Ministers helped grasping MPs preserve the Westminster gravy train last night by rejecting proposals to curb lavish expenses.

 

MPs, including Cabinet Ministers, voted to keep their £23,000-a-year second homes allowance.

 

And in an insult to households struggling in the credit crunch, they also defied public outrage by retaining the so-called “John Lewis” list for furnishing their homes at taxpayers’ expense.

 

It means they can carry on making claims like £10,000 for a new kitchen or £750 for a plasma screen television.

 

Moves to tighten Parliam-entary expenses rules were defeated by 172 votes to 144 in a Commons free vote.

 

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Culture Secretary Andy Burnham and Housing Minister Caroline Flint were among 33 ministers voting against the tougher system.

 

And Gordon Brown – who has called for pay restraint and greater transparency over MPs’ allowances – did not vote.

 

Source: Sunday Express

 

it stinks. how can they expect other people to tighten their belts when they are doing this?

it stinks. how can they expect other people to tighten their belts when they are doing this?

 

Exactly what I've been saying mate....

 

"There's a credit crunch and everyone has to tighten their belts and accept that they wont get any pay rises for the forseeable future....Except us and our mates in the City and top Civil Servants.....".

 

Leading by example....? :rolleyes: In the face of this BS, I reckon people are right to go on strike or take to the streets in protest just on this principle alone.....

I am in 2 minds here

 

Yes it is very greedy of them on the face of things but on the other hand they are very low paid compared with private industry

 

The average MP I believe gets about £54,000 a year basic wage, that is less than a senior programmer would get in an IT company or a national sales manager in a medium sized business so they are pretty underpaid for the responsibilities that they actually have, even cabinet ministers get around 100k which again is less than an IT director, sales director, marketing director in private industry

 

I would restructure things so that every MP gets a fixed salary of 100k a year and cabinet minister 200k a year but in return they give up all outside consultancies, directorships, after dinner speaking emgagements and so on

they give up all outside consultancies, directorships, after dinner speaking emgagements and so on

 

Like they'd ever do that though mate.... -_-

 

It suits MPs I reckon to keep things the way they are now.. They can pay the "poor me, I only get a basic wage of 54K" card and then cream off all the expenses, private consultancies and all the other stuff.... 100K or 200K and giving up all the fringe benefits would see them lose money, so no way are they gonna vote for your idea, even though it's actually a good one, and ensures that MPs wouldn't allow "vested interests" to affect their voting habits on certain issues.....

 

Is there a List somewhere of all the MPs who voted to keep their expenses? I'd bet my last dollar that my useless twit of an MP is on it.... :rolleyes:

Is there a List somewhere of all the MPs who voted to keep their expenses? I'd bet my last dollar that my useless twit of an MP is on it.... :rolleyes:

 

see list here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7488639.stm

Yip. He's there. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: