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Sunday, August 30, 2009

Expenses fiddling MPs claim they are victims not crooks

Expenses fiddling MPs claim they are victims not crooks



MPs whose controversial claims for accommodation costs, food and furniture were exposed during the expenses scandal are claiming the status of victims instead of offenders.

Across hundreds of pages of submissions to Sir Christopher Kelly, the committee's chairman, MPs:

• Expressed continued resentment at the public's anger over the abuse of expenses.

• Accused Commons officials and Government ministers of encouraging them to "milk" the system.

• Continued to argue that they should be allowed to sell taxpayer-subsidised homes at a profit.

• Insisted they should be allowed to employ family members.

• One backbencher said he should not even be required to submit receipts for expenditure and claimed: "This makes MPs into petty accounting clerks."

They just don't get it do they? MPs resent being called crooks by the public after being caught with their snouts in the trough. And yet, they are quick to condemn and brand benefit cheats. So, their defence is peer pressure. We were encouraged to fiddle even though we knew it to be wrong and we went along with it. Hardly the plea of the innocents is it? We want to keep milking the public purse, claiming housing benefit from those less able to afford it, and then make huge personal profits from taxpayers money. And, then build up our property portfolios all at the public expense whilst at the same time stashing our ill gotten gains in our bank accounts. Like the Adams Family of London we want to keep all our criminal activities so only members of the family benefit and there is less chance of being exposed as crooks by the public. So, having to submit receipts makes MPs into petty accounting clerks does it? Evidence has shown that by not submitting them MPs are not petty crooks, but instead career criminals.

If the cap fits, wear it!

1 comment:

Barnacle Bill said...

Minimum wage for the lot of them!