Expenses of Members of Parliament

There are two items in the news that I can resist commenting on; the first is the story of the MP (Member of Parliament) who was bugged while visiting a friend and constituent who is in prison. Personally I don't see what all the fuss is about, an MP who is actually being listened to, he should be pleased!

The other story centres around the MP who paid his son as a researcher yet there is no evidence that he ever did any work. This story has taken the lid off this rather murky can of worms, of the money that Members of Parliament claim as expenses.

While we may all hope that MPs are honest, it would be naive to assume that with the lack of verification, that politicians don't have their snouts in the trough and are not stuffing themselves.
I have a cynical view of all MPs simply because of the money involved in poltics. Further, while most will say good things to get elected, the number who ditch their principals for the sake of power is... well its not surprising.

What is most surprising is that it has taken so long for this abuse to become public. While all MPs need to have the costs of supporting their constituents, things like stamps office staff, but what should also be happening is items like computers and office equipment should not then be kept by the MP when they leave. That way Equipment bought by the state should be retained by the state.

Then there is the problem of MPs getting payments for their mortgages. An MP who's constituency is outside London gets extra money to buy a second home in London. They then get to keep all the profits from selling that flat or house when they leave parliament. All legal but to me that looks like an abuse to me.

Then there is the cost of travel, a Member of Parliament who's constituency is many miles from London will need to travel backwards and forwards. Yet far to many fly first class, when travelling by train would be cheaper and would give them the time they claim they need to do the paperwork.

The problem is that MPs treat this as a club and once in treat us the taxpayers as idiots, and don't think we even have the right to question what they are doing. If they want our trust and respect they need to earn it.