Is It About Time This Was Stopped?

[youngmafbog]

http://news.sky.com/story/1183327/peer-earns-300-for-40-minutes-of-work

The man was jailed for expenses fraud but is still allowed to continue in his post ripping us off (even if not breaking the law this time)

How can this be right, and I bet he is not the only one.

[sandyRoe]

He ^once excused his spending hundreds of pounds, on expenses, on a taxi from Belfast to Dublin by saying he was travelling in a kilt and wouldn't have felt comfortable on public transport.

[jake-the-peg]

I think there are special problems with sacking someone from the house of Lords because it's not really a normal public office.

I think it takes an act of parliament with Royal assent to revoke a peerage.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/feb/01/fred-goodwin-honours-forfeiture-committee

It's yet another reason why the House of Lords needs reform

[boxtops]

This isn't exclusively for MPs - I've known people in other walks of life just sign in and straight out a few minutes later, in order to get various forms of dibs paid. It's disgraceful.

[emmie]

jno, not then when he was PM but now.

[yansee]

They believe they are entitled to anything they want,heard one say who would do this for £300 a day,most people get that a week, Parasites

[LazyGun]

Just seen someone describe members of the Lords as "Vermin in Ermine", which is certainly apposite for some of those members who routinely abuse the system :)

[emmie]

he was on the news last evening expounding on the fact he has worked for nothing for the last 40 years, so is entitled, or some such nonsense...

[naomi24]

No commercial enterprise would allow staff to claim expenses without presenting authentic validation. Time the system was changed and proof of entitlement demanded. Those claiming attendance allowance should be required to clock in and clock out - and payment made on an hourly basis.

[FredPuli43]

An MP is paid a salary. Whether they attend debates, or speak, in them or not is a matter for their party in the House, their local party (who may deselect them) and their electorate. Those bodies may find the work the MP does satisfactory; it is not essential that the MP speak in the House, nor that the MP attend debates unless the subject of an appropriate whip.

Peers are paid a daily rate for attending the Chamber or Parliamentary Committees. they have to attend to get paid. If it requires an Act to remove one, all that is necessary is for a Bill to be drawn up every so often listing the various offenders, present it in the Lords, and then let it go through the Commons ,to Assent ,on the nod. In the meantime, the peer may be suspended (as does happen now). It is a grave defect that a peer cannot be removed for "bringing disgrace on Parliament and this House".

[LazyGun]

"It is a grave defect that a peer cannot be removed for "bringing disgrace on Parliament and this House""

Agreed.

[emmie]

that would cut them down to size.