We're looking for a Mumsnetter to represent us at a 'News Comment Special' about MPs' expenses

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Editorial Intelligence in association with Sky News are inviting a Mumsnetter to attend a panel and group discussion, which will be podcast.

Here's a pdf of the invite so you can see the date/location/panel etc (which includes Helena Kennedy, Norman Baker and Derek Wyatt).

Please throw your names/nominations into the hat. We'd want whoever goes to blog or twitter, or something suitably modern, about the proceedings. It's next Wed, so it needs to be decided fairly swiftly.

I am particularly loving just using the word "moat" in day to day conversation.
it's not a word I use with and frequency and it is just somehow nice to have a new word for a little while.
And agree that the thought of moat dredging does conjure up something a bit dodgey.

And as I am busy on weds- i would bloody love to go myslef- vote for PW as she did such a good job last time

I was indisposed- due to partical blindness but followed it all as much as I could

Tbh, I think alot of them were told it was fine. And actually the rules probably mean it was fine. It was allowed and percieved as fair enough.

The rules suck, stink and are an insult. The way, for example, disability living or council tax reduction claims are dragged to pieces, for a lousy sum of money. Every pound accounted for and questioned.
The arrogance of those houses, to think it is ok to have home cinema systems bought for them, when soldiers don't have bullet proof vests, and children don't have wheelchairs they need.

Argh!
Best of look PW or whoever goes. I'd combust into fury flames.

Do we get to assist in choice of coat for PW?

Does she get one on expenses?

No. Look. IMHO we should pay for MP's homes. It would be prohibitive for ordinary bods to become MPs if they had to fund their own residence, a home in London and possibly somewhere else if family and constituency are not in the same place.

We'd end up - as it used to be - with only rich knobs representing us. And so we should pay for reasonable living expenses to cover accommodation and travel to facilitate this.

That is a principle I utterly agree with because it engenders proper democracy.

But not the wormy, evil, sneaky profiting from the expenses! Which is what we're all so pissed off about surely? Mortgage interest or rent payments only, no fecking wide-screen TVs, home improvements, chandeliers.

The question is simple: when are they going to reform the rules and how are they going to enforce it transparently?

lenninGrad - lady just wants a coat for her trip to the big wigs...sheesh!

Rofl!

Maybe if it goes through the payment office PW can have a Chanel or Stella McCartney number?

I think piss taking abounds. Gits. Old boy network and self policing only works if you have morals and a sense of honour.

You can be told something is fine, but still look to your own moral/ethical code to check, surely?

Lenin -- bet you don't have a Chinese Needlepoint rug that costs £500 to get cleaned

QueenLiz - my point entirely. There isn't one anymore.

On PM the other day a woman from the TaxPayers Alliance said that the "Halls of Residence" idea was used in - as if you couldn't guess - Sweden and Denmark. Tory MP dismissed it by talking about women wanting their children near them (splutter) and the unpleasantness of sharing a bathroom etc etc. But he failed to note what she'd said - that a variety of accom. could be used, such as flats, houses, etc, according to need.

So the Uni accommodation model might not be so bad - Unis have halls, flats, etc, and links with private landlords. Better long term value for the govt who would receive any and all profit if these were ever sold, plus probably cheaper to administer as you don't have endless expenses claims to check.

If it were up to me, any MP within a 1 hour train journey of central London would just be given a season ticket for the train and those outside would be homed in a big block of flats just for MPs.

Yeah, there's no reason - if it were done properly - anyone would have to share a bathroom. And family-friendly flats could be built. Jesus there's only 600+ of them, universities accommodate many more than that.

Two words:

Olympic Village

You wouldn't need to build - buy and refurbish if necessary, have a mix of accom. to suit needs, etc.

Good plan, though, Lupus - they'd all get so fit, too - loads of old gym equipment on hand.

On Question Time last night, Ming the merciless and Tereasa May were in agreement about an accomodation block for MP's, surprise Margaret Beckett looked appalled!

PolicyWonk gets my vote.
(Do you need someone to carry your lovely coat, I will pay my own train fare)

Another vote for PW - so serious yet so glamorous (even when very tired).

I'd like to know how they have the nerve to claim for moat cleaning, BBQ's, hanging baskets, patio's when there's people in this country who sleep on the streets, when we have elderly people her that have worked all their lives and are forced to choose between food or heating etc. What right do they have to represent us as a nation when they milk the tax payer for everything they can get their hands on? They have been told to repay us but how are we to know how long this has been going on? Where's the figures coming from? Surly if this has been going on for years then they should be expected to repay all of it? They expect families on tax credits to do this, why are they excempt?

I think it would be an idea to ring fence the monies repaid, and they should repay all of it that fell outside the rules or outside the spirit of the agreement, and put them towards a valuable statement of a new begining iyswim.

Like paying off my mortgage.

Or perhaps buying books for libraries or some other gesture. Feckers. Mind you that would probably just annoy me too. Feckers.

I do however see a difficulty in the repayment of monies - as so many were told what they were doing was ok. The house its self is at fault. The MP's merely acted like greedy arrogant swines. Not pleasant but probably not breaking a rule. Phht.

If we just gave MPs their own Mumsnet chat topic they could do all the legislating and stuff from their (one) home and save a packet.

Or we could just do it.

Apologies to PW, but please please send LupusinaLlamasuit based on her 16:06 post...& has Hazel confirmed?

Leningrad, because they would only complain that they didnt have the same red button box as the next MP. They would have to get a better one according to how high up they are!

Going back to your earlier post. Do you not find the word Dyke a bit offensive? I was under the impression that was a bit horrid. My sister is a lesbian and I am always unsure what exactly I should say! Probably says more about me!