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Original poster

MPs' expenses: now it's the Tories' turn...

104 replies

policywonk · 09/05/2009 15:36

here

More to come - how long are the Telegraph going to string this one out, I wonder? Apparently they paid a six-figure sum for the leak so I guess they want to get their money's worth.

OP posts:
DorisIsAPinkDragon · 12/05/2009 16:34

PW - that's been known about for years, it was a political statement (or so dh informs me )

EffieGadsby · 12/05/2009 16:35

Stephen Fry really annoyed me on the news last night, when he was going on about how the media have blown up the expenses issue. He misses the somewhat important point that journalists' expenses are not funded by the public purse, whereas MPs' expens claims are. I couldn't give a monkeys how much people abuse their expense accounts, if I don't contribute towards it. Why should I? But I do object to MPs taking the piss when I have to pay towards it.

Original poster
policywonk · 12/05/2009 16:57

Yes, fair point Effie

I don't think I ever have fiddled expenses, actually. I've always had to provide receipts for absolutely everything. And now that I'm self-employed, I'm rather scrupulous, if I do say so myself

Doris - I didn't know that. How is it a political statement then? Just a general two fingers at the British taxpayer?

Sarah - yes, 'bourgeois' is just another way of being insulting about the middle classes, isn't it? I think we need a middle class liberation campaign. We're attired in natural fibres and proud of it!

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Original poster
policywonk · 12/05/2009 16:57

Excessive grinnage, sorry.

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DorisIsAPinkDragon · 12/05/2009 17:03

PW-I believe so but this is second hand info, dh being more awake for newsnight on a regular basis than I

DH also suggests that SF has been to prison for credit card fraud sop not the most objective commentator on fiddling the system maybe.

Original poster
policywonk · 12/05/2009 17:06

Yes that's true, he's a born criminal.

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ilovemydogandMrObama · 12/05/2009 17:12

hillarious about moat dredging

Original poster
policywonk · 12/05/2009 17:16

Somebody on Twitter has just pointed out to me that 'moat-dredging' and 'helipad shrubbery' both sound like euphemisms.

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DorisIsAPinkDragon · 12/05/2009 17:25

now PW that is really worthy of a full on belly laugh!

ilovemydogandMrObama · 12/05/2009 17:30

Love the 'between second homes' from Alistair Darling as he claimed hotel expenses while his second home was being renovated...

Wonder what 'moat dredging is a euphemism for? The mind boggles.

DorisIsAPinkDragon · 12/05/2009 17:31

DH has just come home with our local MP's expense claims ( from the BBC website apparently) he only claimed £22,096 on his second home (I guess I should be grateful) but managed to claim £92,786 on staff and another £18,412 on an office plus £12,960 for travel (that's the the only one I really don't have a problem with as we live Waaaay down south).

His total claims came in at £153,644 on top of his salary, I just not convinced of value for money.

DorisIsAPinkDragon · 12/05/2009 17:33

I'm

pointydog · 12/05/2009 17:35

I've gone right off SF over the past few years. He's such a pompous arse. Everyone drifts off into a coma when they have to listen to him spouting on QI.

foxinsocks · 12/05/2009 17:38

re your point about expenses PW, my MP (a Lib Dem) has always published his expenses with the reasoning that we are funding them and have a right to know!

I do think those that have not been taking the piss have really gone up in my estimation.

I HOWLED at the draining of the moat.

foxinsocks · 12/05/2009 17:39

think that's quite normal for staff Doris. They would usually have a few full time and a few part time people working for them.

EffieGadsby · 12/05/2009 17:50

On the staff issue, it does seem a little unreasonable that they can just employ their spouses and kids, and we have to foot the bill for topping up the family income even more. For other public sector posts, it's pretty normal to have a very open recruitment process, so it can clearly be proved that the person appointed was the best candidate for the job. I don't see why MPs can just give their secretarial jobs to their wives and husbands.

Original poster
policywonk · 12/05/2009 17:52
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Original poster
policywonk · 12/05/2009 17:55

Yes, good point about the recruitment process I think.

Did anyone read Gordon Brown's sister-in-law on the cleaner claim in yesterday's Guardian? I thought she made a good case.

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Ponders · 12/05/2009 17:57

Yes, she made an excellent case, it's sad that she needed to when the same information was available at the very start but it made such a much better story without the facts

Original poster
policywonk · 12/05/2009 18:01

Yes - the whole thing seems eminently justifiable. Yet people are still saying (eg John Pienaar on Radio 5 today) 'Will Brown pay it back?' - well, why the hell should he? He's probably the only person in Parliament who had such an equitable contract with a domestic worker - it's one of the few things he's got right recently.

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pointydog · 12/05/2009 18:06

I quite like Alan Davies and I really like David Mitchell but I just can't stand Fry's prissy face on that programme, telling us things we really cannot be bothered to listen to.

pointydog · 12/05/2009 18:06

you are so sensible, wonks

Original poster
policywonk · 12/05/2009 18:07

David Mitchell is a living divine, it's true.

Apparently the LibDem dirt is coming out tomorrow.

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Original poster
policywonk · 12/05/2009 18:08

Yup. Look up 'sensible' in the dictionary, and there I am.

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Itsjustafleshwound · 12/05/2009 18:09

If the Times and the Populus poll are to believed, it looks like the Lib Dems have benefitted ... as has the BNP!!

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