There's us, and there's them . . .

[sir.prize]

A prominent peer rented accommodation in London when attending Westminster. The peer claimed a total of £29,675 for accommodation, at a time when the maximum daily accommodation claim was £165 a day. The bill represents a claim at the maximum possible rate for 179 days - (and here is the crunch) - more days than the Lords actually sat that year.

Why should they do that? Because they can.

[jno]

we all do what we can. I always used to claim any expenses I was entitled to. The real question is why they were allowed to.

[Psybbo]

But, we're assured we're all in it together, therefore WE have to pay for that!

[sir.prize]

Ah sibton - how clever. I never thought of that!

And even now that peer has not faced criminal charges.

Cam, Cleggy and Ossy need to get their act together. The whole issue is disgraceful.

[LazyGun]

Would this be Baroness Udin, Sirprize? If so, I think she was investigated by the standards committee and has been asked to repay £120,000.

Totally agree with you that some of the MPs and Lords totally abused the system, some very creatively.

I am sure I read somewhere that one reason that the expenses system was so lacking in audits and checks was because it was felt that MPs and Lords were more honourable than your average citizen, and that therefore to audit them represented a kind of insult!

I just find it disappointing that, despite evidence of wide-spread abuse of the previous system, the newly imposed and stricter system seems to have found very little in the way of savings on the expenses budget.....

[sir.prize]

Correct, LazyGun. There is also the instance where two MPs moved into each other's mortgaged properties and then claimed rent from the taxpayer. And I believe continue to do so. Apparently legal, but morally wrong.

[Old_Geezer]

IMO the fault is mostly with those that authorise it, or the system that says they must. If in doubt, claim, and let them work it out. Or be as daft as me and fail to find the enthusiasm to claim even when it's legitimate. More days claimed than they were there is a bit of a shocker though.

[youngmafbog]

Parliament and the Lords are full of criminals and shysters. What do you expect?

And go to the EU and they make our lot look like rank amateurs.