Expense Claims...

[Nick]

He is on both and therefore has two votes

[Barman]

I note that no MP has made an 'honest mistake' or 'error of judgement' that resulted in underclaiming 

Quite so Uncle...

Wot he said Uncle, Question Time made interesting viewing last night.

That Margaret Becket.... 

Do you think she'd still have that gormless smile on her face as the noose was put around her neck...? 

[Barman]

Second Labour MP claims for non-existent mortgage as Justice Minister quits

David Chaytor has become the second Labour MP to admit claiming thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money for interest on a non-existent mortgage, it emerged last night.

The MP for Bury North will pay back £13,000 claimed on expenses after telling The Daily Telegraph that he had made an “unforgivable error” by continuing to submit monthly claims for £1,175 for months after the loan was paid off.

Source

I think it must be something in the collapso at the HoC bar... makes them forget like... 

[Snoopy]

I still think it the best show in town. 

"Houses of Parliament" Now showing on a news channel near you

"It's a riot" says Quentin Letts

"Never Laughed so much" says Nick Robinson

"F*CKING TROUGHERS" says Old Holborn

"The best thing in London ~ you couldn't make it up ~ Funniest thing since the French Revolution" says The Times

[Barman]

I still think it the best show in town. 

"Houses of Parliament" Now showing on a news channel near you

"It's a riot" says Quentin Letts

"Never Laughed so much" says Nick Robinson

"F*CKING TROUGHERS" says Old Holborn

"The best thing in London ~ you couldn't make it up ~ Funniest thing since the French Revolution" says The Times

Bunch of complete  say the Virtual Pubbers...

[Pastis]

I have to do my VAT return in a couple of days; at the bottom of the form, in BOLD type is the statement...

A false declaration could result in prosecution

I wonder if the same sentence appears on their expense forms? 

[Snoopy]

I think we all know the answer to that one don't we?


Part of the problem seems to be a culture of "running all expenses past the Fees Office" and waiting to see what they will pay and what they will refuse.
This leaves the claimants with the ready excuse of "It wasn't clear so I asked and they said yes".
Well if you cannot tell what is a legitimate expense and what is not then you don't have the brains to be my MP ~ Yes I know, sooooooo simple really.


Mind you when you see that the Met are now investigating whether it is worth their while starting an investigation (They have set up a team to "consider" the matter) and then you remember how many middle and senior ranking Met Officers have been caught misusing their corporate Amex Cards you could be forgiven for feeling that nothing will be done other than a few goats will be driven out into the desert of civilian life.

[Miss Demeanour]

I know we have been concentrating on the big numbers but equally I find claims like this absolutely astounding - Chris Huhne claimed 79p  for a packet of biscuits?

What an utter utter utter utter tight fisted tosser 

[Just One More]

Be fair Miss D, they were Hobnobs, you never know who you may meet if you have some Hobnobs hanging around 

I'm sure it's been done before... Elliot Morley, the cunt in Scunthorpe

[Barman]

Michael Martin ‘waged reign of terror’ over expenses

THE expenses scandal is poised to claim its biggest victim as Michael Martin, the Commons Speaker held responsible for blocking reform, suffers a volley of damaging allegations this weekend.

For the first time one of his former aides has broken ranks to speak out about his “reign of terror” that allegedly prevented officials from defusing the expenses crisis.

Martin is also facing questions after three senior law enforcement officials appeared to challenge his account of the botched police inquiry into Damian Green, the Tory MP.

Source

He should go... but if he goes he should take his paymasters in Labour with him... It is time. 

[Nick]

One of our local MPs exposed as trougher this morning. Why am I not surprised? No news yet on mine and Growler's useless inflatable MP 

[Barman]

One of our local MPs exposed as trougher this morning. Why am I not surprised? No news yet on mine and Growler's useless inflatable MP 

I think this is Day 11?

No doubt they will be holding the best 'til last! 

[Nick]

Well this morning's seems relatively minor, UNTIL you start to seee that there is collusion between MPs and the Fees Office which implicates many others 

This Scandal Just Got a Whole Lot Worse
Iain Dale 11:17 PM
The expenses scandal takes a new twist tonight. The Telegraph reveals that the House of Commons Fees Office has been complicit in allowing MPs to overclaim thousands of pounds in illicit mortgage claims.

House of Commons officials colluded with MPs to let them make inflated claims on their mortgages, leaked internal documents seen by The Daily Telegraph have disclosed. Parliamentary authorities, overseen by Michael Martin, the Speaker, gave secret permission for some MPs to over-claim for thousands of pounds in home loan interest in deals that led to the systematic abuse of the taxpayer-funded expenses system.

Ben Chapman, a Labour MP, admitted last night that he was allowed to continue claiming for interest payments on his entire mortgage after repaying £295,000 of the loan in 2002. Over 10 months the arrangement allowed Mr Chapman to receive £15,000 for the part of the home loan which had been paid off. Last night, he said he would not give back the money.

Permission to claim “phantom” mortgage payments is understood to have been offered to several MPs before 2004. It was stopped after Commons officials admitted it should never have been allowed. Michael Martin has been Speaker since 2000 and was therefore ultimately responsible for the arrangements – which has never been independently investigated. The arrangements – for which the justification is not clear – came to light in the claims files of Mr Chapman, the Labour MP for Wirral South.

Mr Chapman, who has been a ministerial aide, approached the fees office at the end of 2002 to explain that he was repaying £295,939 of the mortgage on his designated second home in Lambeth, south-east London. This reduced the interest payments – met by the taxpayer – from £1,900 to £400 per month.

“By paying off capital I am forgoing interest and investment opportunities elsewhere,” he told the fees office.

He and an official “thus agreed that the mortgage should remain for ACA (Additional Costs Allowance) purposes at the original amount”.

An email between senior officials within the fees office discusses Mr Chapman’s case and discloses that it is not unique. “… I have heard similar arrangements being agreed to in the past,” one said. “Personally, I do not believe that such an arrangement should ever have been suggested.”


Things just got a whole lot worse. Someone in Parliament must take responsibility for the laxity of the Fees Office. Ultimately the Speaker is responsible, but there are officials who earn six figure salaries who need to be held to account too. They should be named and shamed. And then sacked.

[Nick]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6301734.ece 

[Pastis]

Gorbals Mick apologises