.

The Human Rights Act gives everyone (including MPs) the right to a family life - so that's the card they'll paly to get an increase in soze of flat.

Got it now?

I like the idea of MPs having a one-bed in London and their main house in their constituency.
Our MP has her main residence in London and educates her son there which shows how much she loves her constituency/constituents. Not!

My dad used to work in London and rent a one bedroom flat - he also paid for that out of his own wages, he wasn't given expenses for it. When we used to go and visit we would take sleeping bags and sleep on the living room floor.

If the MPs don't like it they can resign and find employment elsewhere.

No I would not take on any employment with this housing arrangement, OP -- not with my family situation. I'd be a bit about people with families who did think it was okay to ditch their family like this.

Does anyone know how much time MPs actually need to spend in London?

They can't bring the Human Rights Act into this, being an MP doesn't mean you can't have a family, what are you on about?

Plenty of parents have to work away from home - of both sexes

Parliament sits for very few weeks of the year overall - there are very long recesses

Why should I as a tax payer house (and feed) the offspring / partners / elderly parents etc of a serving MP - I don't even do that for the Armed Forces.

But you can bet that they'll play the Human Rights Act - the right to a family life and we'll be straight back to square one housing evry MP and their coterie of hangers-on.

MillyMollyMoo - that was just my guess about thow they might work the "single parent" question, I haven't seen any detail of this yet.

i don't see how that would work, having a normal life in two places.. less important for the under 5s, but once you get to school age.. which for a lot of children is 4, then what.. you can't have half the time at one school and go to antoher the rest of the time..

lots of parents work away.. armed forces for example.. hey are more in need of more money and support than MPs

ther eare better ways to encourage women into politics than big free houses/flats. not sure what they are, but offering more free perks is not going ot bring hte repsect of the electorate

i would not vote for a woman MP simply because she is a woman, and not one who wants the big free house

I think the new rules sound very reasonable, I would be happy with that if I was an MP, plus the £70k a year. With regard MPs pay they should just peg it to GPs and Headteachers pay.

If only those serving in Iraq or Afghanistan had a one bed flat each.

I'm sounding resentful of MPs, I'm not and actually think they (maybe) are paid to little. Although I have never earned that much and am quite happy with my lot and don't understand why anyone would want a duck house in the first place.

MP classes themself as a single parent, then they'll be treated as one, even if there is a boyfriend/girlfriend around.

Imagine running that past HMRC tax credits, my husband when he was my boyfriend counted as soon as I was carrying his child despite us not living in the same city 6 nights a week. One rule for them, another rule for the rest of us.

everything to do with parenting. why should the kids of mp#s be deprived in this way?

What about the children of ordinary citizens who live that way day in day out, should they not get a 2 bedroomed family home so that MP's with a choice in the matter, get a 2nd home that accommodates the odd visit ? That is not good/proper use of public funds. If the children want to visit in the week mummy or daddy can give up their bedroom and sleep on the sofa.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8592174.stm - this was the article I saw.

It only vaguely mentions that "MPs with children aged under five, single parents with children under 21 and those caring for disabled children and adults will get extra support" - I would think that means if the MP classes themself as a single parent, then they'll be treated as one, even if there is a boyfriend/girlfriend around.

as someone who is about to live away from the family home for the week, returningon weekends, this is somthing that has been in my mind lots.
I WANT a two bed flat. that way, my kids can come and stay with me during their half term, watching tv etc whilst i am at work during the day, but being able to spend the evening possibly afternoon together. if i live in a one bed flat, or share, then iwont be able to interact with the kids much. nothing to do with male/female. everything to do with parenting. why should the kids of mp#s be deprived in this way?

The point is, that if they want to live as a family, they can have their main residence in London (or commutable), and rent a flat in their consituency on expenses.

Sounds perfectly fair to me. They don't live in the real world of allowable expenses as it is - the hoops that HMRC require of everyone else obv don't apply to them !

I've just read an article - I think it's important to note that they won't be restricted to renting a one-bedroom flat, they will be restricted to claiming for "£1,450 a month - equivalent to a one bed flat" - so, they can rent a larger flat/house if they need or want to, but will have to cover the difference out of their own pocket.

That sounds fair to me - when my DH had to work away from home for several months, his expenses covered a small place, but not a family home for us all.

I may well have to live like that next year whilst I'm studying, 4 days in a city flat and going home to my children at weekends.
How many other jobs could you hold zero qualifications and still be awarded a salary of £60k plus expenses and they are still demanding more, they think they are on par with Dr's and dentists and their salaries should reflect that

i agree with Lulumaam

lots of parents work away from their children for all different sorts of reasons WITHOUT the luxury of a second home

yes, I guess if children are over 5 and at school, the assumption is that it's easier to organise childcare in the place where they're at school rather than bringing them with you to London and having a babysitter there. The question of separation is more one of parliamentary hours etc. IMO.