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

258 replies

policywonk · 19/05/2009 17:15

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.

OP posts:
LeninGrad · 20/05/2009 22:54

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LeninGrad · 20/05/2009 22:56

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theyoungvisiter · 20/05/2009 22:56

Oh god. Will they all have to wear white suits a la Martin Bell?

The sheer sanctimoniousness of question time will be unbearable - can you imagine ER barracking - shudder shudder

LeninGrad · 20/05/2009 22:58

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BecauseImWorthIt · 20/05/2009 23:00

Brill. Well done, PW. Very proud that you were there today, representing MN and all that we stand for. Hun.

ronshar · 20/05/2009 23:01

I think ER has just announced her intention to run for parliament at next GE.
Interesting. I loved her in that ancestors programme.

I have no idea who our MEP is. Our local council has been kneecapped by the government for years. Massive underfunding. We have a nasty Lib party and a con party run by the usual charactatures, a major with big moustache, local business man and his plastic put up daughter, a man who is on lots of commitees and has a very dubious desicion making process.
Not much of an incentive to vote really. And I always vote.

ronshar · 20/05/2009 23:04

Maybe I should check my spelling a little closer

PW, what exactly did Julia apologise for?

LupusinaLlamasuit · 20/05/2009 23:07

read my thread

policywonk · 20/05/2009 23:08

Thanks all, hello BIWI

YV, it could be awful or it could be great. I was heartened that, broadly, the lefties (HK and NB) thought the whole scandal will have a positive outcome.

Ron, she apologised for appearing to imply that mothers could only be interested in other mothers. I think.

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policywonk · 20/05/2009 23:09

Which one is it - the one about how long it takes you to reach orgasm?

Is the quacking a clue?

Do you quack when you cum?

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LupusinaLlamasuit · 20/05/2009 23:10

here

LupusinaLlamasuit · 20/05/2009 23:11

You must have me confused with another llama.

I never orgasm. Too many fecking kids.

And swine flu.

policywonk · 20/05/2009 23:12

Ooh YV, COMPLETELY agree with what you're saying on that Hazel Blears thread.

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MollieO · 20/05/2009 23:18

To answer your question from hours ago PW (have been distracted by writing out 5yr old party invites). I like the fact that our constitution is shaped by experience. I also don't like the various hijacking of constitutional rights that is endemic in the USA - eg NRA and the right to bear arms.

If you have a written constitution then you are on a slippery slope towards an elected judiciary and all that that entails.

funnypeculiar · 20/05/2009 23:22

Fabulous, pw - well done on your swotty efficient two questions.

Esther has apparently confirmed that she will be standing at the next election, btw www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/3626938/esther-rantzen-mp.thtml

policywonk · 20/05/2009 23:26

Thanks fp

LOL at the third comment down on that link: 'Its a very good idea that she's standing. And when no-one votes for her perhaps at long last she and her agent will go away and leave us alone.'

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noopska · 20/05/2009 23:27

went onto mumsnet as i had been missing the G20 thread so thanks for this

mumsnet as a political force.. nice one pw for represnting so well once more

thought you might like to know when i went out onto the roof at the houses of parliament there was men in costumes drinking wine out of silver goblets

policywonk · 20/05/2009 23:37

Thanks noopska. Were they throwing paupers off the roof as well?

I probably should go to bed now. Thanks for letting me do this today, was very interesting. Even though I made the wrong turning at Embankment tube, walked all the way up to Temple, and had to turn around and walk all the way back again. In uncomfortable shoes in slightly humid weather.

On the upside, I got my preferred trousers on and my fastenings did not ping across the room as I had been fearing.

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SomeGuy · 21/05/2009 01:29

I had the (ex) leader of the NF teach me Politics A Level. I got an A (can't remember the board, sorry).

AnguaVonUberwald · 21/05/2009 06:35

Are all the MPs who are leaving office in disgrace going to get their full pensions? No one seems to be talking about this, but I think they can get full pensions after one term (which is shocking in itself and should be changed) so they should definatly not get them if they are forced out!

theyoungvisiter · 21/05/2009 07:49

sorry, went to bed but thank you for the thumbs up on the Blears thread, PW. I was beginning to feel like the only person on MN who thought a politican's actions were more important than odgy dye-jobs (though I know that's not true really - it just felt like it for a second).

edam · 21/05/2009 09:49

Btw, comparison with they pay of GPs is a bit misleading. It's only partners in GP practices who earn anything like £100k - basically they have bought a share in the GP practice, taking out a mortgage to do so. The partners kind of divvy up what the practice earns, deduct costs such as staff, equipment and premises, and take a share of the profits.

But a huge proportion of GPs are salaried doctors, who don't own the practice, and earn well under £100k, let alone £150k. They aren't exactly on the minimum wage, but comparing MP pay against the very few top earners in any other profession is a bit of skulduggery.

Btw, those GPs who do earn ££££s do it as a result of a new contract agreed by particularly stupid government + civil servants who thought it was a good idea to tell GPs what to do - they have boxes to tick and if they tick enough of them (putting all patients with heart disease on a register and getting people's cholesterol levels down) they get money.

Ministers and civil servants failed to realise GPs are a. very bright and b. small businessmen/women good at extracting the most from any system. And c. pissed off by being treated like robots.

They thought GPs were crap and would struggle to hit the targets. Completely underestimated what GPs were already doing and set the targets too low.

So it is entirely the government's fault that GP pay for prinicpals has gone up hugely!

edam · 21/05/2009 09:50

(Am not a GP btw, and do not earn anything like the same amounts.)

GivePeasAChance · 21/05/2009 10:20

I keep missing the MN political activist threads and by the time I get here there are thousands of incredible intelligent posts that do not do for skim reading..............

However, all sounds fabulously exciting PW - well done !

Just on the expenses thing............I know that this is endemic in the system - local councillors are also claiming obscene amounts and treating expenses as a way to up their salaries......and so this is going to rumble on for a long time.

And personally, the only thing that needs changing is the transparency. The system is absolutely fine IMHO. They are not allowed to claim for things which are not needed to complete their duties as MPs. And I am guessing that a duck island (WTF?) doesn't help someone do their MP duties ! So, so long as there is transparency, for me the system is fine.

As for those whose integrity is questioned. Just get them out. There is no justification and no "it's the system's fault" and "it was within the rules". It wasn't. They were broken and get them out.

LeninGrad · 21/05/2009 11:22

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