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Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 2:47 pm
by Shallot Man
Make all MP's self employed, let the tax man sort out the expenses.
Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:25 am
by Johnboy
Yet another claim for interest payments on a non-existing mortgage and this time my local MP, a very wealthy person without anything to do with Parliament. He says that it was an administration error! My arse!!
Pray tell me how you can calculate what you claim from non-existing figures. To me it is very clear that he set out to deceive.
I you or I did the same thing we would be charged with deception which carries a custodial sentence. I wonder what will happen in this case.
My suspicion is that he will receive no more than a slight tap on the wrist.
It will be very interesting to hear what the local Tory Party have to say about the affair! I am going to enjoy asking the awkward questions from those hereabouts who have been waving about the Daily Mail headline 'Hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil' under our noses for the last week or so!
JB.
Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 7:40 am
by Shallot Man
Two things, 1 has any MP not made a claim due to an administrative error ! 2 having an election will not solve anything, same snouts in the trough, different sty.
Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 8:45 am
by peter
When I hear on R4 this morning about an MP claiming for a "Duck House" I genuinely thought a euphemism was being employed.
But no it was a dwelling place for avians.

Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 9:04 am
by KGAdmin
Yes that was fantastic
"I wonder if it's the duck's first or second home?"
Does make you wonder who authorised that claim. I mean, they did have -some- rules - and I fail to see how a floating duck house aided the MP in his duties, or even enhanced his life!
*quack*
KGAdmin
Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 10:46 am
by Shallot Man
Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 10:52 am
by Johnboy
Hi Shallotman,
Your idea of making MP's self-employed would probably have an adverse on the self-employed.
We, the self-employed, would be accused of getting up to all the malarkey that MP's get up to.
As it is if I forget to get a receipt for something to do with my business and therefore cannot account for the expenditure it goes down as income or profit,but generally profit. This means I will have paid a very high rate of tax. My local inspector of taxes will not take any receipt it must also be stamped and signed by the company issuing the receipt. Many places do not have a stamp but just a signature gets thrown out. That is called tough titty you should have bought from somebody who is able to stamp and sign your receipt
Quite frankly, with the malarkey in Parliament, I rather blame those responsible for checking and paying out the money, they must have known for many years what has been going on.
*quack*
JB.
Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 10:58 am
by macmac
You're right J.B.little seems to have been made about the office processing these ridiculous claims,you have to wonder if this mire is deeper than we think?

Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 11:01 am
by Shallot Man
And all the main Party leaders where NOT aware what was going on.
Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 3:40 pm
by alan refail
Oh dear, Johnboy, have you no sympathy for poor confused Mr Wiggins
When you own properties worth between them about one and a half million, it's just sooo easy to get them mixed up

I should know, I'm always doing it
"It was an honest mistake"I take it that this is some special Leominster dialect use of the word "honest" which is not used elsewhere

Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 4:47 pm
by Geoff
In business expenses are signed by senior managers - the usual fiddle is a group goes out together, most junior puts in the expenses and the more senior signs them. But in our company the cashier parted with money as if it was his own so if he didn't like the look of something it went to the chief accountant. In parliament it appears clerks are approving these expenses, perhaps party leaders are going to have to sign everything in future.
Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 6:26 pm
by madasafish
All the companies i worked in had a simple rule:
"senior man pays".
Stopped abuse.
And no payments without receipts - which were checked.
On dodgy claim and your card was marked..
I eventually became Finance Director of a number of companies. If I found something strange on expenses, I would pay the individual no money until my queries had been answered properly. (I had help of course in reviewing claims). So there rarely was any problem as the MDs who also reviewed the expenses before me did not like my finding something they had missed.
And of course HMRC kept you honest as a Tax Inspection was something to be avoided AT ALL COSTS.
The whole MPs's system could be sorted in about 1 day. MPs would not like it of course. but as most appear thieving amoral lying rogues - given latitude with money - I do not find it in my heart to be sorry.
As for personal rules:
Never claim anything you would not like your OH to know about.
And
Assume all your expenses will be published in the local paper.
Kept me honest.
Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 9:43 pm
by lizzie
I think this whole situation is a disgrace, and the lot of them should be investigated by the police. If it was us we'd have had the police and the Fraud Squad grilling us all by now.
I think we should sack the lot of the grasping, greedy gaggle of barstewards. So, for my twopenneth here's who I would like to see in parliament.
Prime Minister : Jeremy Clarkeson or Joanna Lumley
Speaker of the House: Jo Brand or Frankie Boyle
That should liven things up a bit with the EU
Up the revolution Sisters and Brothers

Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 10:20 pm
by Tigger
Have you seen the photos of the said duck house? I want several of them.
Re: Self-serving MPs
Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 6:25 am
by alan refail
Just to balance things up a bit and have a break from the baddies, it's worth a moment having a look at the Telegraph's three part
SAINTS GALLERY