WHO ARE THE GOOD MPS?

Author
Discussion

KANEIT

Original Poster:

2,680 posts

225 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
quotequote all
I'm just wondering.
So we've heard nothing but bad news about parliament in the last few weeks, bad news and dirty revelations sell, but are there MPs that we can safely say have not milked the expenses system? If so who are they - is one your local MP? Are they competent as well as honest? I was listening to R2 (yes I know) last week and Jeremy Vine asked some old politician what proportion of MPs had been on the fiddle - all of them, half of them or a few of them. He obviously refused to give an answer of any kind. Is it really the case that the majority of them are on the take?

andy_s

19,519 posts

265 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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None of the Scottish MPs you'll notice.

colonel c

7,899 posts

245 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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andy_s almost succeeding in claiming for a second and third post to increase his post count there...smile

andy_s

19,519 posts

265 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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It was approved by, er, someone else.... smile

Jasandjules

70,418 posts

235 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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I'm curious to know if any of the Labour MPs have not had both hands out grabbing as much cash as they can..

selmahoos

694 posts

215 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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My vote for the winners (or current frontrunners) are the duckpond one and the wacky old retard with the big house who thinks we hate him coz we're jealous! Dunno which 'parties' these scumsters were fronting but you could hardly say whichever ones they're from have any idea what their employees are like.

We may as well face it, there are as many honest MPs as there are straight cops, or normally sexually orientated priests.

Hurry up, Jesus! The End most certainly appears to be Nigh!

Mclovin

1,679 posts

204 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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noone from nulabour....they propose to keep on increasing wasting public spending with increased taxation for no benefit...more bureaucrazy, more spying on us...
noone from lib dems because their basically repackaged nulabour...
noone from bnp because nazis are the lowest form of scum....down there with the worst of society...
noone from the green party because that would mean even more crazy corrupt green ideas...

KANEIT

Original Poster:

2,680 posts

225 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
quotequote all
Not many answers, only sweeping generalisations that mean nothing.
One thing that I like about this scandal is the timing. Just as the weak minded were starting to see the Tories as some kind of saviour party, as they did with Labour in 97, it all comes out that all parties have the same crooked element and in fact it's some of the Conservative MPs that have committed the most outrageous 'moral frauds' and that it's some of their party that have displayed the most arrogant reactions to being found out. A general election will be a good opportunity for new blood and a purge of the rotten representatives.
It would be good to know which particular MPs are in it for what they can do for us, regardless of political party affiliation, who have provided a good service and have not milked the system for personal gain.

glazbagun

14,430 posts

203 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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Here you go- cheapest to most expensive by the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8044207.stm...

Although I don't know if this includes *every* MP or just those the Telegraph has outed. There doesnt seem to be a pattern according to party.

Edited by glazbagun on Sunday 24th May 11:52

JagLover

43,558 posts

241 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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There are a large number of MPs, from all parties, who have not abused the system and stayed within both the spirit and letter of the rules.

Along with their more lurid revalations the Telegraph has been detailing 4-6 'saints' each day who have tried to claim as litle as possible from the 2nd homes allowance.

Hopefully once all the information has been revealed it will be easy to check up on your local MP.


tubbystu

3,846 posts

266 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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So, here is a good case. My local MP's (Reigate & Banstead) 2007-8 expenses.

Name: Blunt, Mr Crispin
Party: CON
Constituency: Reigate
Distance from Westminster: 22 miles
2nd home cost: 23,083
Travel: 3,123

Reigate itself is just outside the southern edge of the M25. In fact the constituency is Reigate & Banstead so it bridges the M25 by 4 miles or so either side. It is lush prime commuter country so why does need a 2nd home ? A black cab will do it for £60 late at night. The train is circa 40 mins to central London.

His travel claim could be an international trip prescribed by parliament, somehow I doubt it - and it will be for traveling between Reigate and Westminster. I cannot claim for travel to & from work, so why should they ?

He's presumably done nothing wrong - and certainly wouldn't think he had judging by the other MP's who have been interviewed, he's just claimed within the rules. And that my friends is the crux of the matter.

If he knocks on the door whilst canvessing I will ask him.

Its looking like 25% of MP's are clean, 25% are in serious hot water with potential fraud etc, and 50% have just claimed because they can.

Puggit

48,767 posts

254 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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Neither Reading MP has claimed for 2nd homes.

One is old Labour (Martin Salter) and one is young Tory (Rob Wilson).

lonny

424 posts

249 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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Kelvin Hopkins Labour MP for Luton North supposed to have claimed something like £1200 last year. If true then it contrasts well with his colleague from 1 mile down the road - Margaret Moran and her £22000+ dry rot repairs in Southampton..

MikeyT

16,834 posts

277 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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Chris Mullins (Sunderland LAB) still has a black and white TV at his second home according to The Daily Wail last week.

Said he bought it 30 years ago ....

KANEIT

Original Poster:

2,680 posts

225 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
quotequote all
glazbagun said:
Here you go- cheapest to most expensive by the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8044207.stm...

Although I don't know if this includes *every* MP or just those the Telegraph has outed. There doesnt seem to be a pattern according to party.

Edited by glazbagun on Sunday 24th May 11:52
That's a good list but a bloody minefield! It's strange how some members spend largely in some areas, say travel, and spend little in other areas such as wages. Another MP from a similar area could spend the same overall amount but in entirely different categories -say lots on wages and little on travel.
It's wierd that one MP can get by with a 50k wages bill yet others have to spend double that. Who here is represented by Phillip Hollobone? By god he's cheap! Is he any good though? Are we getting more of a service from Claire Short than we are from Phillip Hollobone, considering she spends about 100k more than him in that category? That said Mr Hollobone has his second home paid to the max!


elster

17,517 posts

216 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
quotequote all
KANEIT said:
glazbagun said:
Here you go- cheapest to most expensive by the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8044207.stm...

Although I don't know if this includes *every* MP or just those the Telegraph has outed. There doesnt seem to be a pattern according to party.

Edited by glazbagun on Sunday 24th May 11:52
That's a good list but a bloody minefield! It's strange how some members spend largely in some areas, say travel, and spend little in other areas such as wages. Another MP from a similar area could spend the same overall amount but in entirely different categories -say lots on wages and little on travel.
It's wierd that one MP can get by with a 50k wages bill yet others have to spend double that. Who here is represented by Phillip Hollobone? By god he's cheap! Is he any good though? Are we getting more of a service from Claire Short than we are from Phillip Hollobone, considering she spends about 100k more than him in that category? That said Mr Hollobone has his second home paid to the max!
The problem with comparing staffing, is it depends on what their parliamentary duties are.

Paul1972

109 posts

190 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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Good to see three (from a quick scan) Sinn Fein MP's costing the UK £130k - £140k each, even though they have never spent a day in Parliment!!

Edit - looks like there are 5 with each claiming in the above range.

Edited by Paul1972 on Sunday 24th May 17:47

dan1981

17,507 posts

205 months

Sunday 24th May 2009
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ignore me please.

Edited by dan1981 on Sunday 24th May 22:01

ypauly

15,137 posts

206 months

Monday 25th May 2009
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glazbagun said:
Here you go- cheapest to most expensive by the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8044207.stm...

Although I don't know if this includes *every* MP or just those the Telegraph has outed. There doesnt seem to be a pattern according to party.

Edited by glazbagun on Sunday 24th May 11:52
feck me tony b Liar is on there with a second home????????
he lived in downing stree ten years to that point, not to mention that chequers place


arrest him NOW

Kinky

39,779 posts

275 months

Monday 25th May 2009
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My local MP Adam Afriyie is one of the good guys thumbup

A young guy, and brilliant to chat to on a personal level about anything and everything (not with a politicians hat on).

K