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Saturday 12 September 2015

MP's ... Money Problems


In this article we can see a number of politicians “named and shamed” for not paying their outstanding debts, public money that they had spent on themselves and refused to pay back. After the release of their names to the media a number of them paid their debts or provided information clearing their names whilst others have not. What gets me is that these expenses were being written off! The naming and shaming was the last action to be taken against them because it was not cost effective to pursue them further. This was after each MP was contacted at least four times. If the act of naming and shaming them had not been taken I'm quite sure not a single one of them would have taken any notice of the letters asking them to make repayments other than to feed them into a paper shredder.

Now lets bring this into context. If this had been myself in debt or any other 'pleb' we would not be having our debts written off because previous attempts to contact us had failed. Instead we would have bailiffs, police and a lock smith coming to pay us a visit and breaking into our homes to help themselves to our property to settle our debts by 'legal theft?'

It's not about the money so much as the principal, this shows a clear divide between the people running the country and people just living here, people who dream up the laws and the people who have to live under them. I'm not saying that politicians are 'above' the law but at times it does seem that it looks the other way whilst politicians line their pockets with public money, more so in the past rather than now thanks to the media exposing them!


The United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal was a major political scandal, first hinted at as details of the Conway Scandal leaked into the public domain, prior to further leaked evidence of malpractice, triggered by the leak and subsequent publication by the Telegraph Group in 2009 of expense claims made by members of the United Kingdom Parliament over several years. Public outrage was caused by disclosure of widespread actual and alleged misuse of the permitted allowances and expenses claimed by Members of Parliament (MP's), following failed attempts by parliament to prevent disclosure under Freedom of Information legislation. The scandal aroused widespread anger among the UK public against MP's and a loss of confidence in politics. It resulted in a large number of resignations, sackings, de-selections and retirement announcements, together with public apologies and the repayment of expenses. Several members or former members of the House of Commons, and members of the House of Lords, were prosecuted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment. The scandal also created pressure for political reform extending well beyond the issue of expenses and led to the parliament elected in 2005 being referred to as the 'Rotten Parliament'

I'm quite sure if the facts had not been leaked to the press MP's would of found a suitably large rug to sweep them under and they would still be lining their pockets with large amounts of public money today! The only thing it seems that changed is the amount of money being 'stolen?'

It would be nice if politicians were treated like workers in a private business, if your incompetent your fired, if you steal or fiddle your expenses your fired and the police are called. If you don't do your job your fired! We might start getting politicians who are worth their salary then!










3 comments:

  1. I like aal the article, but specially "It would be nice if politicians were treated like workers in a private business, if your incompetent your fired, if you steal or fiddle your expenses your fired and the police are called. If you don't do your job your fired! We might start getting politicians who are worth their salary then!"

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