January 25, 2008
Anyone wondering how Gordon Brown got Westminster’s “Honourable Members” to accept a pay increase in line with inflation?
Well, according to the media, he “secretly promised Labour backbenchers they can keep claiming up to £43,000 a year without receipts”. Just imagine that for a moment – your employer allows you to spend up to £43,000 of the company’s cash – or, in this case, taxpayers’ money – without having to provide any proof of purchase! The argument goes that as MPs are “honourable” they are above reproach and can be guaranteed neither to lie nor to abuse the system!
This ignoring the rather obvious fact that the Government party is currently assisting the police “in their enquiries” for the third time in six months! According to one media report: “The Prime Minister had faced a Commons revolt over his demand that MPs back a 1.9 per cent pay rise - in line with policemen and nurses. But to “buy” their support he promised not to axe the perk allowing them to charge items costing up to £250 without the need to produce a receipt.
These include household goods such as fridges and toasters, office equipment, and travel costs. MPs could, in theory, claim a maximum of around £43,000 in a single year without needing to explain what it was spent on”. If this isn’t legalised robbery (from the taxpayer) then it is hard to imagine what is!
Furthermore, we also learn that “Backbenchers were told that in exchange for them voting down the higher pay award, plans to reduce the ceiling for unreceipted expenses claims were kicked into the long grass.” Which is as close to a licence to print money as anyone in this life is likely to get!
Finally, if any Westminster tax-eaters were disappointed over the size of their pay increase, then they would have derived much comfort from voting themselves an extra £10,000 a year in office staffing allowance. This will increase from £87,276 to £96,630 and cost the long ripped-off taxpayer a further £8 million. And as no few MPs employ wives, offspring and mistresses as “staff” – you can perhaps understand their sense of “achievement”!
Well, according to the media, he “secretly promised Labour backbenchers they can keep claiming up to £43,000 a year without receipts”. Just imagine that for a moment – your employer allows you to spend up to £43,000 of the company’s cash – or, in this case, taxpayers’ money – without having to provide any proof of purchase! The argument goes that as MPs are “honourable” they are above reproach and can be guaranteed neither to lie nor to abuse the system!
This ignoring the rather obvious fact that the Government party is currently assisting the police “in their enquiries” for the third time in six months! According to one media report: “The Prime Minister had faced a Commons revolt over his demand that MPs back a 1.9 per cent pay rise - in line with policemen and nurses. But to “buy” their support he promised not to axe the perk allowing them to charge items costing up to £250 without the need to produce a receipt.
These include household goods such as fridges and toasters, office equipment, and travel costs. MPs could, in theory, claim a maximum of around £43,000 in a single year without needing to explain what it was spent on”. If this isn’t legalised robbery (from the taxpayer) then it is hard to imagine what is!
Furthermore, we also learn that “Backbenchers were told that in exchange for them voting down the higher pay award, plans to reduce the ceiling for unreceipted expenses claims were kicked into the long grass.” Which is as close to a licence to print money as anyone in this life is likely to get!
Finally, if any Westminster tax-eaters were disappointed over the size of their pay increase, then they would have derived much comfort from voting themselves an extra £10,000 a year in office staffing allowance. This will increase from £87,276 to £96,630 and cost the long ripped-off taxpayer a further £8 million. And as no few MPs employ wives, offspring and mistresses as “staff” – you can perhaps understand their sense of “achievement”!
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