Have They No Shame?

[Julnar]

One MP attempted to claim back �5 he placed in a church collection tray. What planet are these people living on?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8075558 .stm
Is it time for a General Election, so we can truly register our disgust or would the party political system collapse and chaos ensue if we put it to the test at this present time?

[tamborine]

Y aren't they arrested for thieving; have fingerprints/DNA/mug shots etc taken & given records - preventing them from travel, like ordinary citizens suffer?

[ludwig]

What a tight-fisted ****. I mean he couldn't even be generous with other peoples money could he. Why not stick a �20 on and claim for that.
He's obviously hard-up so maybe his constituents should send him a few of their fivers, wrapped around bricks and thrown through his window perhaps.

[wired]

Steady on ludwig, don't condemn him just like that, surely it's the tip of the iceberg, I'd like to check the validity of actual receipts and I don't think a general election is a good idea until all of the rotten apples have been thrown out.

[jake-the-peg]

No we shouldn't have a General Election now

a) Because as wired says we need to sort out the sheep from the goats and make sure the goats stand down

b) Because at a time of international recession getting the best economic policy is more important than someone expensing a charity donation.

And an election right now would all be about expenses and nothing else

[DEN53]

Nothing surprises me now what they claim for, Julnar - but to be honest, if there was a general election now - I really do not think there is a party worthy to run the country !! they are all crooks.

[rov1200]

If a party achieves power with only 35% who are in favour what democracy is that. They could put forward a policy where over 2/3rds of the population disagree. Proportional representation only splits the vote according to each party as they have to agree with the 3 line whip and told how to vote.
However if 100% of the peoples vote was taken it would give a true representation of how people feel. That is the reason for referendums.

[Gromit]

rov1200

The last UK referendum (on staying in the EEC) 35% of the population didn't bother to vote. Referndums are a pointless and expensive exercise.

[youngmafbog]

Gromit. That sort of reply usually comes from people who know their view is not truly representative.


However in this instance I agree it would acheive little.

[jake-the-peg]

Is a representative decision the best one?

If so why do companies not let their shareholders run things directly and instead have an executive board ?

Is the best person to make a decision someone of average intelligence? of average abilities?

That, by definition is what you get in a referendum

[Gromit]

youngmafbog

Manchester recently had a referendum on the congestion charge. 47% didn't bother voting, and it cost in excess of �3milllion.

The London congestion charge was in Boris' manifesto and the people voted for him with no expensive referendum needed.

[ludwig]

Gromit, the 47% who didn't bother voting were given the opportunity to express their opinion, which they did.
As it turned out, their opinion was 'I don't care either way about the congestion charge'.
However, If the decision had been made for them we'd never have known that they didn't care.
..anyway what have rerendums got to do with the original question?

[andy-hughes]

The Daily Mail reports this story, and in their version, Field claims that the calim was submitted by someone who offered the donation on his behalf, and was claiming it back from the MP in person.

OK - so what sort of person who has enough intelligence and ability to be employed by an MP is too mean to donate �5 to a charity which is employer supports, without claiming it back and furthermore -

what sort of MP would expect or accept an I.O.U. in writing, and be stupid emough to allow it to go in with his own expenses receipts, aind finally -

if you look at the habdwriting on the I.O.U., what sort of individual is Frank Feild employing, who'se handwriting would cause comment in a class of seven-year-olds?

Mr Field - have a degree of integrity. Don't treat the public like idiots, emplpy properly qualified staff, and flaming well RESIGN!

[jno]

andy hughes, what has Frank Field to do with this?

[chinadog]

I think they should all be prosecuted!!!

[Gromit]

The MP was Frank Cook, not Frank Field.

The �5 was never paid. It was rejected by the fees panel.

[paraffin]

And just who would we be expected to vote for were a General Election to be called? The tooth fairy? Susan Boyle?
Esther Rantzen? Joanna Lumley? UKIP? The BNP?

[fuxake]

Them fags just need a good slapping tbh. They're there to look after us as a country, not themselves. If they're just there for the money, they should gtfo and do some actual work, rather than sitting around bickering amongst one another like children.

[DanAB]

this is not the correct time for a GE. firstly because of the current opinion people have of politicians. we could end up with a political party in power who have never been in that situation before and inexperienced. that would cause more problems than what it will solve.

however, the main thing we need to do at this moment in time is to show that we the public are disgusted with some of these peoples actions. i am even glad they are getting the police involved, as im pretty sure some of those expenses claims can be seen as fraud and should be treated as such.

people should not fear the goverment, the government should fear the people. that is how democracy works.

[andy-hughes]

Sorry jno, I meant Frank Spencer ... Black ... Ifield ... Maureen love, getting a bit busy down here ...

[jno]

I'll be Glad if you're Frank, andy...