Can anyone help me pay my utility bill,as i am not a M/P.

[Pogue Mahone]

As an aside, for supporters of a sport that pays its second stream players, (ie Championship players), as ridiculously high wages as it does to then criticise MP's income seems slightly surreal.

It's only surreal if we agree that these players deserve to be paid as much as they are. I think that it is revolting that footballers are paid such inflated salaries.

Fortunately, for them, they don't have to morally justify themselves to the electorate.

 

[Creaky]

It's only surreal if we agree that these players deserve to be paid as much as they are. I think that it is revolting that footballers are paid such inflated salaries.

Fortunately, for them, they don't have to morally justify themselves to the electorate.

It is surreal though in that we voluntarily pay for the inflated wages of our players whereas we don't have much of a choice when it comes to MP's pay.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

It is surreal though in that we voluntarily pay for the inflated wages of our players whereas we don't have much of a choice when it comes to MP's pay.

In a way.

We pay to see our team, but we do not, by doing so, find their wages morally acceptable.

We could boycott the sport, but it would take some organisation to make this work...

Just like we could refuse to go to the cinema, or gigs, or use banks, because wages are unfair and over-inflated.

But when we vote for people to represent us, we should expect to see higher moral values.

 

[Creaky]

In a way.

We pay to see our team, but we do not, by doing so, find their wages morally acceptable.

We could boycott the sport, but it would take some organisation to make this work...

Just like we could refuse to go to the cinema, or gigs, or use banks, because wages are unfair and over-inflated.

But when we vote for people to represent us, we should expect to see higher moral values.

Not sure I agree with the logic behind that statement - as you say we vote for MPs to represent us and as you say earlier in your post we don't act 'morally' in so far as we CHOOSE to support a sport where where wages are morally ubacceptable - on that basis it seems unreasonable for those we CHOOSE to represent us to have any higher moral values.

Why should one choice we make be any better than the other - in fact the way many MPs behave only demonstrates they aren't!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Not sure I agree with the logic behind that statement - as you say we vote for MPs to represent us and as you say earlier in your post we don't act 'morally' in so far as we CHOOSE to support a sport where where wages are morally ubacceptable - on that basis it seems unreasonable for those we CHOOSE to represent us to have any higher moral values.

Why should one choice we make be any better than the other - in fact the way many MPs behave only demonstrates they aren't!

That is true.

But when MPs stand for election, they generally put a lot of import on these moral values. They know that they will not be elected if they are obviously just in it for their own gain. When they don't live up to the values that they espouse, they are acting hypocritically.

Footballers don't even try to pretend that they are not money crazed and morally bankrupt.

 

[Geriatric Seagull]

Why all the surprise and indignation? Surely no-one still believes that a large number of MPs are not in Parliament for their own self-gratification and glorification and will screw the system ( and thereby, us) for all they can get.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Why all the surprise and indignation? Surely no-one still believes that a large number of MPs are not in Parliament for their own self-gratification and glorification and will screw the system ( and thereby, us) for all they can get.

Because if there is no 'surprise and indignation' they will always get away with it.

 

[Creaky]

Why all the surprise and indignation? Surely no-one still believes that a large number of MPs are not in Parliament for their own self-gratification and glorification and will screw the system ( and thereby, us) for all they can get.

Hardly surprising as I would guess that the majority of us vote for the party that we think we will best serve our own self interest rather than for the person who will serve the interests of the country best.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

They aren't right wing. Typical left wing loon.

Are you having a laugh? The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph generally support the Conservative Party, which is regarded as a party of 'right wing' leanings by almost all political commentators.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

By 3 hour commute do you mean 1.5 hours each way - if so then that would be the vast majority of MPs - if not then it it would be totally unreasonable to expect someone to spend 6 hours a day travelling to and fro work.

Presuming it is the former do you think your proposals would work out any cheaper than the current system of expenses - I suspect it wouldn't though it would need a full costing to work it out.

As an aside, for supporters of a sport that pays its second stream players, (ie Championship players), as ridiculously high wages as it does to then criticise MP's income seems slightly surreal.

No I didn't mean 1.5 hours each way but upon reflection you do have a point that a 6 hour commute each day is not fair, however quite a few people commute fours a day in their jobs. I disagree that the vast majority of MPs live 1.5 hours from London. I'd say it's probably around 40%. It takes 50 minutes on the quick train from Brighton to London.

I didn't put up the idea as a way of reducing costs more of an anti-corruption agenda. If there are no expenses to claim then this makes things more transparent and would sort out a few MPs who are just in the job to see what they can get out of it.

MPs very often take the moral high ground- footballers do not; so it's not surreal to expect the lawmakers of this country to be above board whilst supporting a football club whose players are on high wages. Incidentally I do not agree with the high wages that footballers are paid in the top two divisions in England.

 

[clapham_gull]

All explained now and an honest mistake to make. Accidentally claiming for heating one's stables is something any of us could do in error.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24887143

 

[Creaky]

All explained now and an honest mistake to make. Accidentally claiming for heating one's stables is something any of us could do in error.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24887143

Very much doubt there would be heating in the stables!

Far more likely it would just be for the lighting - can't see the usage being very significant and not something worth deliberately claiming for - mind you I'd probably say that it wasn't likely an MP would claim for the cost of a duck house!

 

[Ernest]

And if we claimed for something in error we would be accused of benefit fraud and end up doing time

 

[melias shoes]

And if we claimed for something in error we would be accused of benefit fraud and end up doing time

Probably.

 

[Tight shorts]

Very much doubt there would be heating in the stables!

Far more likely it would just be for the lighting - can't see the usage being very significant and not something worth deliberately claiming for - mind you I'd probably say that it wasn't likely an MP would claim for the cost of a duck house!

The last line of the article refers to a "stable yard business" so it could be more substantial. Would also be interesting to know what expenses he claimed in his business accounts for the stable yard business. For example, did he "accidently" claim the cost of the electricity for the whole house and stables or any other expenses that he is already getting reimbursed as an MP?

 

[Gwylan]

By 3 hour commute do you mean 1.5 hours each way - if so then that would be the vast majority of MPs - if not then it it would be totally unreasonable to expect someone to spend 6 hours a day travelling to and fro work.

My daily commute is about 5 hours door-to-door - it was about 7 hours last Wednesday. I know plenty of people who commute longer distances - someone I know commutes from Nottingham to central London. Six hours is nothing if you work in London.

Back to the OP: good to see Caroline Lucas doesn't claim. I bet if she had - HB&B would have made some ranting post by now