Quote:
Originally Posted by g jones
MPs are now forced to rent which has pushed up MP's housing costs considerably (at taxpayers expense) as a result of changes banning ownership following public outrage in 2009 expenses scandal.
A friend of mine (MP) rents a room from a retired MP who still lives in the other room (two bed flat). This MP was pilloried in the nationals for saving taxpayers money. People on message boards then put an uninformed boot in.
I have said this before but it's worth saying it again. I employ four staff and spend nearly all the allowances given to me. The constituency office is one of the best in the country. Since 2010 we have helped over 5,000 people individually. The notice board is full of thank you cards. Not to me (though they may have my name on them) but to the dedicated staff I employ.
Spending most of the allowance may make me a high spending MP (I am not sure). Contrast that with the MP (nameless) who sleeps in his office, doesn't do casework and employs no staff and needs a map to get back to his constituency.
I am also under 65 so lose out on cheap pensioner rail fares. Unlike some stay away MP's who stay in London, I come home every weekend to do surgeries and work here in the constituency adding more rail fares. Lancashire is far more expensive to get to than the home counties.
I have a daughter and entitled to a small additional allowance for accommodation.
I don't claim mileage in East Lancashire or food allowances.
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Nobody questions your honesty or morality, it's plain to see for anyone who cares to check. The changes you refer to were brought about by an army of your colleagues bleeding the system, whilst crucifying in parliament the single parent on benefit who does a few hours behind the bar on a friday night cash in hand as fraudsters.
The same civil servants who drew up the loophole riddled expenses rules are the same ones who have now created the sledgehammer to crack a walnut rules on ownership....welcome to our world Graham, they do it to us plebs on a daily basis with their interpretation on what you lot create in parliament.