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EXPRESS COMMENT

OUR OUT-OF-TOUCH MPS MUST SLASH LAVISH EXPENSES

John Prescott claimed £6,707 on home repairs

Sunday May 25,2008

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(6)

ARE WE getting good value for money from our Members of Parliament?

In the light of what we now know about the lavish expenses they claim, most ordinary folk would say no.

There are 646 MPs and they are paid £61,820 a year. In addition, they get an allowance for running an office, employing staff and having two homes, one in London and one in their constituency.

They also benefit from a first-rate pension scheme and 18 weeks’ holiday a year.

With employment terms like these you’d think they would be laughing but they are furious because this week, for the first time, we discovered how much some claim in expenses for their extra homes.

The sums are scandalous. John Prescott claimed £6,707 for repairs to his home in Hull, despite the fact that he had a grace and favour Whitehall flat and use of an official country mansion.

Barbara Follett, the Labour MP married to a millionaire, claimed more than £1,600 for cleaning the windows of her flat.

Gordon Brown claimed £9,000 for kitchen refurbishment while Tony Blair got £11,200 for his kitchen.

So far, the details of only 14 MPs have been revealed but the others want the Euro court to protect their details as part of their “human rights”.

But what about our rights? No wonder MPs are so out of touch – if they were less insatiable with their pay and perks, we’d have more respect.

OUR OUT-OF-TOUCH MPS MUST SLASH LAVISH EXPENSES

26.05.08, 2:47pm

Llavish salaries and pensions, too!

• Posted by: BoggyDepot • Report Comment

TOO MANY MPS

25.05.08, 11:03pm

A tiny island with 60 million (give or take a few mill more) and we know have more MPs than the United States has senators. Time for a cull.

The government's prediliction for numbers ratings for hospitals and schools should be extended to include all politicians. We, as taxpayers and constituents, should demand the right to publicly rate our so-called parliamentary representatives. The boot is currently on the wrong foot.

• Posted by: Adanac • Report Comment

WELL THEY'VE GOT A NICKNAME FOR AIR-TO-AIR REFUELLING TANKERS IN THE RAF....

25.05.08, 6:21pm

They call them "Prescott's"....... because "they can refuel two Jaguars at once".

• Posted by: Veltro205 • Report Comment

CASH GUZZLING FATSOS

25.05.08, 5:21pm

Is it just a coincidence that you would show a picture of the most useless waste of money and time ever to foul the atmosphere of The House?. Even when he stuffed his ugly face he knew who would foot the bill. Did someone say "value for money". Our left wing degenerates?. The political Billy Bunters at the money pot?. These clowns belong in a circus, not the House of Commons. Or put on trial. Are you at my favourite paper getting out these articles to keep stirring the pot? Whatever, I wish you well.

• Posted by: bluenote • Report Comment

GRAVY-TRAIN GREASY GITS GUZZLING GREEDILY

25.05.08, 2:37pm

And now we discover that Mr. Gordon "Prudence" Brown hasn't been able to manage his own finances in order that he could pay for his own food! Is any MP's food bill really an additional cost requiring an allowance? These spineless, self-serving s**ts are laughing at the powerless electorate who increasingly struggle to maintain standards of decency and common purpose without leadership. When will the once proud people of this once great nation state wake up to the fact that we are being taken for a ride? Why do you think education standards are being allowed to collapse? Why are we all continually having our attention drawn to how terrifying life in the UK is becoming? Why isn't anything being done about anything? All the best to one and all (excluding MPs, of course). Vigilance and positive optimism, please.

• Posted by: Jeremememe • Report Comment

"OUR OUT-OF-TOUCH MPS MUST SLASH LAVISH EXPENSES"

25.05.08, 2:25pm

And how about repaying us EVERY penny for technically 'non-MP' expenses they've screwed from us?

Window cleaning, dish wahsers, DVD players, Sky television, decorating, garden furniture.........ad nauseam.

These are NOT essential items to their 'job' (huh!) as an MP.

I can't claim against my tax, any items that are not essential for me to do my job. Why should any of you lot??

• Posted by: Veltro205 • Report Comment