Totally Legal MPs' Expenses

Something Rotten in the Trough

Swine fever rife in the UK Parliament

- You may wish to wear a mask.

MPs constantly claim that they are not in the job for the money. Ha ha.

The Daily Telegraph has today published details of the expenses being claimed by the "great and good" governing this sad country. It does not make pretty reading.

It includes Gordon Brown claiming for the same plumbing work twice (oops) which he repaid after The Daily Telegraph contacted him (he is known for his honesty and probity after all) - for some more of Gordon Brown's expenses claims including his £15 for lightbulbs see - Let Them Eat Waste.

Gordon Brown (the Prime Minister of this country for those who don't suffer his governance and were unaware of the fact) paid Andrew Brown (his brother) £6,577 over 26 months for cleaning at his flat. Why? Is Andrew Brown out of work and down on his luck? No, he is in fact a senior executive at EDF Energy. The explanation is that the brothers "shared a cleaner" and Mr G Brown “reimbursed him [Mr A Brown] for his share of the cost”. Am I the only one who finds that totally weird?

Why did the Prime Minister not simply lodge receipts from the cleaner. He has been known to employ other cleaners. Well, ours is not to reason why, ours is to pay up and mind our own business. These payments would never have been disclosed if the government had had its way.

The Tlegraph has also disclosed that:

- Jack Straw, (Justice Secretary at the moment), received a 50% discount on his council tax but claimed the full amount. Within weeks of the High Court ordering MPs to provide details of their expenses he discovered his “mistake” and repaid the money.

-Lord Mandelson, (Business Secretary), claimed thousands of pounds for improvements to his constituency home AFTER announcing his resignation as an MP. He then sold the property for a profit of £136,000 but did not repay the thousands he had claimed for expenses.

- Hazel Blears, (Communities Secretary), has claimed for 3 properties in a single year. Spending almost £5,000 on furniture in 3 months after buying her third flat in an upmarket area of London.

-Alistair Darling, (Chancellor i.e. Finance Minister - more or less the equivalent of US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in the USA who forgot to pay his taxes), changed his official “second home” designation four times in four years. It is important which is an MPs second home as they can claim back household bills on their main home, so by changing it about they can better manage their claims.

- Geoff Hoon, (Transport Secretary), switched his 2nd home, this allowed him to make extensive improvements to his family home in Derbyshire before buying a house in London, also funded by us.

- Andy Burnham, (Culture Secretary), Caroline Flint, (Minister for Europe), and Paul Murphy, (Welsh Secretary), also bought apartments — or the freehold properties already owned by them — claiming stamp duty and moving costs in the process.

A number of senior ministers received repeated warnings from the parliamentary authorities and some of their claims were either rejected or withheld.

Not all MPs have the same attitude toward claiming expenses. Ed Miliband, claimed only £6,300 a year in rent and also claimed for utility and council tax bills. Alan Johnson, (currently Health Secretary), claimed for his constituency home only over the past 4 years. He also rented a small property but claimed for some furniture and food. Hilary Benn, (Environment Secretary), claimed just £147.78 in food.

For details check - Daily Telegraph

Many have claimed tens of thousands of pounds to furnish and renovate what any reasonable person would consider to be their principal residence – the home where their families reside. A large proportion of MPs have refurbished, decorated and sold second homes at taxpayers' expense, using the allowance to pay the mortgage interest and then pocketing the profit or buying another property."

"Several ministers who have moved into grace-and-favour apartments in London — and who had previously claimed on private London homes — have suddenly decided that their “second” home is in their constituency, so that virtually all of their housing costs are met by the taxpayer. They include Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling and Geoff Hoon."

"Other MPs, including Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, nominate their main family home as their “second” home so they can charge the taxpayer for their household bills and mortgage interest payments while living cheaply in flats or even the spare rooms of friends or relatives in London."
MPS expenses Gordon Brown's Expenses
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