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One of these was that they were supposed to travel cattle class like the rest of us on what passes in the UK for a train network, instead of luxuriating in first class at the most expensive fares in the world.
Well, that is what was agreed, but of course, in practice (if you believe the Daily Mail) the thieving tossers have been on the fiddle again.
According to figures released by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), MPs claimed for a total of 1334 first class train journeys at a cost of £136,800 in June and July 2011. This is a staggering increase of 155% over the same period in 2010.
It seems that as the memory of the expenses scandal uncovered by the Daily Telegraph recedes from memory, these self important public servants are back to enjoying the comforts that most of the rest of us are denied.
But it doesn't stop at first class rail travel. Oh no. While the public squeeze in to third class seats in aircraft, our representatives in parliament have been winging it hither and thither in business class. 115 flights were made in June and July last year, at a cost of £35,722 (including one to Athens costing £844.20!!!
Upper class air and train fares, say the Mail, are on target to reach £1 million this year.
They are supposed to go second class, or tourist class, like the people they have the great honour to represent, and of whom they are employees!
They were also supposed to take buses instead of taxis, except in exceptional circumstances. Of course, you'll have guessed that these exceptional circumstances have occurred more and more often. Indeed in June and July last year, they doubled from the previous year, to over £13,000 worth.
Message to MPs. Don't push us too far. We're getting poorer and poorer; you're taking more and more...and we're getting angrier and angrier.
He he CH. Just the job for them.
ReplyDeleteThey really want stringing up the greedy b*****s. I note that it's mainly Labour MPs they have mentioned there... but then, it is the Daily Mail...
"the thieving tossers have been on the fiddle again"
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that you thought they had stopped.
LOL Gedguy. You have a point
ReplyDeleteI think they aren't actually allowed to claim for first class tickets - they can claim for buying a ticket but only the standard class cost gets reimbursed, the rest of the price has to be paid out of their own pocket. I imagine that this is the Mail just looking at how many MPs submitted receipts for first class tickets rather than looking at whether they were actually reimbursed for the price of first class tickets.
ReplyDeletePoliticians sometimes have a practical need to travel first class, and when this is so - they; not the taxpayer; should foot the extra cost to upgrade from standard class.
ReplyDeletePlus, like Gedguy's sentiments; why all the surprise folks?
Yes, George, I believe that they are allowed to travel first class (and claim for it) under certain circumstances and of course they can always pay the difference, although who would know what that was, as no one understand the fares structures.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the article:
"MPs reacted with fury to proposals for a ban on first-class travel in the wake of the expenses scandal.
The backlash resulted in watered-down proposals that allowed MPs to travel first class if they could find a more expensive standard class ticket. Because of the expensive prices charged for flexible ‘Anytime’ tickets, this means MPs are often able to travel first class."
So if they can find a walk on fare that is more expensive than a booked First Class fare
they can travel first class. Never mind that there is a bookable second class fare much cheaper.
You have given them the benefit of the doubt, which is generous of you. I, on the other hand (despite it being in the Mail,) am much more inclined to think that they fiddle as a matter of course.
Wasn't it Winterton who said that MPs couldn't travel second class because, second class travellers weren't the same kind of people as them.
I'd suggest that if they think that the people who travel second class are different from them, parliament is the last place they should be.
But if you're right and I'm wrong, I'll apologise fulsomely!!! Promise
:))
I can imagine that there are times when we would all like to travel first class, whether we NEED to or not is another matter.
ReplyDeleteI once heard Alan Yentob from the BBC saying that he HAD to fly first class when he went to New York because that way he wouldn't need to take the day off to get over the flight.
I'd suggest that if he NEEDS to be at the BBC every day, he should NOT go to New York in the first place. (Or do what the rest of us do, and get over the flight faster!)
I mean he can't be indispensable at the BBC, surely?
If he is, what on earth will they do when he retires... or dies...?
If MPs think they are too important to travel second class, then yes, you're right. They should pay for it themselves.
Top lobbyists boast of how they influence the PM
ReplyDeleteOne of Britain’s largest lobbying companies has been secretly recorded boasting about its access to the heart of Government and how it uses ‘dark arts’ to bury bad coverage and influence public opinion.
Well, I never. Corruption at the heart of government.
ReplyDeleteI fear 'twas ever thus and ever will be.
But don't you wish they's stop being so pious about everyone else, while they are at it?
You seem to forget that the rise of the internet has changed things and the system of payments for MPs has not caught up. In the past before the internet came on the scene the only way we were able to get news was buy a newspaper or listen to the TV. The cosy relation, through the 'old boys' network kept everything sweet. Everybody could live the high life and rip off the taxpayer because nobody was going to report it. The internet changed all that. If you wanted to know the real stories before the internet you could always buy a book which told the real story, always years afterwards, but books were so expensive then [I'm talking about when I was a kid. At one time you weren't allowed to buy books on Sundays. So you could buy a porn magazine but not a bible.]and not so easy to come by. Now the internet is able to release news, as it happens, or soon afterwards, without the censorship of the 'Old Boys' network. The system is is shock and doesn't know how to handle it. They have been so used to using and abusing what they were put there for that they now believe it to be their right. In a way, I feel sorry for them because they went into politics, some probably for the right reasons but most because they knew they were going to be 'looked after', and now they find that the public are furious because everyone now knows.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the longer they keep up this pathetic tirade about them being hard done by, and the more we can bring these stories to light and keep in the public domain, the better it will be for the referendum. The more these idiots fuck up the better for us.
cynicalhighlander,
ReplyDeleteWhere the hell do you get all this stuff? It's another piece of the jigsaw. I'd love to see your files.
Dean'
ReplyDeleteI agree with you.
Gedguy
ReplyDeleteFollow my nose City banks 'cheat' Europe in €600m tax avoidance trading scheme links to thebureauinvestigates.
The UK Empire was built on corruption with the nucleus being the City of Westminster who pull all the strings of government no matter which party is in power then its long past the time of its demise to get power and justice back to the people.
I agree wholeheartedly with your assumptions but I've never had the time to research all of the stuff that I want. I believe that you are right but I believe it is even bigger than that. I don't believe in the conspiratorial [even though my ideas on it can be classified as such] blogs were the devil USA is trying to control the world I think it is even more basic that that. I believe that all the stuff that is getting released, with or without their consent, is just the symptoms and not the cause. I'm not even too sure if the USA is the good or bad guy in all this. I do know that it is big boy politics out there I just want to see who's side I should be on; in an independent nation where we are not part of it.
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely check out your links.
Yep Gedguy:
ReplyDeleteIt's true that the internet has changed everything and it's also undoubtedly true that the whole of the UK, and everything about it was built on the same corruption that we lesser mortals simply never knew about.
People stole, everyone who was doing it knew that the other chaps was doing it too. It was what a chap did.
One didn't squeal on a chap, otherwise a chap might squeal on one.