John Bercow's expenses.

[RHB]

It looks as if John Bercow is going to feature strongly in the news over the next few days. According to the BBC report below he has clocked up £34k of expenses over the past year. I don't think there is a suggestion of wrong doing, but you would think that the Speaker of the House would be a bit more circumspect when claiming expenses.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33649258

 

[Benfleet A1]

One of the worst offenders in the House.

 

[OldBlueLady]

A grand for a car journey from Halifax to London?!!!! :stunned: What sort of car was it, a bloody Rolls Royce? And why not go by train which would have been far cheaper - even allowing for first class travel!

 

[Jedi Shrimper]

But we're all in it together don't cha know.

Which I assume means we'll all be getting a nice fat pay rise too.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

If the £10,000 pay rise for MPs stops this type of rip offs then the money may be good sense BUT I suspect they will take the wage rise and also carry on ripping the arse out of every expense to the nth degree of just legal.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

MP with the lowest expense claims.....Jeremy Corbyn. Whatever you think of him he practices what he preaches.

 

[Benfleet A1]

MP with the lowest expense claims.....Jeremy Corbyn. Whatever you think of him he practices what he preaches.

I can only find the 2012/2013 list. Is there a more up to date one? Oh, and I'm not splitting hairs here but found a couple who claimed less than Corbyn ( and what he claimed was not very much compared to some). Question, does Dennis Skinner stay in a tent at the back of the carpark or something? Considering where he represents, I would have expected substantially more.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

I can only find the 2012/2013 list. Is there a more up to date one? Oh, and I'm not splitting hairs here but found a couple who claimed less than Corbyn ( and what he claimed was not very much compared to some). Question, does Dennis Skinner stay in a tent at the back of the carpark or something? Considering where he represents, I would have expected substantially more.

I think it was on a Huffington Post article - but there has been a few to trawl through. May just be low rather than lowest.
Skinner, again - not big on looking out for number one.

 

[londonblue]

As I've said before. Give MPs a decent salary (say £250,000) and be done with any expenses. Out of that comes all their staff salaries, rent and living expenses.

Sorted.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

As I've said before. Give MPs a decent salary (say £250,000) and be done with any expenses. Out of that comes all their staff salaries, rent and living expenses.

Sorted.

Rather than your suggested "decent salary" I suggest cut the numbers to 250, (scrap the Lords),have them re-homed to the NEC where a Travel Lodge or similar is provided for 3 nights a week (the rest of the time they "live" at their homes), in their constituencies And like normal people they should buy their own food, transport to work etc. If they want more then they should have to requisition supplies via a MoD quartermaster. No employing of family members on staff payrolls. If they don't want the job then they know what to do.

SORTED.

 

[Bielzibubz]

It looks as if John Bercow is going to feature strongly in the news over the next few days. According to the BBC report below he has clocked up £34k of expenses over the past year. I don't think there is a suggestion of wrong doing, but you would think that the Speaker of the House would be a bit more circumspect when claiming expenses.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33649258

No suggestion of wrongdoing? £168.00 for a car journey from St Paul's to the Commons...........yeah, that sounds about right doesn't it.

Pig.......trough.........nose. They're all the same. Portray yourself as holier than thou whilst doing all you can to line your own pockets and hope you don't get caught with your pants down.

 

[RHB]

No suggestion of wrongdoing? £168.00 for a car journey from St Paul's to the Commons...........yeah, that sounds about right doesn't it.

Pig.......trough.........nose. They're all the same. Portray yourself as holier than thou whilst doing all you can to line your own pockets and hope you don't get caught with your pants down.

I used the term wrong doing because, according to the reports, he hadn't broken any of the HoC expenses rules. Was it unethical behaviour? Absolutely.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33667676

Oh dear! not a good week for speakers or both houses!
And this bloke was in charge of standards!!!:'(

 

[Benfleet A1]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33667676

Oh dear! not a good week for speakers or both houses!
And this bloke was in charge of standards!!!:'(

Cheap *******, a fiver indeed.

 

[Bielzibubz]

I used the term wrong doing because, according to the reports, he hadn't broken any of the HoC expenses rules. Was it unethical behaviour? Absolutely.

Thanks for putting it in context :) I was taking it as your opinion.

 

[mrsblue]

As I've said before. Give MPs a decent salary (say £250,000) and be done with any expenses. Out of that comes all their staff salaries, rent and living expenses.

Sorted.

Why ?

Nobody puts a gun to their head to force them into the job,just like everyone else with their chosen job the pay is the pay.

Should be more Mr and Mrs average taking up the role and they would be content with the current 60 odd grand and probably not claim expenses on the things the idiots claim for.

 

[londonblue]

Rather than your suggested "decent salary" I suggest cut the numbers to 250, (scrap the Lords),have them re-homed to the NEC where a Travel Lodge or similar is provided for 3 nights a week (the rest of the time they "live" at their homes), in their constituencies And like normal people they should buy their own food, transport to work etc. If they want more then they should have to requisition supplies via a MoD quartermaster. No employing of family members on staff payrolls. If they don't want the job then they know what to do.

SORTED.

Good idea. Cut the number of MPs to such a low number that they can't keep up with their constituency business. Put them all up in the same hotel and give terrorists one target to take out the entire government.

As it happens The Palace of Westminster needs a huge amount of work done to it, and it will cheaper and quicker to do that work if the MPs all moved out. Birmingham is indeed one suggestion, as is Manchester.

I reckon they should all meet up in The Spread.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Good idea. Cut the number of MPs to such a low number that they can't keep up with their constituency business. Put them all up in the same hotel and give terrorists one target to take out the entire government.

As it happens The Palace of Westminster needs a huge amount of work done to it, and it will cheaper and quicker to do that work if the MPs all moved out. Birmingham is indeed one suggestion, as is Manchester.

The work of MPs has been facilitated by better/faster communication; all be it this has also brought forward more of such work.
As for security, having them all in one place IS more secure and easier to guard; -and I believe other countries do follow that system without the scandals ours seem to bring on themselves.
The P of W does indeed need a huge amount of work, it would also make a tremendous tourist attraction: and it is not fit for purpose any longer.
3 days at the "new" parliament, getting on with the debates properly rather than clowning and 2 days in their constituencies, plus all that time when the H of p are not in session could work.
Osbourne has asked all areas of civil service to get plans for 40% reductions - and they (MPs) are "all in it together".

The Spread is unavailable too many days due to staff training and sky sports licencing rules.

 

[Pubey]

If MPs are worried about security issues that would arise from having to live together in the NEC/halls/Dolphin Sq, then perhaps they'll think twice about their foreign policies.

Personally I struggle to get too outraged about MPs expenses. Yes it's open to abuse and a waste of taxpayers money, but without the full context and background it's hard to know what is reasonable and what is not.

A 7 day visit to Australia with a colleague at £13000 doesn't sound too much if you factor in business class flights.

Bercow's role is to represent parliament so it's not a surprise that he's having to do last minute dashes across the country to various events, and with a decent car and driver those will cost.

 

[Blueronron]

As I've said before. Give MPs a decent salary (say £250,000) and be done with any expenses. Out of that comes all their staff salaries, rent and living expenses.

Sorted.

Greed comes in all forms , whether on £ 10 k a year or £ 250 k, many would not be satisfied and would claim something else

No wonder many people are disillusioned with all parties in the UK