joke Britain 's economy

[Gaz6002]

 

That's a solution. The trouble is that the way MPs are paid has evolved through the years to where it is now, it's not as simple as just changing everything. It's similar to most of the laws we have, the whole thing is just a compilation of different layers of precident. Whilst a re-shuffle would help, I'm not convinced it's quite that simple.

 

For example, what about MEPs? Where do they come into it? I assure you, they are paid HUGE amounts more than MPs are but you never hear the media chastise them, do you?

[johnny g]

For example, what about MEPs? Where do they come into it? I assure you, they are paid HUGE amounts more than MPs are but you never hear the media chastise them, do you?

 

Very true - but you never hear of them taking the p155 with expenses though?

[extendor]

Wasn't the most recent story covered in the papers about the Home Secretary? She's fairly important

 

Is it really deception? MPs are paid a base amount and there are set ways they can boost this, one of which is to claim for expenses. I don't think it's quite as clear cut as you make out. ..

 

Its a fine line between what is allowed and what is acceptable. Yes it might be allowable but when you scratch away the surface it is apparent that some juggling of the facts and some convenient half truths have been used to gain the most advantage. Therefore what upsets many is the fact that it is not acceptable how some MP's act to get their expenses.

 

Its a question of morals and quite honestly some MP's are rightly accused of having their noses in the trough and you and I fill that trough with our taxes. I can quite easily say that although that stuation may be allowable it is certainly not the act of a decent person and is quite shameful especially for someone who is charged with acting in the best interests of their constituents and the general public.

[Gaz6002]

Very true - but you never hear of them taking the p155 with expenses though?

 

You don't hear about it, however they take the piss anyway because of the way the European Parliament is organised. It's par for the course for MEPs. They have to attend meetings in 2 different European countries every single month, and get cosmically large expense accounts to do so. That's just scratching the surface. I'd dread to think how much more the MEPs claim compared to a lowly MP.

[Gaz6002]

Its a fine line between what is allowed and what is acceptable. Yes it might be allowable but when you scratch away the surface it is apparent that some juggling of the facts and some convenient half truths have been used to gain the most advantage. Therefore what upsets many is the fact that it is not acceptable how some MP's act to get their expenses.

 

Its a question of morals and quite honestly some MP's are rightly accused of having their noses in the trough and you and I fill that trough with our taxes. I can quite easily say that although that stuation may be allowable it is certainly not the act of a decent person and is quite shameful especially for someone who is charged with acting in the best interests of their constituents and the general public.

 

So people's problem is with the dishonesty factor... well I can understand that. It's all down to the media's reporting of the subject though isn't it? It's the slant they put on things in order to create the unrest which sells papers. It would have been just as easy to write a story explaining how MPs are funded and what they can and can not claim for, but that's not as provocative as a headline reading "MPs cheat and lie for your money".

[johnny g]

You don't hear about it, however they take the piss anyway because of the way the European Parliament is organised. It's par for the course for MEPs. They have to attend meetings in 2 different European countries every single month, and get cosmically large expense accounts to do so. That's just scratching the surface. I'd dread to think how much more the MEPs claim compared to a lowly MP.

 

What budget does the MEP expenses come from though?

 

1 MEP, might for arguements sake, claim £300k per year expenses. (Just picked that out the air).

 

There are 646 MP's at the moment I think. Now, if half of them are taking £100k expenses. That's £34,300,000

 

Big difference. Start with the big change first!

[Matt H]

So? Why on earth would you want to live in a country where the polititians are being paid £18k a year? Good luck with that.

 

Some of you guys need to open your eyes... they are making decisions and building policies which affect us all, and although maybe not making the right calls all the time they actually haven't done too badly on the essential humanitarian issues (healthcare, education and child welfare for example).

 

Maybe you're missing the point. The only reason people bitch about expenses for MPs is because they're jealous of the privilage. I wonder how many have an education in politics and the skill/ability/knowledge required to do an MP's job? The laughable thing about the whole footballers thing is that people choose to pay them stupid amounts, then bitch when MPs are paid significantly less simply because they don't understand what MPs do.

 

IMO.

 

What planet are you on?

 

MP's, not local councillors ect are paid a basic salary of over 60k...

 

http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/members/pay_mps.cfm

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7972441.stm

 

they can afford their own porn

 

Personally, i'm not bitching about expenses. I get them in my Job, it's a great perk. But if my company puts me up in a hotel and i start taking the p!ss with what i claim as expenses then i'd expect to get a good hiding...

[Gaz6002]

There are currently almost 800 MEPs from all over Europe. The money comes from... you guessed it... the people of Europe. It's exactly the same, but on a bigger scale. You don't hear about it though because the mass media can't be seen to be attacking these guys.

[Gaz6002]

What planet are you on?

 

A much happier one than yourself Matt, because I don't have to furrow my brow about MPs expenses. I learnt about it myself instead.

[supra_aero]

What planet are you on?

they can afford their own porn

 

 

Stop going on about the MP who charged porn to the tax payer

[johnny g]

A much happier one than yourself Matt, because I don't have to furrow my brow about MPs expenses. I learnt about it myself instead.

 

Just found this on the MEPs

http://www.richardcorbett.org.uk/assets/docs/briefing/expenses.pdf

 

Interesting read.

[Matt H]

 

Example: John Arne Riise's payslip when he was playing for the Red Sh1te (aka Liverpool).

http://www.designerstalk.com/forums/attachments/general-discussion/3863d1193834229-john-arne-riise-wage-slip-dsc00222.jpg

 

Absolutely love the "student loan" contributions at the bottom right of the slip!!!

 

haha

[stevie_b]

For example, what about MEPs? Where do they come into it? I assure you, they are paid HUGE amounts more than MPs are but you never hear the media chastise them, do you?

 

Oh, I'm aware of how much of a gravy train the Eurpoean parliament is.

 

Whilst not in the same league as the MEPs and their entourage, local govt in this country can be a gravy train too, with grossly high wages for the top few people in councils. The public have no real way of addressing this: councils are not subject to the free market forces to the same extent that private businesses are.

 

I think we're digressing though. I don't think it's appropriate for MPs who have a constituency in or very near London to be given an allowance to maintain an extra home whilst in London. Even saying it sounds absurd. It's not what the 2nd home allowance was designed for, although the current rules allow them to. That's what makes it a bad thing, and possibly corrupt.

[Matt H]

A much happier one than yourself Matt, because I don't have to furrow my brow about MPs expenses. I learnt about it myself instead.

 

I very much doubt that mate. Anyway, as said i don't really give a crap, it's just your arguments are flawed and i had to correct you.

 

As for what your said before, aren’t you the person that brought irrelevant footballers pay into this?:

 

Regardless of how it's funded, they hold positions of huge responsibility. I think it's far more outragous to see footballers being paid millions.

 

And then:

 

The only reason people bitch about expenses for MPs is because they're jealous of the privilage.

 

And then footballers again:

 

The laughable thing about the whole footballers thing is that people choose to pay them stupid amounts.

 

Sounds like you’re the one that furrows his brow about pay, and seemingly extremely jealous of the footballers

 

 

 

 

 

The bottom line is Gaz, MP’s are paid very well, get a lot of expenses and are doing it purely as a job. They are accountable to the people who pay their wages so why should they get away with scandalous expense claims.

[Al Massey]

I think it's far more outragous to see footballers being paid millions.

 

Why do people always go on about footballers wages?

 

Yes they get paid millions for not doing alot but who pays their wages.

 

Us, the general public.

We pay to go to the stadiums to watch the match.

We pay to watch it on tv

We buy merchandise and the club kits.

Etc etc

 

Its all goes towards paying them their huge wage.

 

So the only real way to stop them getting millions is fur us to stop paying to watch them and buying the kit.

 

But that will never happen

[extendor]

.It's all down to the media's reporting of the subject though isn't it? It's the slant they put on things in order to create the unrest which sells papers. ....for, but that's not as provocative as a headline reading "MPs cheat and lie for your money".

 

Not all newspapers report in the same way. Yes some are provocative but there are many people out there who read a balanced account from a quality broadsheet. No matter how you write the story - if someone has been gilding the Lily then you can see they have acted shamefully.

 

I agree with you that the job is pretty thankless and as I once heard from someone in govt., the decisions have you sh1tting bricks because of their consequences. BUT their duty is clear ie. to act with honour and in the best interests of the electorate and that is not a mitigation for taking all you can and bending the truth to do so.

 

People are starting to feel that things are going to far and the voices of the little man are starting to be heard a little louder now and the best example of this was the Gurkha vote (Thankyou common sense and common decency) and the reluctance of Brown to enter into a fight about no confidense which would inevitably be sparked by the expenses debate.

[Matt H]

the best example of this was the Gurkha vote (Thankyou common sense and common decency) and the reluctance of Brown to enter into a fight about no confidense which would inevitably be sparked by the expenses debate.

 

Very chuffed that went through. Hope everyone put there support behind it, at least signing the petition.

[extendor]

Very chuffed that went through. Hope everyone put there support behind it, at least signing the petition.

 

 

People power. Best result this year so far IMHO