A ‘Cancer’ to this country’s politics
The string of Parliamentarians who either blatantly ‘bend’ the rules on expenses or simply appear not to understand them is a slow ‘Cancer’ to the body of political representation at all levels in our country.
Most recently Labour MPs but not so long ago Tories have done their bit at ‘misunderstanding’ the rules which frankly are so outdated and open to abuse they are an embarrassment. The latest perceived departure from the straight and narrow was by Tony McNulty the Employment Minister.
I met him last year when he was Police Minister and in the five minutes I spoke with him he struck me as being without an ounce of conviction in anything he said. Based on that short encounter I’m not in the least surprised he has gone from saying he’s done nothing wrong by claiming second house allowance on a home owned by his parents to defending it and then onto attacking the rules which he now says should be changed.
So many of the Parliamentary allowances are based on the judgement of the individual MP as to whether they should be claimed and while there is that potential ambiguity the ‘Cancer’ will continue to spread through the fabric of our national politics which in turn impacts upon the reputation of everyone involved at every level. The fact that so many MPs are clearly unable to appreciate what they claim looks like to normal people is hard to believe.
And if you need depressing further about the ‘all Party’ state of politics in our country take a look at the book I’m reading at the moment… The Triumph of the Political Class by Peter Oborne.
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2 comments
Seems from the news on MP’s expenses tonight No 10s been reading your website!!! Keep up the good work Matt.
You have to take into account that his constituency is 8 miles from the House of Commons and that it would take him at least 15 minutes commute. He obviously needs two houses one for his work in the week and one for the weekend and this is why he voted against any rule changes recently. (tongue firmly in cheek)
On a more serious note the rules are a mess and while I have no problems if our Tamworth MP claims for a second home allowance any London MP’s need no more that a taxi.
On other expenses if the MP’s wife (or husband) works as their secretary it makes sense and they should get paid, it’s when they are clearly paid (out of my taxes) for nothing that the system is wrong. All parties have people that are pushing the limits of the rules, but that’s true for any rule or law, any that break the rules should be punnished.
The rules for expenses need an overhaul along with many of the laws of the land, I hope that when they take control the Conservatives will take a serious look into not only their own rules but some of the badly written legislation that has flooded onto the statute books over the last 10 years.
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