MPs' expenses: things for policywonk to say if she gets the chance

[policywonk]

So I'm off tomorrow afternoon to this panel discussion thing: here are the details

I'll go through the old thread tonight but post any more stuff here. Y'know, if you want to.

I'm SO OVER MPs' expenses.

That is very interesting, policy. I have been thinking that it was odd that all this should have come via the Telegraph when so many Tories were obviously going to be implicated. It has certainly been extremely effective in taking attention away from the more slippery targets in the financial industry.

btw I see Policy already mentioned Nadine Dorries but did anyone else larf on hearing her speech?

Sooooooo misguided, I almost wondered if the Telegraph had written it for her, just to add fuel to the flames

Nadine Dorries made me cringe. Anthony Steen on the other hand was utterly hilarious.

Policy, I heart you, I do really but this conspiracy theory is only one stop away from Barking.

I think it was Peter York's conspiracy theory, not Policy's, Quattro. What is it particularly that seems so far fetched to you?

V much agree with you, Lenin, about big business and politicians. Would heartily recommend Robert Peston's book "Who Runs Britain" on this subject.

Most journalists don't earn anything like that much. A few star columnists and very senior people on the nationals might.

Think I said further down my friend took a cut to go to a national from a trade mag - he must have been in the early 30ks at Emap, so Mail obviously pays reporters less than that.

One of the magazines I edited was VERY tightfisted. I had someone who was very junior acting up to cover a more senior post while we advertised. My publisher wouldn't let me pay her anything extra for it, all I could get her were some shopping vouchers (£100 IIRC). That's for acting up in a senior role for three months! (She got the job, actually, was v. v. good.)