They're Having a Laugh - Aren't They?
Apparently, our MPs are fighting mad.
Not over the mess of the economy - not about the scandal of equal pay - but about the fact that many of them are to be asked pay back or justify some of their more ridiculous expenses claims.
What's got 'honourable' members up in arms is that in reviewing MPs' expenses over the past five years - a former senior civil servant (Sir Thomas Legg) has 'interpreted' the the old rules with a degree of common sense.
The result being that many MPs' are to be told that their claims to do stand up to scrutiny.
But according to news reports our MPs are not going to take this lying down - they object to what has been described by the Prime Minister as 'new criteria being retrospectively applied'.
Now this is complete nonsense, of course - not least because the old rules were clear as could be - here's an extract from the House of Commons 'Green Book' which contains advice and guidance on MPs' expenses claims:
House of Commons - Green Book
1. Claims should be above reproach and must reflect actual usage of the resources being claimed.
2. Claims must only be made for expenditure that it was necessary for a Member to incur to ensure that he or she could properly perform his or her parliamentary duties.
Quite how an ornamental duck pond, tins of dog food, or hiring a cleaner to to tidy your private flat - helps you to be a better MP - is likely to escape most ordinary people.
They're having a laugh - aren't they?
Not over the mess of the economy - not about the scandal of equal pay - but about the fact that many of them are to be asked pay back or justify some of their more ridiculous expenses claims.
What's got 'honourable' members up in arms is that in reviewing MPs' expenses over the past five years - a former senior civil servant (Sir Thomas Legg) has 'interpreted' the the old rules with a degree of common sense.
The result being that many MPs' are to be told that their claims to do stand up to scrutiny.
But according to news reports our MPs are not going to take this lying down - they object to what has been described by the Prime Minister as 'new criteria being retrospectively applied'.
Now this is complete nonsense, of course - not least because the old rules were clear as could be - here's an extract from the House of Commons 'Green Book' which contains advice and guidance on MPs' expenses claims:
House of Commons - Green Book
1. Claims should be above reproach and must reflect actual usage of the resources being claimed.
2. Claims must only be made for expenditure that it was necessary for a Member to incur to ensure that he or she could properly perform his or her parliamentary duties.
Quite how an ornamental duck pond, tins of dog food, or hiring a cleaner to to tidy your private flat - helps you to be a better MP - is likely to escape most ordinary people.
They're having a laugh - aren't they?
