The Mess of MPs Expenses

In Britain we do have a “Freedom of Information Act” but when people wanted to scrutinise the expenses claims of our Elected representatives, they (the MPs) attempted to exclude themselves from this. While there had been a drip drip of details, one Newspaper has started publishing some of these details in full.

Following the publication of just some of the details, Harriet Harmon came on the radio and said:

“I know expenses claims look bad”

Well it looks bad because the Members of Parliament have been playing the system for their own gain.

Being an MP is difficult and it should be well paid. Further, the system needs to ensure that MPs have the resources to be able to represent their constituents properly. For those that represent people far away from London obviously need two homes, but the details of these expenses claims are telling a story of MPs on the make.

While I don't believe that any MP goes into politics to become rich, but does so from conviction, once in parliament however they play the system to make extra money. The MPs make the rules and have made best use of the system. Yet as the devil is in the detail, it has been the details that MPs have fought tooth and claw to stop these details becoming public knowledge.

For example; one MP, Hazel Blears, made claims for three different homes in one year, thus the tax payer paid her bills on all three. Even though the rules actually say that the second home has to be a matter of fact. The MPs keep on saying that they are only claiming within the rules, well changing your nominated second home looks like she is playing the rules so that the tax payer pays the bills we taxpayers have to pay ourselves. That example looks very much like a fraud to me, but it is the practice that MPs like Jack Straw have engaged in that is fraudulent.

In Britain we all have to pay a local property tax known as Council Tax. If you own a second property, on the second property you only pay fifty percent of that tax. You have to nominate the second home with the tax authorities to get that discount. However Jack Straw nominated one property as the second home with the tax authorities while nominating a different property with the House of Commons, so that he could get the maximum financial benefit. What is interesting was that on the eve of publication he suddenly discovers this mistake and repays the money.

The Jack Straw example really appals me as if this had been a single mother on benefits doing a similar “Playing the Rules” she would face criminal charges and a possible prison sentence. There really seems to be one set of rules for the rich and one for the poor.

There are in fact so many examples of this abuse of public money that I could give tens of examples where MPs have exploited the system for personal gain. I have personally felt like shouting at the radio when I hear the Litany from MPs that they were only following the rules. As MPs decide the rules...

However, while there are MPs that clearly have abused the system for personal gain, there are a few that have not. Hillary Benn is one that stands out from the data that I have seen. That does not surprise me as he has always been a man of principal.

There is a request by the House of Commons Authority for the police to be called in, I hope that happens. As while the House of Commons Authority want the police to investigate the leaking of the data to the press, as the corruption involves abusing public money it could well be that the MPs will find themselves under investigation and possibly facing criminal charges. The MPs resisted this getting into the public arena, we all know why now.

While we do not suffer from the corruption that occurs in other parts of the world, this does nothing to help our leaders authority when dealing with the bonus culture of the banks for example.

While there is not a national election here yet, there are local government elections here and European elections and this will effect the votes that “We the People” cast.

I return to the statement made by Harriet Harmon: “I know expenses claims look bad” If what you as an MP will look bad then that should tell you that it should not be done.