[Closed] Pigs in the trough. Again.

It's just unbelievable really. I don't see how they can justify this, don't get me wrong they will. But it highlights how self serving MPs really are. (based on meeting a number of them and the press)

@flashy - I have been of the opinion that an MP's 'Hall of Residece' would make sense for a long time. If they choose to buy a house in town, that is their choice and should not be a burden on the nation as a whole.

Couldn't agree more with Flashy and rogerthecat. Halls of residence and if you don't like if feel free to make your own arrangements at your [b][u]own[/u][/b] expense. They are not 'living' in London, they are [b]working[/b] there.

On a slight tangent, the recent conference season has left me in a position where I sadly feel that come an election I now genuinely feel that I couldn't pick any one of them to vote for. This country's politics is in a very bad way.

Agree with the above. They are scummers.

If it's any relief, the Spanish politicians are no better - they also claim living expenses despite having 3 houses in the capital already, for example.

You can't just buy Dolphin Square and give it to MPs... I have friends that live there and then _they_ would have to move.

Can we not put the MPs in something slightly cheaper. Maybe a block of flats?

Or maybe the bottom of the Thames?

Now, surely it's about time that we, as in the country, bought this place;

couldn't agree more comrade flasheart. nationalisation is the way forward for fighting iniquity in many situations.

i saw it said on here once that people are more left wing than they ever realise. thanks for proving the poster's point.

I don't see how buying some accomodation is left wing. It's just like barracks really.

[i] the recent conference season has left me in a position where I sadly feel that come an election I now genuinely feel that I couldn't pick any one of them to vote for.[/i]

+1. I'm not a political idealist, but I think it's important to vote and I've voted for all three parties in the past. At each election I've taken a pragmatic decision as to which I'd think would be best, or, sometimes, least worst.

Next time round, I just don't know. They're all equally bad...

What a very sad state politics are in.. I dont know a single person who has any faith in ANY politician presently.

Unfortunately the general concensus seems to be that we cant do a damned thing about it.

How can a genuine alternative ever become a reality when the media is bought and paid for by the establishment, with any alternative immediately vilified.

Just make their current salary tax-free and do away with expenses.

So if I owned a 1-bed flat in London while also owning a house in, say, Gateshead where my family lived. I then became an MP for somewhere else in the regions.

I'd then want a house (or bigger flat) in London so we could all be together. But as been an MP could be a short experience I don't want to sell my 1-bed, so I rent it out and then rent another bigger property. This is all reasonable, but, you would expect that there would be some form of contra, so costs are covered but no one makes a profit.

[i]Can we not put the MPs in something slightly cheaper. Maybe a block of flats? [/i]

Fine if you are single... Reminds me of years ago when on company business and having to share hotel rooms with colleagues, unless you were married (not sure why that was the rule, but it was).

[i]Just make their current salary tax-free and do away with expenses. [/i]

Great, so London living MP's I'll be fine and the rest will suffer..., top idea. 🙄

well theres a tower block in brentford they could have 😉

but mps hall of residence makes sense to me it doesnt have to be a craphole,

Oh it does kimbers we wont to keep them grounded

I dont think anyone actually thinks they should not have somewhere to reside in London what we object to is paying for it and them profiting from it

Given the number of constituencies never changes why dont we just buy something for each MP and it comes with the seat?

They pay the bills we pay the upkeep ?

I also note the Liam Fox is a millionaires anyway and we may have subsidised the improvement in the homes of them all anyway - we need to stop them profiting on this.
We should have respect for our MPs and see them as doing a public duty rather than seeing them as troughing at our expense - clearly they cannot help themselves so we need to legislate - I cant see them voting to make themselves poorer but they will happily vote to make us poorer [ that applies to all parties it is not a party political point]

up to £20,000 a year each for rent as well as receiving rent from properties that were often purchased and refurbished with taxpayer assistance.

I, like pretty much everyone, am loosing the will with the politicians in this country. I think I am going to vote either Independent or Green from now on.

Either that or take up that offer of a job in Oz and emigrate (which would solve a whole load of other problems in life, although the politicians over there aren't much better).

[img] http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/resources/images/2102564/?type=articleLandscape [/img]

If it's good enough for the army....

The people who voted for the bedroom tax, the snide 10% cut in housing benefit for those unemployed more than a year, and creating a criminal offence of subletting social housing say do as I say not as I do...

http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/national/27-mps-let-homes-and-claim-rent-1-4388219

Guy Fawkes where are you?

There's no reason why state-owned flats for MPs should be all the same, if they have children still living with them then larger flats are available.
But letting one flat then claiming expenses for renting another is just plain immoral. Up agaist the wall, matriarchal copulators.

I'd then want a house (or bigger flat) in London so we could all be together.

They are *working* away from home. Something many of us have to do. They see their family when they are home, like the rest of us do. Why should they get preferential treatment?

@CFH - absolutely spot on, MPs should be provided simple apartment by the state and no expenses.

The state can provide a shared secretary/researchers instead of the massive fiddle that involves hiring your wife. The local constituency party can provide a local secretary.

Liam Fox is claiming £1,900 per month for a London flat whilst renting out his own London house, that's the equivalent to about an extra £40,000 pa salary

Millionairre Liam Fox is claiming £1,900 per month for a London flat whilst renting out his own London house, that's the equivalent to about an extra £40,000 pa salary

FTFY

Its not like he even needs the money

I assume he keeps the rent and does not use it to offset the flat costs as well so he gets free accommodation and another income

We sure are all in it together - I am sure labour/Lib Dem ones are just as bad I am still not making a party political point.

It would be cheaper if it wasn't in London. As we contract the armed forces there must be a number of military bases with suitable accommodation for singles and families that could be pressed into service.

[img] [/img]

What about that large village that we built to house all the olympians in over the summer? Stick them in there and give them an oyster card to travel into work every day.

This quote from Oliver Cromwell is as true today as it was in 1653...

[i]"Ye have no more religion than my horse. Gold is your God. Which of you have not bartered your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?

Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defiled this sacred place, and turned the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices?

Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation. You were deputed here by the people to get grievances redressed, are yourselves become the greatest grievance. "[/i]

Shame on those parasites

"Unfortunately the general concensus seems to be that we cant do a damned thing about it."

If NOBODY voted that might alter things.