Honest Politicians

Biggles · Honest Politicians

Well after all the MP expesnses stuff and after 5 mins research into our current MEP (seems they are as bad), does anyone know of a list anywhere where they list all the MPs etc who HAVENT feathered their own nests at our expense, would be insteresting to see if there are any honest ones left who dont flout the system

Block67

lol - that was a good contradiction biggles, honest and politician, they just dont combine really do they!

Biggles

well i was rather doubtful on the subject but who knows

Local lass

how about are local councilours it would be nice to see what expensice they have made since they have been in office

Chuck

mine is easy I claimed nothing in my 2 years that I am aware of but I may have had expenses allocated against me for training etc... but maybe it should be published but not much time.

Chuck

Peter Dolman

We have the telegraph delivered everyday and yes they have been printing names of MP's who have claimed nothing on the 2nd home allowance, all parties. This is not news as such and therefore does not make the 6, or 9 o'clock news.

As a town councillor for 4 years I had no expenses and we as a council voted not to pay ourselves any money. In chippenham they voted, I believe, to pay each councillor £1,500 per year.

Calne, at least it was 2 years ago, allowances free. That is apart from the mayors allowance.

GTB

I, too, get the Telegraph every day and some of the stories that has come from the expenses debacle is amazing. Not only have some ministers been feathering the nests of their second home but there has been some instances of nepotism that beggars belief. I'm sure that some of them see the tax paying public as nothing more than mugs!

I don't know anything about the compensation one gets for being a local councillor. I always thought it was a paid task in the form of an honouraria.

Biggles

id really like a list or a web link to the ones who havent abused the system if possible (not being a telegraph reader), as its so easy (as weve all done) to slag the abusers off, would be nice to see the ones who are honest and havent

GTB

Glenda Jackson is one person who springs to mind as someone who didn't claim any expenses.

Chris P Bacon

Some of the honest ones can be found here.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8048215.stm

Peter Dolman

GTB, most parish/town councillors receive nothing for their term on their councils. They can vote to pay themselves a fixed sum but most do not.
Any expenses claimed relate solely to money they have spent on behalf of the council.

Councillors on the former district councils were paid approx £4,800pa and at county level approx £10,000. Those elected to the new unitary authority will receive approx the same as the old county council.
This should be taken in the context that you will be expected to spend a couple of days per week on council matters attending meetings or other matters. Expenses are reimbursed for items spent on genuine council matters.

Councillors with additional responsibilty will be paid more, it would be interesting to know how much Jane Scott the leader of the old county councils was paid, £40,000?

I, and others, spent 4 years on the town council and received no financial reward for doing so and submitted no claims for expensess!

We have all been appalled by the events at Westminster and with luck this will result in a change and bring about more democracy. Assuming it does we will need more people standing for election. It won't be any good if we have a different system with the same (or similar) faces.

GTB

Thank you for that information, Peter.

It does make you wonder what is going through an MP'S head when they are claiming for items such as dog food, moat clearance, plasma televisions, etc when the lowly local councillor puts honour above greed. I think the phrase Absolute power corrupts absolutely is quite apt here.

Biggles

Full list in a league table kinda view

seems the scottish labour ones were the worst (lib dems close second)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_pol...otal&order=desc#expensestable

rosco

Biggles

i disagree, they have their OWN parliament in Edinburgh they shouldnt even be in Westminster

rosco

nickcordery

Any part of the UK which has its own parliament should not have MPs in Westminster and should be allowed to raise their own funds and not be subsidised by the taxpayer from the ENGLISH parliament funds.
Look at the present Government - how many come from Scotland or Wales?

As for the expenses scandal - MPs wrote the rules what more can you expect from people - how some expenses were passed beggars belief.
Now we hear that one MP was told his claim was not acceptable but continued to receive it for a further period of time!!

As for the EU - their accounts have NEVER been passed by their own Auditors - any company in that position would have been wound up ages ago.
Whistleblowers referrin to the shocking waste and possible fraud were sacked or demoted.

Peter Dolman

we are back with that old chestnut "the midlothian question" as posed by the late john smith. I did attempt to have this discussion last year but it was not a popular thread unlike now.

basically its why should scotland have its own parliament in which the english (welsh & irish) cannot vote and still be able to send MP's to westminster to vote in english matters.

the answer of course is they should not!

discuss please

rosco