Our MP's expenses; second homes
How come nobody spotted that second homes are not necessary for MPs with grace and favour apartments? I do appreciate the transient nature of a cabinet post, but even if they've bought somewhere, surely they could find a tenant to keep their expenses covered whilst they don't have to live there. I'm hoping that in the sort out of expenses this nice little earner of a loophole is closed?
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It'd be impossible. What if parliament was recalled urgently? You can't kick somoene out with a weeks notice.
Besides, what kinda tennant would be happy with just a few weeks here and there?
'Flat available for 11 weeks during summer, christmas, easter, weekends and occasionally elections'
Sorry? They don't lose the G&F flat in the recess, and no doubt they have a 1st home. Gordon has 10 downing st, a home in Scotland (designated 2nd) and a westminster flat. Why are we paying? I object strongly to him using tax money to gamble on the property market. H4e can have the flat, it's a free country, but why should we pay when we give him a home and servants for nowt?
I agree brown should give up his westminster flat. But it's important MPs do have second homes. Otherwise it'd be impossible to do the job and if we removed that we'd be in a worrying situation like as in America where only the very rich and very wealthy ever stand for public office as they are the only one's who can afford to.
If someone on an average wage decides to run as an MP or his home down of Blackpool, for example, there is no way he'd be able to afford to do his job without these expenses.
I am in no doubt that this expense debacle caught many of them secretly with the hands in the till. Many were clever enough to ensure clever accounting to show no benefit was gained. Flipping of designated homes proves this.
For once many MPs were caught red handed and rightly exposed for their own selfish gains. To say they "acted within the rules" shows both disregard to morals and two fingers up to the general public.
Simplest thing to do would be to get rid of G&F homes and give all out of London MPs a fixed allowance to spend on whatever they want without receipts - so if they want to live 20 in a flat and spend the rest on male prostitutes they can
Still not getting it Aaron, not like you? Are you quite well? I'm not talking about your average Northern MP and his need for a london crash pad, I'm talking about an MP who has a home, a taxpayer funded second home yet is also given a luxurious home, often spectacularly luxurious (I've been in several) and hot and cold running servants by the country as part of their job. Why are those ones allowed to claim for a second home? Not to say that the Prime Minister does not desreve 10 Downing st. You need a smart pad to entertain Mr Obama etc, can't have us looking shabby. Nor can we have very hard working people not eating cos they have no time. Just the reclaiming for a '3rd home' I disagree with.
LOL, not quite the thing I had in mind, but on the right lines! The G&F flats are fine for families, well, the ones I've seen. London living is like that. Loads of families, even well to do ones live in apartments in London, it's normal.
Do you think if D Cameron wins the next GE and becomes PM, he should give up his London home?
No, but I don't see why we should pay for it. He gets Downing st, he can rent out his London house and make a profit like any other private landlord, job done.
And what if Cameron wants some time on his own with his wife and children away from officials so he can have some privacy and not be too far away from Downing Street if there is an emergency etc?
He gets Chequers for that. It's tough shit, basically. You get the second or 3rd highest status job in the world, £190k plus expenses, a town house, a country house, servants, security, they should stfu and get on with it!
Chequers must be full of servants and more officials.
Nothing like your own home.
My own home contains me, 2 kids, 3 cats a pile of bills, and very occasionally, a very hard working NHS exec. Not last night though, spent it on call. She's had no sleep for 36 hours.
I don't think that's the issue at hand.
MP 1, with own house in his constituency and an expenses-paid flat in London: No problem.
MP 2, with own house in London and a grace-and-favour-home from his job: No problem.
MP 3, with own house his constituency, an expenses-paid flat in London and a grace-and-favour-home from his job? Not exactly fair.
MP 1 should get expenses for the flat. MP 2 shouldn't get any expenses except for fuel-bills, as they get their second home as a grace-and-favour. MP 3 should get nothing towards the flat, fuel-bills for the grace-and-favour simply because they don't need both.
I'm not exactly disagreeing with your thread.
I just wanted to ask you some questions so I know exactly where you are coming from.
That's exactly where I'm coming from, as anyone not being deliberately obtuse might be able to tell!
So few get grace and favour houses that it's not worth making an exception. As it's most unlikely the official home will be near the MPs constituency they aren't any use as either first or second homes.
Why do we pay for their food during their long summer holidays etc?
I'm talking about London Grace and favour apartments, Bootyache went for the red herring of the country houses.