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Author Topic: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal  (Read 2374 times)

Online Calimachon

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Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« on: May 15, 2009, 05:26:47 AM »
Is it Snouts in the Trough time or is it due to many mistakes made by accountants who misinterpreted the 'claiming of expenses' instructions.

Politicians are surely a breed apart.  This would surely not go on in the business world..........or.......would it?

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mpwpj

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2009, 05:36:53 AM »
I think the Telegraph have done the UK tax payer a service.  It's clearly wrong, although quite possible within the letter of the rules, what some MPs have claimed for, and to bring this to light and have the system reviewed is good and proper.

That said I think, perhaps inevitably, much of the media outrage is just hype.

Inappropriate claiming for expenses does go on in the business world, but not many business would allow most of the 'legitimate' expenses that these MPs are allowed; like the 2nd home allowance.

I was amazed to see that they also get a payment of over £40,000 when they lose their seat at election time; the theory being that because of the uncertainty of winning the election they can't plan for the future, and this gives them a 'buffer' should they lose and need to find other paid work.  I can't remember the break down, but losing a re-election gets an MP around £92,000 in various benefits + healthy pension.
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rogueelement

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2009, 05:39:13 AM »
In the business world there is a whole better auditing going on.Apart from companies which are owned beneficially by a single person. Shareholders demand proper accounting for the actions of their executives and the tax man is always keen to ensure that the profits are not being bled in a frivolous manner.Having said that , troughs and snouts are not totally restricted to politicians , the bankers have shown that.The problem there was simple , whilst you are making billions in profits, keeping the shareholders happy with good dividends , there is a tendency to agree large rewards for the executives. Scrutiny only really becomes very necessary when shareholders interests are not being satisfied.A good metaphor for the States of Jersey.
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Online Calimachon

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2009, 05:50:12 AM »
Quote
I can't remember the break down, but losing a re-election gets an MP around £92,000 in various benefits + healthy pension.

I suppose they would have a very high lifestyle to maintain whilst looking for further employment poor things.

The person who installed the Moat was cunning - could always run a small pleasure boat business as a sidle-line eh?  ;)
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"Life gives to all the choice. You can satisfy yourself with mediocrity if you wish. You can be common, ordinary, dull, colorless, or you can channel your life so that it will be clean,vibrant, progressive, useful, colorful, rich". Spencer W. Kimball (Calimachon is not a Mormon nor is she in any shape or form religious but she thinks this applies to all humans and more so to a Humanist!  :)

mpwpj

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2009, 06:04:29 AM »
Quote from: Calimachon on May 15, 2009, 05:50:12 AM
...The person who installed the Moat was cunning...
He didn't install the moat, it's been there quite some time, but I guess the way the press are hounding him he might be glad it's there and still working; luckily he's not skimped on the up-keep.
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Online Calimachon

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2009, 06:12:59 AM »
Quote
He didn't install the moat, it's been there quite some time, but I guess the way the press are hounding him he might be glad it's there and still working; luckily he's not skimped on the up-keep.

Yes the press are playing the usual hounding game that we are all familiar with here in Jersey.

Are Times A Changin?  Will the voters veer away from the big three parties in droves, as has been suggested in the media?
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"Life gives to all the choice. You can satisfy yourself with mediocrity if you wish. You can be common, ordinary, dull, colorless, or you can channel your life so that it will be clean,vibrant, progressive, useful, colorful, rich". Spencer W. Kimball (Calimachon is not a Mormon nor is she in any shape or form religious but she thinks this applies to all humans and more so to a Humanist!  :)

mpwpj

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2009, 08:15:14 AM »
I see the Jersey Evening Post's front page has our own expenses story:

Mike Pollard, CO at Health, is alleged by the JEP to have claimed the cost of guitar lessons missed through extra work caused by the historical child abuse investigation.

He's neither confirmed or denied the allegations, preferring to let the Minister answer in the house in response to a formal question from Dep. Rondel.
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Offline Dylan

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2009, 11:09:46 AM »
Good for dep Rondel, Shame on him though in a previous political incarnation for demanding that the states hang onto unwanted Properties "don't sell the family silver" was his riposte!! With reference to the Oxford Road Le Selleur building. He never had the nouse at the time to get anyone to do anything about the upkeep though, instead we are faced with stupid claims like those of Mike Pollards as a run of the mill norm for modern times whereas a little careful application could have organised things a little better. "The trouble with the organisation, of course is that there simply isn't any"!
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Online Fritz

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2009, 12:53:50 PM »
I think the ,"Snouts in the trough", brigade have merely been stocking up for the ,"credit crunch", that they knew was coming.
The police,(army?), have been armed to the teeth in preparation for a revolution.
The guy with the moat probably knows a bit more than the rest of them.
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Offline Dylan

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #9 on: May 30, 2009, 12:50:35 PM »
Thought a little Political Insight of how Government really works. Not for the faint Hearted or thos who are offended.

Happy Late Birthday!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsHzz0QnxUA
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Offline moot

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #10 on: May 30, 2009, 02:07:46 PM »
I still think most of these crooked MP's aren't getting it. They are so stuck in this greedy, corrupt rot that they have become too blinkered to see through it
Yesterday I heard some prick MP Elliott Morley saying that he was going to resign at the next election ( could be a year away ! ) He said that "the last 2 weeks had been traumatic for him and he has to think of his family and my health both of which have suffered" [/b] He has claimed interest payments of £16,000 - 18 months after the mortgage was paid off !

My reply to this would be : Guess what a cancer patient ( and his family ) who has been denied certain treatment because of the cost has to suffer not over 2 weeks but for much longer. 16.000 quid would go along way to pay for it.  Traumatic ? The guy doesn't know what the word means !
Just listen to what this arrogant man had to say http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8073923.stm
Those of you who have a mortgage know what an important event making the final payment is but this MP was obviously to busy planning other greed schemes to notice
He and the others make my blood boil
Then before they go they get all these incredible hand outs as rewards
Link : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8074151.stm
When an ordinary citizen " forgets" to pay capital gains tax on the sale of a property he/she is likely to have to pay it belatedly plus a fine will be imposed by the UK inland revenue
Oh no ! Not for these crooks . They can just pay it back
UK Parliament reeks, House of Lords stinks. What about our local little "parliament" ?
« Last Edit: May 30, 2009, 02:09:18 PM by moot »
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Offline stoneface

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #11 on: May 30, 2009, 03:26:35 PM »
It's amazing, isn't it? They think just because they can then there's no reason why they should not. The appropriateness is irrelevant. Speaker Martin's comment that he didn't become an MP "not to get what he was owed" is very telling.

I am both utterly unsurprised by their venality and totally gobsmacked at their shamelessness.

I hope the British voters are ruthless. I hope there are jail terms. I hope we learn.
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Offline stoneface

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #12 on: May 30, 2009, 04:12:39 PM »
Quote from: moot on May 30, 2009, 02:07:46 PM
Those of you who have a mortgage know what an important event making the final payment is but this MP was obviously to busy planning other greed schemes to notice

This might amuse: http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/politics/politics-headlines/mp-becomes-first-ever-person-to-forget-he-had-paid-off-his-mortgage-200905141760/
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"The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good, in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it." - John Stuart Mill

Offline Dylan

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #13 on: May 31, 2009, 05:35:32 AM »
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Online Calimachon

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Re: Did the Daily Telegraph do the public a favour by exposing Expenses Scandal
« Reply #14 on: June 05, 2009, 02:31:58 PM »
The Prime Minister and Government have outlined a framework for constitutional renewal that aims to reverse the apparent breakdown in trust in the political process. ::)

http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19500
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"Life gives to all the choice. You can satisfy yourself with mediocrity if you wish. You can be common, ordinary, dull, colorless, or you can channel your life so that it will be clean,vibrant, progressive, useful, colorful, rich". Spencer W. Kimball (Calimachon is not a Mormon nor is she in any shape or form religious but she thinks this applies to all humans and more so to a Humanist!  :)
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