[Archived] Jaqui Smith

[gillibrand]

They keep saying they have not broken any rules, but they are elected into a position of trust and power and it is quite obvious that they are abusing their position, and as for give us a pay rise and we will not fiddle our expenses, it's a bit like a shoplifter saying pay us more benefits and we will not steal.

[thenodrog]

As I've already said in the post you quoted Paul............" How stupid is the party in not requesting all expense forms to be approved internally by the labour party themselves? "

Surely given the fact that even the former PM was 'interviewed' by the Yard, a system to vet expense claims BEFORE the claim goes into the publiuc office should be put in place by every political party shouldn't it? Yet they pull the covers over misdemeanours and move on as though those issues never existed! Is it conceit? Deception? Greed? or what? Whatever it is it shows that they hold the electorate in total contempt.

Drummer boy above is echoing my old suspicion made many times on here that career politicians are loathsome and to be avoided at all costs..

Just as a general question...... Who on here claims more expenses than salary? Surely the Inland Revenue would be interested if anybody else were to show more expenses than salary?

The reason I ask is that the LT yeterday reported that our local lot claimed as follows (to the nearest £1000)

Straw (lab)£126000, Evans (con) £126000, Anderson (Lab) £174000 , Pope (Lab) £162000, Ussher (Lab) £155000, Prentice (Lab) £137000.

Basically thats an average of £600.00 expenses claimed for every day that parliament is sitting! Given that half the bugggers are rarely there I dread to think how much it works out per hour!

Worse still as Colin says there are 650 sitting MP's. Why? There has always been that number for as long as I can remember despite ....

1. Europe now adding a 3rd tier of govt and releiving our lot of much of their old duties.

2. Modern transport allowing high speed travel to and from Westminster.

3. Modern communications allowing work to be conducted on the hoof.

4. The labour saving of computer technology

BUT Are there the same number of car workers , miners, shipbuilders, etc etc etc No in fact just about every established industry has shed manpower in those years. Thhe only growth prob being in the Civil Service! We have been mugged and we need a new system of government. Modern day democracy is shot at.

You're missing the point: Smith hasn't actually broken any rules; it's the rules themselves that need mending.

I note that MPs' solution to the expenses fiasco is for them to be awarded a £40,000 pay rise ! The whole system of minsters salaries / expenses (and final salary pensions) should be the subject of an independent review.

The review might also consider why Britain apparently needs more than 600 MPs when more populous countries have much fewer.

Wrong! You've missed the most important point Jim! It appears that for once we agree and are basically singing off the same hymn sheet!!! Wtf!

btw pay rise?

1. Viewing the average expenses claimed around here they'll need a pay rise 4 times that £40,000.... especially as that income will; be taxed and expenses aren't. (Jackie and Hussy gonna get a call from the Inland Revenue are they? )

2. As Phuil points out that benefits MP's whose constituenciesa are in the SE but what about the rest?

[gillibrand]

It is obvious that an MP from up The North will need accommodation in London but a MP that is living in the area and claiming a second home allowance is bending the rules and a MP that claims a bedroom as their main home while they have a Mansion down the road are guilty of Fraud!

[Jimbo]

Simple Solution - The Aylesbury Estate in Elephant is all boarded up - so refurbish it, create a gated community and offer all MPs that want a 2nd home a grace and favour flat in this now secure and desirable area of south London - Any other accomodation is at their own expense.

[Flopsy]

What Jimbo said.

[Alex Rover]

I think she just claimed for the plug, the hole was free.

Are we back on the porn theme again?

[RovertheHill]

There's something wrong here. I've worked for a number of companies that have required me to work on client sites. There were very clear inland revenue rules for what was an expense and what was a benefit-in-kind. The rules clearly need changing with maximum amounts (repaid on production of receipts) for meals, lodgings if they live more than 50 miles from parliament and travel - at the same rates as everyone else in the country who has to travel. And if they have no receipts, they don't get paid. And if they go over the limit, they are taxed on the amount. The porno movies I accept as a mistake - and that is no big deal. However, the second property position is indefensible and she should do the honourable thing and resign. She may not have broken the rules but she has played them in the greediest and most reprehensible manner. Frankly it's a disgrace that we need absolutely watertight expense rules to stop our public servants sticking their snouts in the trough

[blue phil]

Simple Solution - The Aylesbury Estate in Elephant is all boarded up - so refurbish it, create a gated community and offer all MPs that want a 2nd home a grace and favour flat in this now secure and desirable area of south London - Any other accomodation is at their own expense.

A gated comunity !!!! ?

In a secure and desirable area ! ?

Boll&x to that . Make them have their second homes on the roughest council estate nearest to Westminster . They might learn what real life is all about then . They'd all crap themselves - from the toff Christopher Soames right down to the fake "man of the people" Dennis Skinner .

[Jimbo]

Phil - The Aylesbury estate is the biggest ****hole south of the river Wiki Link but it is close to Westminster and would bring them closer to the people - a bit like the Mill Hill flats - it would be nice to see them running the gauntlet of the dealers down at the Elephant their way home.

[thenodrog]

Nearly choked on my toast this morning when Miss Whiplash herself Jaqui Smith appeared on the telly to explain the hard line the government was taking in banning certain individuals from entering the country. She was all butter wouldn't melt as she lectured us all on the life values and acceptable standards of behaviour expected from anybody coming here! That woman must have the hide of a rhino!

[dave birch]

Nearly choked on my toast this morning when Miss Whiplash herself Jaqui Smith appeared on the telly to explain the hard line the government was taking in banning certain individuals from entering the country. She was all butter wouldn't melt as she lectured us all on the life values and acceptable standards of behaviour expected from anybody coming here! That woman must have the hide of a rhino!

I could say there's a missed opportunity somewhere in there, but I won't.

Theno, what gives me the pips, is that you constantly whinge about things.

If you provided an alternative, I wouldn't complain, BUT you never do, do you?

That begs the question "why?". Are you not up to molding England into the nirvana you so desperately crave?

I'm almost willing, wanting a change in government in England just to see what happens with your comments about those in power following a change in "direction".

[thenodrog]

ITheno, what gives me the pips, is that you constantly whinge about things.

If you provided an alternative, I wouldn't complain, BUT you never do, do you?

Alternative to us paying for blue movies for Jaqui and husband? errr what do you mean? Providing them with a fully paid up membership to some London brothel so that they can sample the real thing?

Dave you cannot defend the indefensible. She's pinned the blame for ordering and charging those blueys to the state on her husband yet has she sacked him from his 40 odd thousand pa as her research assistant? Has she hell! What mesage does that send out? Or is it just possible that it's her who 'enjoys' em most? Whatever her morals and her attempt to deceive money out ou the public purse with this and her second home scandal but where does it become a matter of tax evasion too? Surely the inland revenue should be investigating to establish how long it has been going on and just how much in other unecessary expenses are they scamming out of the public purse?

[berkshireblue]

Can't stand this woman

Usual political cr** on TV this morning, spinning this spinning that, can't believe she s in charge of national security

We need a general election fast

[thenodrog]

We need a general election fast

I think Jackie Whiplash might spell that a little differently!

[philipl]

'drog on form on this thread. Enjoyed the bit about marital names enormously.

Our be-boobed boobing Home Secretary comes out of this commentary very badly.

[rosie]

That's a great article. Thanks for posting the link. I love the line about Baldrick - classic!

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

There you go then.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8079205.stm

[thenodrog]

The worst home secretary ever working in the worst government ever for the worst pm ever. Shambolic state of affairs that is testament to the failings of our version of democracy.

[thenodrog]

Yessss...... Get in!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/election/article-1274495/UK-ELECTION-RESULTS-2010-Jacqui-Smith-expenses-scandal-MPs-lose-seats.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Slimeball Maliks gone too! Not police brutality this time I take it Shahid?

Happy days.

Now can somebody please explain how the f@@k Squirrel Nutkin has survived in Salford/Eccles?