The John Lewis List

4 Jul 2008

Is it right that MP's should be able to claim huge amounts of expenses and claim for second homes furnished by John Lewis ?
Personally I think if they are to claim for furnishing a second home (and its a big if) then they should use the cheaper places that everyday working folk use...
Shopping at places like John Lewis is I suspect not a luxury a lot of people can afford so why should they automatically be able to do so because of their position ?

4 Jul 2008

obviously if MP's live outside of london, then they are going to need somewhere to live to be able to do there job properly.....the thing i plan on doing is that under the freedom of information act, anything they do for that "second home" must be declared.....
if you think they are taking the mickey... you can get the information for what they are claiming, and make them justify the spending.....

4 Jul 2008

Absolutely not!.
Government pledges this pledges that, all to help people, reduce poverty, give extra assistance to the elderly etc etc., then spend hundreds, thousands on luxury items for their accommodation!... it's not on.

4 Jul 2008

But if you or I lived outside London yet worked in London we wouldn't expect the state to fund our second house would we....

4 Jul 2008

Quote by Steve
But if you or I lived outside London yet worked in London we wouldn't expect the state to fund our second house would we....

But they only get £60k+ per year and a hefty expenses allowance, lots of free travel, free lunches, trips abroard for 'fact finding missions', one of the best pension schemes in the country, nice cushy side jobs as board members for multi nationals and anything else they can manage.
Of course they need some financial help rolleyes

4 Jul 2008

Quote by meat2pleaseu
But if you or I lived outside London yet worked in London we wouldn't expect the state to fund our second house would we....

But they only get £60k+ per year and a hefty expenses allowance, lots of free travel, free lunches, trips abroard for 'fact finding missions', one of the best pension schemes in the country, nice cushy side jobs as board members for multi nationals and anything else they can manage.
Of course they need some financial help rolleyes

Ahhhhhhh......Silly me :doh:
:lol2:

4 Jul 2008

Well as the Army is half the size it used to be surly there's a barrack block we can house em all in. After all, if it's good enough for those risking life and limb it should also be fine for those who send them out to do it. Get em all to muck in a bit, foster a bit of team spirit, talk to each other maybe...... A bed, telephone and internet connection, and a few Twatco basics to live on and I'm sure they will be fine.
Can I be the one to tell em...eh...can I...can I... :bounce:

4 Jul 2008

What's even worse is that they don't even have to supply receipts.
All the expenses are based on the assumption that the items cost as much as they would if bought in John Lewis. Therefore they can buy an item cheaply, find out what it cost would be if it was bought in John Lewis and make a profit on every item purchased.
mad

:x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x

4 Jul 2008

Quote by meat2pleaseu
But if you or I lived outside London yet worked in London we wouldn't expect the state to fund our second house would we....

But they only get £60k+ per year and a hefty expenses allowance, lots of free travel, free lunches, trips abroard for 'fact finding missions', one of the best pension schemes in the country, nice cushy side jobs as board members for multi nationals and anything else they can manage.
Of course they need some financial help rolleyes

meat2...please stop as I am welling up here. lol

They are lucky they can afford a second home as a lot out there are struggling with the ONE house they have. They do not live in the real world, they live in the " silver spoon in me gob " world. But if honest if I was an MP I would take as much as what was on offer...we all would.
But in answer to the op.....No I dont think they should be able to buy things like tv's and get their windows cleaned at the taxpayers expense. But they dont't care as they don't lift their heads out of the trough long enough too care. :lol:
Now.............How do I become an MP? :shock:

4 Jul 2008

No they should not be allowed.
They don't need 2nd homes, let them stay in £19 per night travelodges when they are in London, save us all loads! biggrin

4 Jul 2008

They all have their snouts in the trough.
I know it's fashionable to bash the Daily Mail but two of their recent articles regarding the way Tony Bliar twisted the expense system to feather his own nest with regards to mortgaging his second home by means unavailable to the general public (i.e. those who paid his salary and expenses) really sticks in the craw. He has made a huge profit on the back of our money and doesn't have to pay a penny of it back either in capital gains or any other type of tax. It really stinks. mad

:x :x :x
Have a read and make your own mind up....

4 Jul 2008

Quote by Stormwalker
Well as the Army is half the size it used to be surly there's a barrack block we can house em all in. After all, if it's good enough for those risking life and limb it should also be fine for those who send them out to do it. Get em all to muck in a bit, foster a bit of team spirit, talk to each other maybe...... A bed, telephone and internet connection, and a few Twatco basics to live on and I'm sure they will be fine.
Can I be the one to tell em...eh...can I...can I... :bounce:

Great minds and all that...on the way home today was saying the same thing to Gra!!!!

4 Jul 2008

The search button is your friend! Well might be! ;-)

4 Jul 2008

would you do it if in their position????......

4 Jul 2008

I think its so unfair that they can claim for all that, I have to travel from Swansea to Cardiff every day for my work and I don't get a second home why should they. At the end of the day they earn alot more then most of us and it makes me so angry that my tax money goes on them mad

:x :evil: :x :evil: :x :evil: :x :evil: :x :evil: :x :evil: :x :evil: :x

4 Jul 2008

when younger..i was well into Politics..and was considering trying to become an MP...
If people bother to look...instead of reading the trollop fead to them by newspapers..they would find 90% of out MP's work bloody hard...they not only on call at the house of commons..but also have to work in local area..and go to vaorious workking groups. My Mp in cannock..i remember asking him to do a talk for us. he was fully booked with meeting and such like for two monthes..and that was every evening..including sat and sundays. Its easy and fashionable to knock our MP's...if you think you can do better..then put your money where your mouth is and stand for election.
I for one think they are resonably paid for the job they do.
If you really want a go...look at the bosses of large privately owned companies..and the tax fiddles and share issues along with the massively over budget pay rises they award themselves.

4 Jul 2008

Quote by deancannock
when younger..i was well into Politics..and was considering trying to become an MP...
If people bother to look...instead of reading the trollop fead to them by newspapers..they would find 90% of out MP's work bloody hard...they not only on call at the house of commons..but also have to work in local area..and go to vaorious workking groups. My Mp in cannock..i remember asking him to do a talk for us. he was fully booked with meeting and such like for two monthes..and that was every evening..including sat and sundays. Its easy and fashionable to knock our MP's...if you think you can do better..then put your money where your mouth is and stand for election.
I for one think they are resonably paid for the job they do.
If you really want a go...look at the bosses of large privately owned companies..and the tax fiddles and share issues along with the massively over budget pay rises they award themselves.

i second that, their expenses exceed their yearly pay....but the new ruling introduced early this evening will help stop any abuse of public funds
we dont need uneducated peasants representing us in the houses of parliament,most of this MPs are lawyers and barristers who can command millions just being a common citizen,its a life time sacrifice

4 Jul 2008

I just hope that they price match!

4 Jul 2008

Quote by deancannock
when younger..i was well into Politics..and was considering trying to become an MP...
If people bother to look...instead of reading the trollop fead to them by newspapers..they would find 90% of out MP's work bloody hard...they not only on call at the house of commons..but also have to work in local area..and go to vaorious workking groups. My Mp in cannock..i remember asking him to do a talk for us. he was fully booked with meeting and such like for two monthes..and that was every evening..including sat and sundays. Its easy and fashionable to knock our MP's...if you think you can do better..then put your money where your mouth is and stand for election.
I for one think they are resonably paid for the job they do.
If you really want a go...look at the bosses of large privately owned companies..and the tax fiddles and share issues along with the massively over budget pay rises they award themselves.

So what !!!
There are a good many people that work a long way from home and put up with living in digs for the week so why should't MP's ???
I dont see why we should fund second homes and furnish them to a high standard when a lot of people in this country are struggling to keep one roof over their heads and to furnish it with only whats needed....
If its too hard for them being an MP maybe they should choose another career.....

4 Jul 2008

you pay peanuts.....you get monkeys...if thats what you want fine....these people could command far higher salaries working in private industry.....we have some of the lowest paid politicians in the western world. as i say..this country is run by democracy...if you feel strong enough..then stand yourself....yo will then see what it means to be a politician.

5 Jul 2008

What happens when they are no longer MP's, do they have to sell the house and goods and give it back to the public?
Probably not.

5 Jul 2008

Quote by deancannock
you pay peanuts.....you get monkeys...if thats what you want fine....these people could command far higher salaries working in private industry.....we have some of the lowest paid politicians in the western world. as i say..this country is run by democracy...if you feel strong enough..then stand yourself....yo will then see what it means to be a politician.

Thats got feck all to do with it rolleyes

Its their choice to be an MP....
They know the pay structure.....
I'm not denying that they are good ones out there but the vast majority are simply out to feather their own nests and not voting to make changes to the expenses system simply does nothing but enforce that view....

Quote by browning
What happens when they are no longer MP's, do they have to sell the house and goods and give it back to the public?
Probably not.

If they were all acting simply in the public interest then you would hope that the house was sold and the money put back into the public coffers but it isn't...
How many houses does Tony Blair have now ??

5 Jul 2008

the second houses are rented....so they simply no longer can claim. Once de-selected or voted out .. most will start a job in private industry. If you really concerned about these sort of things check out the salaries of directors of large utilities companies...and the bonus structure..and the second and third homes..and the share issues....ans surprise surprise our bills keep going up !!!

5 Jul 2008

Sorry for everyone I upset - but a good city job pays 100k plus.
I want to attract the best people to run the country - therefore we need to pat more.
Because we live in a dishonest country where we accept expenses but won't pay proper salaries this is what we get.
Overall I would prefer to pay more and tighten up expenses rules, purely because the chances are the best mps claim the least expenses. However I think they should claim the same or greater reward

5 Jul 2008

Have a look what they are allowed to claim rolleyes

Note at the bottom where it says that claiming sickness or payment protection for mortgages is not allowed..
Why would they need it if houses were rented anyway dunno

5 Jul 2008

Their salaries I think are pretty reasonable, its the expenses that get my goat!
I heard on the radio that the Army allow something like 2 quid a day to feed their soldiers, yet MP's want to increase their lunch allowance from £20 to £30!
Talk about fat cats!

5 Jul 2008

Quote by Steve
If its too hard for them being an MP maybe they should choose another career.....

Get real Steve, you and I both know they wouldn't last 5 minutes in the real world.
There are certain character traits in people who even want to be politicians that don't sit too well with 'the lads and lasses' on the assembly line
no offense intended, but think about it.

5 Jul 2008

Quote by Pete_sw

If its too hard for them being an MP maybe they should choose another career.....

Get real Steve, you and I both know they wouldn't last 5 minutes in the real world.
There are certain character traits in people who even want to be politicians that don't sit too well with 'the lads and lasses' on the assembly line
no offense intended, but think about it.
I know exactly what you mean Pete old chum...
If they were cast out into the big bad world of ours they would find it real difficult....
Having to pay for all their own furniture,flooring and heaven forbid their own dry cleaning :shock:

5 Jul 2008

If you want transparency then we need to pay them a bigger wage without the allowances. People would probably go ape at that as well though.

7 Jul 2008

Quote by Northernheight5
If you want transparency then we need to pay them a bigger wage without the allowances. People would probably go ape at that as well though.

Most people out there would give their right arms for a job that paid in excess of 60 grand a year. With a second home and free mod cons thrown in. Also all the other freebies like their expenses and their free lunches.
Also lets not forget 13 weeks a year holidays? People out there work three times harder than most MP'S for nowhere near the money they get.
I think they are paid enough and also agree that most of them would not last a month in the " real world " that the rest of us have to live in.
They don't get a bad screw out of being an MP, I for one would love to have their salary, but alas like most others have to soldier on paying ever increasing fuel costs and energy bills, and food rises. Second homes? Blimey I would love one and paid for by someone else? Hands up who else would?