ChatterBank2 mins ago
MP's secret expenses
24 Answers
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-112591 6/Government-U-turn-plans-details-MPs-expenses -secret.html
At last Brown has been forced to do a U-turn over this matter of MP's expenses, due to the lack of support from the Tories.
Why did they want to keep them a secret?
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Gordon Brown hit out at the Tories for withdrawing their support from the controversial move.
"We thought we had agreement on the Freedom of Information Act as part of this wider package," he said.
"Recently that support that we believed we had from the main opposition party was withdrawn.
At last Brown has been forced to do a U-turn over this matter of MP's expenses, due to the lack of support from the Tories.
Why did they want to keep them a secret?
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Gordon Brown hit out at the Tories for withdrawing their support from the controversial move.
"We thought we had agreement on the Freedom of Information Act as part of this wider package," he said.
"Recently that support that we believed we had from the main opposition party was withdrawn.
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Sorry AOG,
You have fallen for the Mail's half truths again. I had to go and read it in another paper as the link you supplied was so badly written it was difficult to understand.
Anyhow, the bit they forgot to mention was it was a Tory idea in the first place...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6673989 .stm
You have fallen for the Mail's half truths again. I had to go and read it in another paper as the link you supplied was so badly written it was difficult to understand.
Anyhow, the bit they forgot to mention was it was a Tory idea in the first place...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6673989 .stm
Why? Because you look like you're seriously taking the p1ss out of the tax payer and the electorate if it comes out under FOI that you spend �1,600 a year on window cleaning like Barbara Follett claims to have done, or that you've been paying your sons for no work out of the public purse like disgraced MP Derek Conway did.
Let's not forget, the Tories only decided to declare their expenses after Conway was exposed, so they played the system as much as the other side did. Only the Lib Dems consistantly advocated disclosure.
Let's not forget, the Tories only decided to declare their expenses after Conway was exposed, so they played the system as much as the other side did. Only the Lib Dems consistantly advocated disclosure.
And have we forgotten Den Dover Tory MEP Chief Whip sacked after paying �758,000 in expenses to his wife and daughter!
Giles Chichester another Tory MEP who had to step down as leader of the Tories after an expenses scandal!
I'll tell you why they want to keep the line items secret - because they know that certain papers will just keep going through them line by line trying to find something to pervert into a headline!
Giles Chichester another Tory MEP who had to step down as leader of the Tories after an expenses scandal!
I'll tell you why they want to keep the line items secret - because they know that certain papers will just keep going through them line by line trying to find something to pervert into a headline!
I'm a little torn on this.
I find the expenses that have been published quite incredible. The allowances towards basic admin work, London flats, home furnishings etc is staggering.
What pulls me to the other side is the thought that it might ward the less wealthy away from standing for Parliament so that we end up with a disproportionate amount of independently wealthy MPs, probably leaning towards one side politically - which would be unrepresentative of the UK as a whole.
We don't want highly intelligent, but non-affluent people to shy away from politics and go and work for some FTSE 100 company instead. That would be a shame.
But there HAS to be a middle ground, or tighter regulation. �1,600 on window cleaning is laughable.
I find the expenses that have been published quite incredible. The allowances towards basic admin work, London flats, home furnishings etc is staggering.
What pulls me to the other side is the thought that it might ward the less wealthy away from standing for Parliament so that we end up with a disproportionate amount of independently wealthy MPs, probably leaning towards one side politically - which would be unrepresentative of the UK as a whole.
We don't want highly intelligent, but non-affluent people to shy away from politics and go and work for some FTSE 100 company instead. That would be a shame.
But there HAS to be a middle ground, or tighter regulation. �1,600 on window cleaning is laughable.
Gromit
You have been searching among ancient links again, to make a fool of yourself.
Even if it was a Tory idea in the first place, it goes to show that times alter and they are prepaired to bow to public opinion.
More than can be said for Brown, the fact remains that
due to lack of support from the Tories, Brown has been forced to made a U-turn once again.
Incidently I would be interested to read the report in the other newspaper you mentioned, just to see how the Mail had got it wrong.
You have been searching among ancient links again, to make a fool of yourself.
Even if it was a Tory idea in the first place, it goes to show that times alter and they are prepaired to bow to public opinion.
More than can be said for Brown, the fact remains that
due to lack of support from the Tories, Brown has been forced to made a U-turn once again.
Incidently I would be interested to read the report in the other newspaper you mentioned, just to see how the Mail had got it wrong.
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