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Thursday 27 March 2008

Worrying signs of how out of touch our MPs are :-(

Just reading some of the comments on Nick Robinson's admirable blog. I'm getting the distinct impression that the World of the Web, blogosphere et al--and what it has come to mean--is totally alien to our Members of Parliament.
This is beginning to feel like a struggle that Parliament is likely to lose - i.e. they've been trying to keep us in the dark, and for good reason (of their own). :-(

The format for the comments is:
  • Comment number
  • Time posted
  • Who by
I think you get the gist! ;-)



"6.Tony wrote:

Isn't it strange?

These people are concerned over their security if they reveal a few spending figures and yet the very same people are trying to force through legislation which would require everyone to carry a card with even biometric/genetic information on it!!!

As the government spying on it's citizens is now the norm they are forever telling us it shouldn't bother us if we have done nothing wrong, now we want to see how they spend OUR money suddenly it's all protect their privacy and civil liberties.

I say we shake all the MPs down and reveal every single detail about everything they have done/do, after all the decisions these people make affect wether people live or die, prosper or suffer. I say let them have it!"



Some more, to fully make the point:

" 8.
Liz Jordan wrote:

Said of the great Roman Empire before it fell: "The most important people in the empire had put aside the interests of the nation in place of their own."

Lets hope history repeats itself.



9.
Peter Wood wrote:

NuLab is now totally reliant on the support of their massive welfare state clientele, who don't give a stuff about MP's expenses, as long as the benefits gravy train keeps rolling.

What MP's seem to have forgotten (or nervously try to ignore) is that there is still a sizable chunk of the electorate who can do basic maths and who do recognise chicanery when they see it.

The bottom line is that this is public money - yours and mine - that they're spending and they should have to properly account for every last penny of it.



10.
Gerry Runcorn wrote:

I have some options to the MPs who don't want their expenses published.
1. The public don't want to know or care where you all live. All the voters want to know is that they are not being taken for a ride. So publish your expenses without your addresses.

2. If security is your issue, then the taxpayers could always build high
security accomodation in London for all MPs. I am sure the tax payer would not mind paying for them to have 24 hour guards when in London. You could all be bused to the commons together, save on congestion and improve your carbon footprint. This seems a saver option than MPs scattered all over London in houses that they/taxpayer has bought.

3 If the MPs still want to buy a 2nd home,with taxpayers help.
When they stop being an MP,the property and contents should be sold at auction,the taxpayers percentage of the sale of returned to the treasury.

If all else fails and they won't publish maybe we should all stand against these MPs at the next election.



11.
Andy M wrote:

Oh dear. How ridiculous. Can't they see how bad this looks? I understand they don't want the side-benefits of being an MP to be widely known due to fears of damage to the institution of Parliament. But trying to prolong the inevitable like this is far worse. At least us taxpayers are keeping the legal teams well fed and watered-so someone's benefiting...




12.
Hylton wrote:

Ahh, security the excuse again.

Simple, release details of the expenses but not the address to which they relate.

What is legitimate about the expectation to keep such lavish expenses secret?"


Enough said.

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