Sorry to go on about this dodgy expenses claim thingy, but go on I must as long as this unsavoury episode continues. Now our Home Secretary’s husband has been dragged out of the house to explain himself to the media and apologise for what he’s done - viewing films which he subsequently (and stupidly) charged to the wife’s expenses, two of which were of the, ahem, "adult entertainment" kind.
She appeared to be absolutely furious but no more furious than we, the poor suckers who paid for them, have every right to be. What concerns me is that she seems to be far more cross with him for his taste in films and for embarrassing her rather than being truly regretful that the taxpayer was asked to foot the bill for something of such a personal nature.
Don’t get me wrong – I don’t care if he was viewing adult films, among others. Good luck to him, if that’s his bag then let him get on with it. What he does in the privacy of his own home is entirely up to him. The bit I find more shocking is that he claimed for any of the films at all, regardless of their subject matter. To me the fact that they were paid for on expenses is the truly offensive thing here, not the content of a couple of them.
So what's the next episode in the sorry saga of the Home Secretary, Her Expenses and the Husband Who Will Be Sleeping On The Sofa? Are we soon to be treated to more insights of how the other half live, at our expense?
If recent events are anything to go by, my guess is that having funded the films for a cosy night in front of the TV, Joe Public will be getting the bill for the Chinese takeaway any time now.
With tip, no doubt.
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13 comments:
And taxi used to send it to them.
I understand the frustration and feel the same SM. We just keep coughing up the dough and they keep spending it...
(Send me that email addy and I can send you an "invite" to my blog. Send to sheeyahdeelite AT msn DOT com)
Hi Cath, having trouble with my email currently so getting a new account, but will send it ASAP. Thanks for keeping the faith!
Snouts in the trough, the lot of 'em.
It's the same here only on a much bigger scale. Remember the guy last year putting a prostitute on his expenses? Wife looked a little annoyed to say the least.
I feel guilty if I nab a free coffee at work.
Well, I'm here because you said I was witty...
...putting myself under a little pressure now so maybe I'll pop back later with something really funny
maybe
Tried to write a bit about your blog but I find I have too much indignant rage to maintain coherant comment.
xxS
As the old song sung by Cleo Lane(remember her?) runs, "Nice work if you can get it".
What folks do in their own time is their own business but when they do it public expense its everybody's business.
Check out the Taxpayers' Alliance. They've been monitoring public servants' expense/pay & perks abuses for years. If we ALL joined 'em, something might just change.
Well said SM - I agree with you. I watch the news now just to see what the next episode brings. I'm a pensioner now but still have to pay a small amount of tax and feel incensed at their greed. A
Hi Sweary - I'm split on this. really, the expenses are crazy and they should just be part of a bigger salary package that means they can spend the money on whatever they like and stop having to come up with excuses.
I don't mind them getting bigger salaries. I want our politicians to be the best people in the country. I want the political life to attract and retain the best minds and best managers the country has to offer.
Unless they get a salary that is equivalent to what they could get 'in industry' then we will never attract them to public office.
The days of politicians doing it for 'the good of the people' are long gone and we need to wake up and think about how we get the best people into these positions of power and decision.
Making examples of them for spending what is a part of their salary package on things that we all spend our own salaries on is just making the best people turn their backs on public service.
hey - one good rant deserves another eh?
Thanks for your welcoming words! Nice to know I have readers from good old England, eventhough they don't understand me... ;)
I was aware that MPs relied on expenses to 'make their money up', but I had no idea of exactly what they were allowed to claim for. I thought, in my naivety, that most MPs wanted to do the job for 'noble' reasons. Silly me. It is infuriating that all they have to say in their defence is that they haven't broken the rules. OK, so maybe they haven't broken the rules, but they have taken advantage of an over generous system without conscience and they should be ashamed.
Just read your last two posts. It seems to me that they think the £23, 000 they are allowed to claim in expenses (yes, £23, 000!) is part of their salary! It has similarities to the poorly paid secretaries I know who think that five days allowed sick leave is part of their annual holiday allowance and take them whether they are ill or not. Difference is, MP's already get paid five times a secretary's wage!!
And they are our elected representatives. Pah!
It's unbelievable, but small fry compared to the billions they waste on other projects. The worst part is the National embarassment of it, every US network carried it because of the G20.
David T Breaker
http://newsjunction.co.uk
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