A very powerful piece of writing by Bryan Forbes - Page 2

David Morton · 05-19-09, 05:00 PM

Nick,
I really wanted to see him get his just rewards but it worries me that the rest of the MPs that have made outrageous claims will get away with it if he went to soon.
I noticed this evening that the police have indicated they are not prepared to investigate MPs expenses so it seems they are trying to get away with it scot free. They, the MPs, must have something over the police to get this sort of result so soon in this fiasco.
It doesn't stop the Tax Payers Alliance however from mounting a private action and I really hope they get in in motion and soon. Yes Nick, he's going in just over a month but the House of Commons is leaderless anyway so being a lame duck speaker makes little or no difference.
Dave M

JimmyMac · 05-19-09, 06:49 PM

Check out these comments.
Some were made eight months ago, so what did we in the UK not already assume ?

How do I become an MP? - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers

David Morton · 05-20-09, 05:48 AM

Thanks James. Some very barbed remarks in that link. I'm sure they, and to some extent most of us, did not realise how this would end up as a constitutional crisis.
We now have a new 'office' to control the politicians called the Star Chamber. I'm desperately trying to find if it was done before and how effective it might have been.
Henry VIII might have done it .......
I'm priveledged to have been copied in on a letter to Elliot Morley - another cheating shithead of a politician - and as soon as I am allowed, I will reprint it here. It's quite superb.

Found it : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Chamber

and http://www.britainexpress.com/Histor...ar-chamber.htm.

It dates further back to Henry VII.

Ian Anderson · 05-20-09, 05:51 AM

I heard them say on the beeb this morning that he will "retire" on a £77000 pension

Great get the boot and still pocket the pension!

Ian

domtoni · 05-20-09, 06:04 AM

My comments to my MP on how to clean up the scandal:

Just a quick thought on the expense scandal:
- Inland Revenue has a defined expense program by which private industry operates. Why not install that in Parliament?
- I suggest that each MP get a housing allowance to live in London (similar to what I had when I moved from Chicago to Europe and common in expat jobs)

Both of these will clean up the mess and be easy to install and monitor.

David Morton · 05-20-09, 06:22 AM

Ian, I think it will be well, well in excess of that figure. He will become a crossbencher in the House Of Lords because every 'speaker' (I use lower case to indicate a derogatory in his case) has always taken a seat in the Upper House.
Just think ..... Lord Gorbals

David Sturch · 05-20-09, 01:46 PM

David,
I think Faili's idea in his earlier post has some merit. I think there is a few room's in the Tower that could be used to revue expenditure's of gov officials. Given it's history a few going in and never coming out would clear this up.
Dave

Chris Simpson · 05-20-09, 02:59 PM

I agree with everything you have said David. It has been apparent to me for some time that we don't live in a democracy at all and we have a government that just does what it likes, usually against the wishes of the general populace. One example of this is the complete erosion of the concept of free speech, which used to be a cornerstone of our culture. Our political rulers should remember that history shows that those regimes where a pampered minority live at the expense of the downtrodden majority of the people are always overthrown eventually. I await the call to the barricade!

I hope the press turns its attention to the House of Lords' expenses soon - I suspect we have another can of worms there, especially as a number of members have bought their place by making financial contributions to political parties and therefore obviously have no moral integrity at all.

Chris

David Morton · 05-21-09, 03:44 AM

".....history shows that those regimes where a pampered minority live at the expense of the downtrodden majority of the people are always overthrown eventually."
The Roman Empire springs to mind though I think they all signed up to dance at the other end of the dance floor, and go home on the other bus as it crumbled around them. I suppose with Mandy back in the fray our government in the UK has similarities.
This last comment may be offensive to some of us on this website - but I hope not, and I don't really care anyway. There are bigger things in life to have a go at.

David Morton · 05-21-09, 04:14 AM

And it goes on and on.
From Todays Telegraph:

Ruth Kelly used her second home allowances to pay for £31,000 of repair work at her house in Bolton Photo: REUTERS

Miss Kelly, the former Cabinet minister, used her taxpayer-funded second home allowances to pay for £31,000 of rebuilding, refurbishment and appliances at the house in her Bolton West constituency.
Some of the renovations and furnishings were needed after a water pipe burst while Miss Kelly was staying at her designated main home in London. At the time of the flooding, Miss Kelly was the financial secretary to the Treasury.

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Miss Kelly has confirmed to the Telegraph that the building and contents of the house were covered by an insurance policy, but that she chose to pay for the work from her expenses.
Last night Miss Kelly said “with the passage of time”, she “can’t now recall” why she did not make a claim on insurance. “I acted in good faith throughout and have broken neither the spirit nor the letter of the rules,” she said.
On Monday, the Telegraph disclosed how Miss Kelly, who served as education secretary, communities secretary and transport secretary, claimed £31,000 to redecorate and refurbish the house between 2004 and 2008. She told the Telegraph that some of the costs had been caused by the burst pipe. Since then the newspaper has asked her whether or not the property was insured. She has since confirmed that it was. In 2004, she was paid more than £13,000 for building and maintenance work at the house, which she bought with her husband Derek Gadd for £109,000 in 2001.
The following year, she claimed about £2,500 for painting, curtains, plumbing and other work. In the first four months of 2006, she claimed £15,363 for furnishings and appliances. She tried to claim £3,600 for a sofa and chairs from the upmarket BoConcept retailer, £2,355 for a dining table and chairs, and £2,000 for a 37-inch plasma television. The claims were reduced for being excessive.
A £1,625 claim for a garden table, chairs and parasol was rejected. Several purchases were made in London stores and delivered to her house in Bolton at a cost to taxpayers of £380. She also claimed £1,275 for a sideboard, £530 for a dishwasher and £570 for a washing machine.
A further £780 was claimed for curtains and rails, £625 for a coffee table and £160 for a rug.
Over the next two years, Miss Kelly claimed: £1,511 for work on her patio and repairs; £1,424 for building and redecoration; £650 on kitchen equipment; £330 on Ikea bathroom and bedroom items; £450 on maintenance and £300 on gardening. She has claimed almost £120,000 in second home expenses since 2001. She declined to say how much had been used to cover the costs of the flood damage, but said that the furniture would not have been covered as “it was about 30 years old”.
Correspondence shows that another MP, Fabian Hamilton, was made to pay for £295 of damage caused to his bathroom and kitchen by leaking pipes. He confirmed that the cost could be met from his home insurance after being told to check by the fees office in June 2004.
Miss Kelly resigned as transport secretary last September to spend more time with her family. She plans to stand down at the next election. Before being elected she worked as an economics writer for the Guardian newspaper.
On Wednesday night, she said: “The fees office said the costs could be claimed under the allowances system and, on provision of receipts, they would judge what were reasonable amounts for reimbursement, the remainder of which I would be liable for myself.”

Ian Anderson · 05-21-09, 04:21 AM

I'm surprised that none of them have expensed the rope!
After all they all have hung themselves!

Ian

Andy · 05-21-09, 05:46 AM

Sheik,

Nice to see you pop up again. You are usually soo quiet these days.
Just to add my pennies worth. I attended a Planning Enquiry last week.
It was to convert a large derelict , falling down house, into flats.
It was a blight on the neighbourhood and the Planning Application was supported by all the neighbours.
Having a boarded up house next to you attracts vandals etc and how can you sell your house with that next door.
Anyway, the local labour councillor, i've deliberately left out the capital letters, accused the owner of trying to make money out of it . How laughable, is (she) the councillor working for nothing? Since when have councillors been a registered charity ?
In my mind it just sums up this goverment's ethos, one rule for them, one rule for us.

David Morton · 05-24-09, 08:30 AM

According to the Sunday Times, three hundred and twenty five MPs will be for the high jump at the next general election. I think it may come sooner than the Government think as the public resume control of their destiny. The previous silent majority are starting to shout loudly at the MPs and telling them their future.
A slap on the wrists? I don't think so. This has become a constitutional crisis.

David Morton · 06-02-09, 07:32 PM

It's gathering momentum as four MPs were told their future today. Like they don't have one in politics. Today the high profile Home Secretary Jaqui Smith decided that she felt hurt by some of the publicity that surrounded her a few weeks ago and she resigned today before she was pushed in the cabinet reshuffle that is coming this weekend. Remember it was her husband who was downloading porn and, until he was exposed, we were paying for his gratification.
It was Oliver Cromwell who wrote "In the name of God, go" but this government is trying to cling on to the wreckage of the lifeboat they effectively destroyed by cheating on us and hoping we would not notice.
Even the Chancellor of the Exchequer has been exposed so lets see if he keeps his job this coming weekend.
Or maybe he might just get a slap on the wrists............

Pete McCluskey. · 06-03-09, 01:08 AM

They are all the same David...They just live in different houses.

David Morton · 06-03-09, 02:52 AM

Absolutely Pete. The puzzling thing is this 'low life' Smith, with the husband who watches porn she paid WITH PUBLIC MONEY for on the wide screen TV she bought WITH PUBLIC MONEY is 'HURT' by public feeling and hostilities towards her. When we had capital punishment in the U.K. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment
the office she currently occupies used to make the final decision on wether a prisoner would die or not. AND SHE SAYS SHE IS HURT BY PUBLIC OPINION?
The most satisfying aspect of this whole debacle is that things are changing very quickly simply by the pressure of public opinion. The parties are suggesting that 'ordinary' people could put themselves up for election - which makes me wonder if the Politicos in this country believe they are extraordinary - but I come back to one of my original points is that we do not need to get elected to change things.
The power of the pen, or nowadays the keyboard, is still mighty.

Ian Anderson · 06-03-09, 04:12 AM

So David

WHEN she goes will she give back the TV for the next sponger to use

After all it is not hers as she never paid for it!
It is an asset owned by the taxpayer
She is a liability
So I presume the books still balance!

Ian

David Morton · 06-03-09, 06:24 AM

And as I write Hazel Blears has gone as well. Just one more and Gordon Browns House of Cards comes tumbling down.
They are all saying it's a conspiracy to oust Brown.
Hello ? Who was robbing the taxpayer blind?
I bet that the next to go is Darling our Chancellor of the Exchequer, the keeper of our finances. He's been on the fiddle the same as the others who are being axed.
Watch out Darling - the axe man cometh AND HE'S NOT JUST GOING TO SMACK YOUR WRISTS.

Ian - I doubt they will return anything - it will all be written down to zero residual value by some fancy law they will dream up that will only apply to the extraordinary people - whoops - sorry - MPs.......

.

David Morton · 06-03-09, 02:09 PM

It looks as though the Prime Minister would be wise to book a removal company this weekend. He is about to be asked to stand down from the leadership - probably in the next 48 hours.

domtoni · 06-03-09, 03:08 PM

David,

Time is moving fast. Yesterday Brown looked secure. Today people were giving him a month.

Let's see, maybe this time tomorrow, someone else will be there.

Dom