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MPs came under fire today for continuing to pay themselves thousands of pounds in expenses without showing receipts.
The TaxPayers' Alliance said a new £25-a-night “subsistence” allowance was open to abuse and far more generous than what private firms offer employees.
MPs can claim the cash, covering food and pocket money, for each night spent away from home “on parliamentary business”. For most that means every night spent in London while the Commons is sitting, adding up to at least £4,000 a year paid with no questions asked. Mark Wallace of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: “It is unacceptable for taxpayers' money to be handed out without receipts.”
The lax rules fly in the face of assurances given by ministers after the expenses scandal erupted in April. Harriet Harman told the Commons when introducing new interim rules: “There would need to be receipts for all claims. That is something sensible we could decide now.” Alan Duncan, her Tory shadow, said payments without proof was “an unacceptable system in the modern age”.
Commons officials dismissed a report in today's Daily Telegraph that the allowance had been introduced by stealth and was worth up to £9,125 a year to MPs. A spokeswoman said the allowance was voted through last July and introduced in April. For an MP to pocket £9,000 would mean claiming every day including Christmas Day, which she said was impossible.
In April, MPs voted for the requirement of receipts for everything claimed. But the green book that sets out expenses rules continues to state: “A flat-rate sum of £25 may be claimed for any night which a Member spends away from his or her main home on parliamentary business.”
Reader views (83)
Will MPs never learn that that taxpayers money is not their private bank account? Not this lot - NEVER. Since we are mostly governed from Brussels, most MPs are superfluous anyway - so why do we still have so many! There continued contempt for the electorate is still apparent - they constantly bemoan their salary of £64K, without mentioning their exorbitant pensions, resettlement allowances etc if they lose their seat. Why can't they just accept that they have been 'rumbled' and the gravy train has ground to a halt. Some of the 'fraud'
exposed during the expenses scandal has not resulted in one prosecution so far and I would really like to know why!
- Beryl Rowley, Crawley, West Sussex, 14/08/2009 09:58
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£25 per day without receipts does not seem unreasonable to me. My understanding is that both the public and private sector in the US adopt a 'per diem' system where an amount is given to staff to cover daily expenses when they are away on business. Of course, this does not excuse the excessive and fraudulent claims made by MPs. Fraud is a criminal offence and should be dealt with as such.
- Mungo, London, 29/07/2009 13:05
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The Ministry of Defence was condemned today for trying to cut compensation to wounded servicemen on the day four soldiers' bodies were flown back from Afghanistan ( The headlines say)
Maybe they need the money to pay 25 quid in corruption money
Dont worry our lot are just as bad
- More Money For Me .Ha Ha, Australia, 29/07/2009 02:08
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Be carefull u blokes .In Australia our governments do this sort of thing to create a smoke screen to hide larger corruption. While the silly punters are getting upset about something small that the gov will reverse anyway and make everyone think they have had a win. In reality it is a smoke screen to hide even larger corruption issues .Our governments are becoming as corrupt as their third wild counterparts.WATCH OUT Look Closely
- Gaza, Australia, 29/07/2009 01:50
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to the MPs, you call yourselves honourable - you have NO HONOUR. You say you are honest with us. You are LIARS.
You are greedy pigs how will try and get every last penny out of the system for yourselves with your grimey little hands.
You think you are some moral pillar of our communities...you are worse than those we lock up.
Each one of you need to be ripped out of your ivory towers, you have no idea what real life is like and you think you work hard? think again, you don't know the meaning of the word. LIARS.
- William Bailey, wgtn, 28/07/2009 23:50
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No,they haven't learned a thing and neither have we,because we are STILL putting up with it.They have in fact 'twiced it',the ammount,to teach the public and the media a lesson and laughing up their sleeves.Civil insurrection won't work as the Met's SPG/TSG Mercedes Sprinter teams have already had their dummy run at the G20.(Do you suppose it was for any other reason.)We have to withold CAR TAX,TV LICENCES,TAX or anything paid directly or indirectly to the govt.,the courts would not be able to cope and nor would the police or the prison service.And we wouldn't pay the fines of any judgement.We would have to choose a date to start nationally doing this as MP's we voted in are ensconsed and make the laws ensuring that we are stuffed with no other avenue of dissent.Otherwise we can talk all we want and do nothing which is what they want.Talk and blogs do nothing,because talk is cheap and they all know it.So.. Creating pure chaos for them and not anarchy would teach them a lesson and they would sharp up.I don't fancy being beaten half to death by a derranged muppet with a big stick.So we can work from home.What option do we have before a general election and they know most will get voted back and guess what....NOTHING WILL CHANGE!!!!!!
- Tyburn Taylor, St Neots Cambs, 28/07/2009 23:42
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How can MPs be allowed to vote on something like this? PLEASE, ladies and gentlemen, is there not a way for us to say NO to this?
What if we refuse to pay taxes until the MPs wages are brought in line with all of us... ie PAYE and paying taxes and national insurance etc AND also declaring and accounting for ALL EXPENSES - and filing a tax return like all other citizens! as well as being potentially held accountable BY THE TAX OFFICE.
PLEASE EVENING STANDARD... DO SOMETHING!
This is a scandal - alongside a whole range of other money-wasting things the government are doing.
WHAT ABOUT a petition:
is there not some sort of constitutional right for us citizens to be able to question acts of parliament if we have enough signatures?
peace and love to all
Pandora
- Pandora, LONDON - England, 28/07/2009 23:27
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Oh you cretins. It isn't solely Brown who is responsible for this, it is the majority of MP's from all parties, and I'll warrant, all the Tories. can't you read all the articles, listen to all the debates, and research all the facts, before you start spouting your illiterate rubbish?
Thankfully there are few who get it.
- Kerry, Purley, 28/07/2009 22:36
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We have to rid ourselves of this Nu Labor party. Crash Gordon go away!
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London, 28/07/2009 22:17
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the lads in afganistan would be well pleased to hear this news, some of them are putting their lives on the line for not much more and then these self same oiks with snouts encrusted with expence lifestyle swill will argue that the dead and wounded are getting too much compensation.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk, 28/07/2009 17:50
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Just you try and claim a £25.00 per day expenses from the tax man without a receipt.
Its time we reduced the number of present serving MP's to 0 and started a new system of re-election. The same would apply to the top 4 levels of civil servents.
A form of STOCKs and PILLORY would be benifical to the public, to see their monatary abusers in public.
- A Winsley, London, 28/07/2009 17:47
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Why are we not surprised. Brown was gurning lies in the media, following the expenses revelations, about how he would ensure that things would change. Yeah right.
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire, 28/07/2009 17:37
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Why not really make a stand against an unjust crooked government and just not vote for anyone, after all are any of them not in it for the money
- Paul Hilton, clayton staffordshire, 28/07/2009 17:27
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Instead of getting hysterical about the 'injustice' of whether MPs can claim £25 without a receipt, why not worry about something that will actually make a difference to the public purse such as a public sector pay freeze or curtailing final salary pension schemes. Estimated cost of dubious expenses <£1m, the funding gap for final salary schemes est. £50-100bn, yes billion..
- Nick, Islington, London, 28/07/2009 17:23
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It is outrageous that MPs are allowed to slip under the radar when filling in tax forms. If any other person claimed an amount of £500 per month, i.e. taking it as 20 working days, giving an amount of £6,000 per annum as "expenses" with no documentation, HMRC would disallow it. Is this over and above the expenses they do claim with receipts?
- Patricia, LONDON, 28/07/2009 16:53
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They should all be in jail. Thieving bunch of bast*"rds.
What next? Brown now wants to tax homeowners who have patios and nice views from their homes. Next it will be we have to hand over all our incomes and he will give us £5 a week to live on!!! Then it will be we have to pay rent for the use of the desk in the office we work in. I want to know why some of these thieving characters have not been charged and imprisoned. Obviously they have no respect for the people who employ them, and that is us hard-working taxpayers. I am sick of all of them and will now definitely vote for an alternative party. Come on you English, you Brits, lets get them out, the sooner the better. Anyone who votes for labour has brain damage. Brown is encouraging immigrants, illegal and otherwise and letting them vote when they have no right to.(and that will be ethnic minorities and illegal immigrants and asylum seekers), not to mention prisoners, murderers and thieves.
- Lin, London England, 28/07/2009 15:57
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What can you get for 25quid these days?
Two pints of lager and a kebab,maybe.
Poor things,hard times indeed.
- Jimfred, London UK, 28/07/2009 15:55
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I have just been informed recently by my company that the Revenue have stopped us claiming £25 per night for staying with relatives while on company business.
Talk about one rule for MP's and another for the poor fools who elected them. This is another insult to us all.
- Alan, London, 28/07/2009 15:48
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Now we know why the Labour whips wanted Bercaw to be voted in as speaker!
I would like the names if ALL MP's who voted against this new wave of theft from the tax paying public, so we know who to KICK OUT of office come next years General Election.
- Mrs, London UK, 28/07/2009 15:43
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Cut compensation to our wounded soldiers and give extra cash to the no good MP's who sent them into battle.
- G.Diamond, Romford Essex, 28/07/2009 15:29
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why are we surprised, we all know they are thieves and liars.
- Ian Makin, Twickenham, 28/07/2009 15:28
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What a complete and utter rip off.
Why do the Labour Party think they can just take our money and not make any contribution to the money they spend. They are all thieves
- Brian Challis, Southend-on-Sea, UK, 28/07/2009 15:26
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You could not make this up. If it were in a novel, no one would beleive it. The answer I think might be quite simple. We should all join the local parties of those MP who have agreed to this, or have abused their expenses and de-select them.
- Very Very Angry At Paying Tax For Mp'S Expeses, Home Counties, 28/07/2009 14:52
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Mr Pastry
May I please be considered for the positions of Home & Foreign Secretary (combined) when you inevitably reside in No.10 ?............
- Andy Woodhead, London, ENGLAND, 28/07/2009 14:47
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For the first time in 40 years I did not vote Conservative at the Euro elections, but UKIP simply to try and help decimate the Lab/Lib/Con vote.
The twerp Cameron has no policies except tolls for motorists. Brown is a nail biting crook and a proven liar. And the MPs continue to rip us off. I'd gladly support a revolution - the pitch fork is sharpened! Just let me know where and when.
- Robert, Oxford, 28/07/2009 14:45
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Get out, all of you. You no longer have a mandate (not any monstrous 'Party') and we Plebs have no way of dislodging you ALL. Time for pitchforks approacheth - I'd rather trust some randomly inherited 'Lords'. Come on HMQ, declare that you will 'invite-to-form-a-government' only someone who can be trusted, not whichever twit can pretend to command a so-called 'majority'.
- Steve, London, England, 28/07/2009 14:44
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Our politicians just don't get it do they? When the extent of their expenses misuse was made public, we quite rightly viewed them collectively as chiselling troughers. They affected sorrow and outrage and binned some dead wood and then, just before starting an 82 day holiday, they pull this stunt.
They disgust me.
- Carl, London, 28/07/2009 14:39
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OH MY GOD MR PASTRY!!! IM STILL ON THE FLOOR IN STITCHES, RIGHT ON!!! SIR
- Sorraya, croydon, 28/07/2009 14:38
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Your readers have made it quite plain what we think about this new addition of fraud
Please use your paper make these idiots understand that no payments are to be made without providing the proper receipts.
Will these MPs ever understand the public do not want this additional fraud added to all the other ones. surely thats not too difficult to understand
- Terence Mccarthy, South Africa, 28/07/2009 14:37
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B, F, T, B & also A, & S gentlemen (sorry missed out the right honourable) members of parliament, how are you spending the next NINE weeks of your holidays?.
- Davetherave, Lancashire, 28/07/2009 14:36
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I once tried to rob someone who turned out to be an MP and said "Give me your all your money"
The MP replied "Don't you know who I am?"
I said "Sorry, Give me all my money"
- The Captain, Hampshire, UK, 28/07/2009 14:32
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what I don't understand is that if the MPs are staying London overnight why MP need a food allowance? Surely they are staying in their London flat (1st or 2nd home?) they are eating food they would have to buy anyway if they were at their other home (ie why should we pay for the MP to eat a home made lasagna in London when he/she would have to pay to make it if in their out of London residence? - this is not a duplication of costs the MP is only eating in one of his/her residences at any one time!
We are already paying for the running costs of one of the residences. I cannot claim the cost of my food for tax purposes. I also cannot claim the cost of taking out a client for dinner.
The only food expenses that should be paid are if they are paying for a meal that is job related eg the foreign secretary taking the French foreign secretary out for dinner to discuss work related matters even though this would not be allowable under Tax rules for you or I (although I suspect such a dinner would be an official dinner in residence in any event) - and then only with a receipt and an explanation why such a meal has to be paid by the taxpayer (ie need to check that the MP isn't taking out friends, family or vested interest dinner partners).
- Andy, london, 28/07/2009 14:23
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Speaker Bercow always wanted to double MPs salaries.
I thought he would have waited a while. We now know who to vote out at next election.
- Pat Morgan, spain, 28/07/2009 14:19
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Have they heard the public outcry re MPs expenses? Yes and they have chosen to ignore it. They are a bunch of thieving bar stewards with scant/no regard for the tax paying public. Get rid of the lot of them and start again. What a complete and utter farce.
- Goggs, London, 28/07/2009 14:10
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Another stupendous result from wondrous bodger brown, the man who was cleaning parlaiment root and branch !!its like everything else from nu liebour just more pathetic lies.
- Alan Davey, London UK, 28/07/2009 13:57
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Will these moronic MPs ever learn or are they still just taking as much as the legally can for as long as they can? (silly question really as we all know the answer)
- Mike, London England and once GREAT Britain, 28/07/2009 13:49
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Always good for a huge laugh the British Govt. I nearly spluttered my Fourbucks over the keyboard when I raed this! AND they can claim over 2000 Pounds WHILE THEY'RE ON HOLIDAY! Please, no more, my sides are splitting....
- Michael Spencer, Toronto, Canada, 28/07/2009 13:35
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MPs cannot be trusted to police themselves. That is the problem. Everything should be audited by external auditors. I can't tell the difference between an MP and a thief. All MPS should be made to stand for re-election.
- V Hinds, Luton, 28/07/2009 13:28
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The best thing the people can do now, is vote for anyone other than the main political parties. Neither Labour nor Tory will pay the slightest heed to the people whilst they take their positions for granted.
If people don't like what their MPs are doing, don't vote for them, and send a message at the General Election that integrity is what they, the elected servants of the people, are expected to uphold at all times
- John, Twickenham, 28/07/2009 13:21
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MPs can claim £25 a night; the cash, covering just food and pocket money?
This: on top of their salaries and other expenses and inflation proof pensions etc.
7 x £25 = £175.
This is just for food and pocket money; as if they are unpaid children that need some pocket money from mummy or daddy.
Latest State Pensions: for those that have worked all their lives and paid their taxes without the luxury of added expenses, food and pocket money; is £95.25 for a single person, and £152.30 a week for a couple etc; this is to pay for everything, food as well as pocket money?
So a single MP; gets £79.25 a week more than a single pensioner gets to live on each week, and that is only for his or her; food and pocket money?
A married couple of MPs gets £350 a week food and pocket money; and a married couple of pensioners get £152.30 a week for the same couple etc.
This means that a married couple of MPs get £197.70 more each week for food and pocket money; than a married couple of British State Pensioners get in total for everything else included etc. Pocket money being a very rare commodity: for any British State Pensioners etc.
You can now see why the British State Pensioner; is the lowest paid State Pensioner in the Western developed world; I believe Cyprus is the only lower paid country than the UK.
No-matter how you dress it up; MPs are still the same selfish and self centered fraudsters that have robbed the nation blind for the last 40 years plus.
- Mickinlondon, london., 28/07/2009 13:17
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Everyone should vote for an independant party or the Green Party at the next election, let's kick those corrupt so and so's out!
- Richard, Harrow, 28/07/2009 13:02
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here we go again,it's only £25 a night,they should be ashamed of themself.
- Fodil, LONDON,UK, 28/07/2009 12:42
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John Bercow, you are an utter disgrace. If this is what you have let happen then you should hang your head in shame. If you had any guts you'd resign as a matter of principle. You don't, so prove me right and stay as speaker. Hopefully your constituents will drop you at the next election. You're much more suited to being a duplicitous labour candidate than a Tory.
- David S., Ealing, 28/07/2009 12:39
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They cannot be serious.
When they come around for your vote at the next election tell each one if they drop there expenses you will vote for them. but ask for a receipt.
We are now the laughing stock around the world.
- Terence Mccarthy, south africa, 28/07/2009 12:38
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What part of the past couple of months don't politicians understand? On the basis of the evidence that is clear as mud, we don't trust you to put in claims that are justified.
- Browned Off, London NW11, 28/07/2009 12:33
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At the Norwich North by-election last week the was a candidate for the "NONE OF THE ABOVE" party.
Why did so few people vote for him?
The Conservastive candidate romped home but, for God's sake, what's the difference between Labour, Conservastive or Lib-Dem? Vote for any of them and you might just as well give them your cheque book, credit cards and PINs and leave your front door open for them to help themselves.
People call for a general election but how will that convert robbers into honest politians?
Vote "NONE", then perhaps the lying, thieving hypocritical toerags will get the message.
- Colin, Colchester England, 28/07/2009 12:32
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I MR PASTRY AM PREPARED TO ACCEPT THE POST OF UK DICTATOR , OR "LORD PROTECTOR".
MY FIRST ACT WILL BE :
1) 200% INCREASE IN STATE PENSIONS.
2)BRING BACK DEATH PENALTY
3)A FAIR WELFARE STATE SYSTEM FOR THOSE(UK ONLY CITIZENS) DESERVING IT'S HELP AT TIME OF NEED (SPONGERS BEWARE).
4) A FULLY ARMED TRAINED POLICE FORCE TO TACKLE THE SCUM THAT INFEST OUR STREETS.
5)FULL EMPLOYMENT AND RE-INSTITIUTION AND BUILDING OF BRITISH INDUSTRY/INFRASTUCTURE.
6) A FAIR AND EFFECIENT HEALTHCARE SYSTEM FOR UK CITIZENS , FREE AT POINT OF DELIVERY WHEN NEEDED.
7)WITHDRAW ALL ARMED FORCES FROM OVERSEAS BACK TO UK AND FULLY RE-EQUIP AND EXPAND THEM TO PRE-1980 LEVELS.
8) NATIONAL SERVICE FOR ALL 16 TO 19 YEAR OLDS.
9)FREE TRAVEL ON BUSES TRAINS AND TUBES FOR ALL PENSIONERS/UNEMPLOYED.
10)INCREASE BENEFITS FOR THOSE IN NEED TO DECENT LEVELS TO ENABLE CIVILISED LIVING CONDITIONS.
11) A FREE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION AVAILABLE TO ALL AS NEEDED.
12) RE-STRUCTURE OUR FAILING EDUCATION SYSTEM
13) TRUTH AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
14) THE BENNY HILL SHOW TO BE PUT BACK ON PRIME TIME TELLY.
15) A COMPLETE BAN OF TRASHY AMERICAN AND BRITISH TV SHOWS FROM OUR SCREENS.
16) WINEHOUSE FOR PEACE ENVOY TO MIDDLE EAST (CANT BE WORSE THAN BLAIR CAN SHE).
17) PULL UK OUT OF EUROPE NOW WHILE WE STILL CAN.
18) FREE TAPEWORMS FOR THE MORBIDLY OBESE.
SENSIBLE POLICIES FOR A SENSIBLE BRITAIN.
YOURS IN THE CAUSE
MR (HAIL TO THE KING ) PASTRY
- Mr Pastry, LONDON ENGLAND, 28/07/2009 12:21
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I would have thought new Speaker Bercow would have put a stop to this, some hopes, he's a Liebour cronie, like "gorgals Mick" !
- Brian Hughes, Llandudno. North Wales. U.K., 28/07/2009 12:05
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One rule for the political class, one for everyone else....
- John T, London, 28/07/2009 11:51
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Oh Boy! The inmates really are running the asylum!
You would have thought that after all the fuss about expenses they would have the decency to act responsibly in the future, but Oh No, they wait for the recess then get their snouts firmly back in the trough whilst we can do nothing about it.
By the way 'Bob in Cheam', your maths are wrong you overlooked the fact that this is a tax free payment - so add 40%, it is the equivalent of a £12,775 per annum pay rise - isn't that about the national minimum wage?
- Ron, Chislehurst, 28/07/2009 11:51
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They just don't get it do they? I really am begining to think that what this country needs is a benign dictatorship to sort this democratic mess we call the UK out! The representatives of democracy, MP's, have become so detatched from reality, and, the people they are supposed to represent, they are seen to be an alien elite. You would think that 'lessons would be learnt' from past mistakes,(Crimes) but, they obviously are not! When allowances are passed, just before the summer recess, an action that is cowardly, and, an insult to the electorate. It is how spiv's do their business, and, worthy of our politicians, not honourable people!(Why should I be so surprised then?) Have our politicians no shame after the expenses debacle, what happened to the transparency, and, accountability promised? Words, empty words, you could not get away with it anywhere else, other than in Parliament. Which begs the question, do we need it? Perhaps it is time to clear the stable, and, the dross that is in it, and start again! If a 'benign' dictatorship is the answer, that's fine by me! What we have now is a rabble, with no alternative, or hope of improvement. How many people, like me, feel disenfranchised? I suspect many, many, more of the electorate share the view than our arrogant, inadequate, indifferent, MP's and government would like to think, or, admit to!
- Kevin Sullivan, Roehampton, London., 28/07/2009 11:48
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The bill heralded as the answer to the expenses scandal was decimated during its passage through Parliament, with criminal offences for expense fraud scrapped.
It is a completely toothless act that will se a return to fraudulent trough snouting in the autumn.
The arrogant pigs of the commons, especially those on the government benches, think that 82 days is more than long enough for the ignorant plebs to forget about the impropriety of their lords and masters.
I think they will be in for a rude awakening.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 28/07/2009 11:43
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Two stories today:
1. MOD fights to cut payments to two wounded soldiers.
2. MPs vote to give themselves £9,000-plus foodie allowance without having to submit receipts.
That about says it all for this wretched, sorry government.
- Al Webb, Croughton, Northamptonshire, 28/07/2009 11:42
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Just don't vote for any of the main 3 parties at the next general election, it's a simple strategy that will work if people stick to it.
No one voting for any of them, would soon see the changes bought in that we want.
- P Staker, London, 28/07/2009 11:39
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The lack of shame tells me they are in the process of picking over the bones of a corpse - desperately ripping off the carcass what they can before it is all gone. A new democracy please this ones broken.
- The Real Me Pastry, Brisbane, 28/07/2009 11:34
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So Ber Cows like troughing too.
- Ricky, Hackney, London, 28/07/2009 11:20
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It's not swine flu we should worry about but the swine epidemic emanating from the Swines of Westminster!Never was there such a stench from any pig swill to compare with the human variety now prevalent throughout the country!
- Alan, Chigwell. UK, 28/07/2009 11:11
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I'll try that with HM Taxes when filling in my next tax return I think - £25 per night but really sorry I've got no receipts!
- Andy, London, 28/07/2009 11:08
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Disgraceful!!! But then what choice do we have. It's all and good demanding an election but who do you vote for??? Less than 45% voted at the Norwich By-Election. If that percentage vote at the next election no party can claim to have a mandate. You cannot vote for an establihsed party as they are all guilty.
- Roge, Manchester, UK, 28/07/2009 10:42
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So this is happening while the MoD tries to reduce payments to service personnel who have suffered horrendous injuries in the battlefield. If proof is still needed that our political system is morally bankrupt, this surely is it.
- Alex, London, 28/07/2009 10:39
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Nick, sydney, australia
I agree with that, because at least they might have a track record that stood up to scruiny before they took office.
Instead, we have a situation, such as yesterday whereby the government are making wholly inappropriate appointments to state controlled entities, such as Win Bischoff as the new CEO of Llloyds HBOS (The same Win Bischoff who chaired Citigroup into the arms of the American taxpayer after their sub prime related implosion, and he who is was apparently qualified to tell Alastair Darling how to regulate the financial system in the brave new post crisis world.. ie. change nothing and let investment bankers like Bischoff carry on as before).
Perish the thought that Alastair Darling, when making this appointment is thinking of his own future employment when the people unceremoniously throw him and his colleagues out of office within a year from now
- John, Twickenham, 28/07/2009 10:31
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They have learnt nothing from the expense scandal.There is only one solution for the British public,vote each and every current MP out of office.We need someone like Joanne Lumley to start a Peoples party,a party run by the people,for the people.These crooks in power need to be ousted,and the sooner the better.
- Dave, london, 28/07/2009 10:26
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The solution is in our hands, vote for an independent candidate at the next election, the party system is corrupt along with most of the people in it.
- Dave Morris, Sunderland UK, 28/07/2009 10:23
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The MPs should think very long and hard about this expense of 25 pounds....There is a General election due within 12 months,and somehow the ''Gravy Train'' will be
foremost in most of the Voting Public minds...no one in the business world can get money without some kind of a receipt,in fact it is against the Tax Laws of this Country,so where will the HM Customs and Excise stand on this,because if you look at this in a simple manner,the MPs are using the Tax Payers money without authority, and that is a clear case of Fraud
- European, Hong Kong China, 28/07/2009 10:21
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Just tell them when they knock at your door that unless they promise to change you will not vote for them.regaurdless of politics
- David Smith, Croydon, 28/07/2009 10:14
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Can small businesses and Sole-Traders do the same? NO!
- Roz, France, 28/07/2009 10:12
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They've given themselves a pay rise, increased their pensions while the rest of us are struggling to make ends meet and now this! Disgusting.
- Jk, London, 28/07/2009 10:09
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£25 seems about reasonable but they should have to provide expenses like you would in any other job.
Perhaps it is time MPs were just paid a bit more and we could get away from all of this chat on expenses that just diverts attention from the real issues facing the country.
- James, London, Maida Vale, 28/07/2009 10:09
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Again 80% of laws passed came from Europe without hindrance, and nothing said!
- William, Hay~Heath UK, 28/07/2009 09:27
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".. payment had been voted for by MPs last year and was not a recent introduction."
The system you had before stank you thieving b@st@rds, that was the whole problem. Nothing has changed, these morally bankrupt scum are still at it.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 28/07/2009 09:25
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The Ministry of Defence is going to court to try and reduce the amount of compensation awarded to soldiers who lost limbs serving their country in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Meanwhile MPs have sneaked in new rules which allow them to claim up to £9125 a year without producing any receipts.
MPs, self-serving? Perish the thought.
- Andrew, Pudsey, 28/07/2009 09:17
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Oh dear.
The warnings about Blacow's pomposity, arrogance, ineptness, cowardice and weakness are sadly now so vividly and manifestly evident.
Hope his constituents 'get rid' next year!
- Dave, Cumbria, 28/07/2009 09:15
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Oh come on, who expected these greedy (not all though) MPs to get of the gravy train so easily.
They are public servants so should be held accoutable for everything done as an MP and if they fail then they should be sacked. Lets see how many MPs would be left if that were the case? VERY FEW.
- Brian, London, 28/07/2009 09:08
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Is this surprising. Greedy corrupt MP's make the rules up to suit themselves. They have no shame or concience. And for Berkow the new speaker who was going to clean up politics, his nose is the first in the trough
- Trevn, abu dhabi, 28/07/2009 09:03
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Politicians know only too well that the sense of outrage over the expenses disclosures, has now peaked. As a result they know that it is business as usual. The public's indignation won't be revived, so with total immunity and an eight week holiday to divert attention, the watered-down revised legislation will be slipped through in the autumn. There is one saving grace, when the general election is called, the public will be given its opportunity to pass it's judgement.
- J R J, Glen Vine, 28/07/2009 08:54
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All MP's are suffering from swine flu.
They have clearly had their noses in the trough of our money for so long they have been infected.
- Adam, Harrow, UK, 28/07/2009 08:51
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Let's see now, £25 x 365 (presumably they don't have to prove that they were anywhere near parliament at the time) = 9125, not bad at all.
- Bob, Cheam, 28/07/2009 08:45
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It was clear when John Bercow became speaker that the Government had no intention of real reform or they would have picked a more honest politician like Ann Widdicombe. It's sickening they're filling their pockets while trying to reduce compensation to injured British soldiers.
- Ab, London, 28/07/2009 08:27
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Their arrogance is amazing - clearly they have only contempt for the ordinaary hard working British taxpayer.
- Richard Kennard, Welling, 28/07/2009 08:25
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THIS STORY SAY'S IT ALL.
a £400 pound a Month allowance/expenses claim , replaced by a £25 a night allowance/expenses claim (which adds up to £725 a month IN A 31 DAY MONTH).
THE OLD WESTMINSTER GRAVY TRAIN JUST KEEPS ROLLING ON.
What a bunch of hippocrites infest the mother of all parliaments.
THIS STORY SAY'S IT ALL.
Im sure that the money would be put to better use by being put towards an extra helicopter or 2 for our poor ,under-equipped troops in Afghanistan or maybe some decent food or body armour, or even some dcent boots.
OR AM I OVER SIMPLIFYING THE SITUATION.
COMMON SENSE TELLS ME I AM NOT.
MR (DAMN ALL POLITICIANS) PASTRY
- Mr Pastry, LONDON ENGLAND, 28/07/2009 08:10
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MP's can no longer claim GBP400.00 PER MONTH FOR FOOD.
(HOW UK PENSIONERS CAN ONLY DREAM OF SPENDING GBP200.00 PER MONTH ON FOOD).
MP's have abolished the obscene monthly food allowance of GBP400.00 WITHOUT RECEIPTS and replaced it with this new allowance which means an MP will be able to claim GBP775.00 PER MONTH WITHOUT ANY RECEIPTS.
THE PARASITES IN THE HOUSE OF CONMEN HAVE WELL-AND-TRULY GOT THEIR HEADS STUCK IN THE TROUGH OF TAYPAYER'S CASH.
THE SOONER THE NUMBER OF MP's IS REDUCED TO 200 FROM 645 THE BETTER.
HYPOCRITES ALL.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK, 28/07/2009 08:09
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They are so out of touch with the people. If I am unable to produce a receipt for my work expenses, then I am not allowed to claim for it. No receipt, no claim. That rule should also apply to MP's.
- Frank, Copenhagen, Denmark, 28/07/2009 07:34
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Unacceptable!! Politicians should serve a minimum 10 years in full time private industry employment before being eligible to stand for parliament. That way, they may actually have an understanding of living in the real world. In the real working world you cannot just claim £25 a night for 'expenses' without producing a valid receipt. Given the current economic environment, many companies are no longer even providing meal allowance. This is not just Labour Party problem...can we replace all MPs please?
- Nick, sydney, australia, 28/07/2009 07:29
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