Maria Miller

[Triggaaar]

I don't like that the MPs fiddled their expenses, and I think more should have been done about it when it came to light.

But is she any worse than the rest of them? The rest, that are still MPs?

 

[fat old seagull]

I like her... Anyone who reminds us of David Cameron's amazing ability to consistently make decisions that fly in the face of common sense and integrity gets my support. Ok, the support thing isn't true!
He should have sacked her immediately the Standards Committee had found her guilty. Hospitals closing, treatments for sick and dying withheld and she tries to squeeze 99k for expenses....bitch!

 

[Dorset Seagull]

How is politicians stealing from the taxpayer a non-story ?

I may br wrong but I seem to recall the expenses scandal came about as a legacy of the Thatcher era. In Thatchers time it was decided that to hike politicians wages would not go down well with the public so there was a bit of a secret agreement that you could pile a few extra expenses on to compensate.

It appears that this then became the norm and was not actually stopped until it all erupted recently. Whether you agree with the principal or not it COULD be viewed that the tax payer would have still paid the cost of higher MP salaries instead of higher expense claims.

 

[Bwian]

So the the thieving piece of shit resigns and still remains as an MP. Meanwhile Cameron expresses regret that she resigned after he gave her his full support.

So she resigned because her thievery had become a distraction to the government and not because she stole more than 45000 from tax payers? She should have her arrogant fat ass hauled into court after being kicked out of Parliament.

 

[lawros left foot]

Oh it gets better, she receives £17000 pound redundancy payment as well for resigning from her ministers post
MPs start their Easter holiday today, I'm glad they are getting some well earned time off, they spend so much time at Westminster

 

[Bwian]

She is only concerned about the image of the government with not a hint of remorse.

 

[Hornblower]

What is more to the point is that this is a woman who has no understanding of the importance of diverse and edgy culture in the UK. She famously said that arts and culture has to be commercially successful in order to justify its existence. In other words only safe, comfortable and proven art should exist in the UK. Good riddance Maria, now let's all see which other twonk Cameron puts in her place.

 

[father_and_son]

No doubt she will get another role at a different organisation, with a salary likely in excess of her MP income, and not repay the full amount.

She has only resigned as Culture Secretary, so although no longer a minister, she is still an MP with all the perks that come with that, just on a lower salary than before.

It's classic tory arrogance that she's still resigning as it's a 'Distraction to government'. Not because she cheated the expenses, not because she tried to bully the independent independent commissioner, not because she didn't pay any capital gains on the £1m plus profit on sale of house. Tosser.

She hasn't paid the capital gains because its not due yet. Any tax liability she decides to declare will become due in the next tax year.




Having made those comments, I personally agree that she should have been sacked as an MP and prosecuted, as should every single MP caught with their fingers in the till, be it for £45k, £5k, or £500. This is fraud/theft and should NEVER result in just a slap on the wrist. I don't think this has anything to do with party politics though. They have all been at it and all happily covering up for each other so nothing to do with "classic tory arrogance", Labour and Liberal MPs have shown equal contempt for the standard committee and the basic premise that it is our money they are stealing.


My solution:
All MPs should receive "Grace and Favour" properties in London and, along with their own constituency home, be able to live in either/both as suits their requirements for parliamentary and constituency business.

The running costs of these London properties should be met, in full, by the tax payer, but we remain the beneficial owners of the property and were they to be sold, then the proceeds come back to the public purse. There can be more properties available than there are MPs, allowing for some small degree of choice and contingency for repair/etc, but they are allocated by some form of 3choice+lottery - much the same way our kids get put in schools - and if they don't get their first/second/third choice then tough sh*t, live with it!

There should be a maintenance program in place that gives a budget for furniture and decorating every few years and if they want something else/more then they pay for it themselves.

All other expenses should be FULLY receipted and there should be no "allowances" for either property not otherwise covered by the "grace and favour" terms.

 

[Czechmate]

I may br wrong but I seem to recall the expenses scandal came about as a legacy of the Thatcher era. In Thatchers time it was decided that to hike politicians wages would not go down well with the public so there was a bit of a secret agreement that you could pile a few extra expenses on to compensate.

It appears that this then became the norm and was not actually stopped until it all erupted recently. Whether you agree with the principal or not it COULD be viewed that the tax payer would have still paid the cost of higher MP salaries instead of higher expense claims.

I could never understand how any property they had in London which they purchased through expenses for a price that they could keep the difference when sold , even when decorations and furniture was also put through expenses . I am glad it had become more open and transparent , then this case comes up , I hope its the last but doubt it somehow.

 

[Czechmate]

She has only resigned as Culture Secretary, so although no longer a minister, she is still an MP with all the perks that come with that, just on a lower salary than before.



She hasn't paid the capital gains because its not due yet. Any tax liability she decides to declare will become due in the next tax year.




Having made those comments, I personally agree that she should have been sacked as an MP and prosecuted, as should every single MP caught with their fingers in the till, be it for £45k, £5k, or £500. This is fraud/theft and should NEVER result in just a slap on the wrist. I don't think this has anything to do with party politics though. They have all been at it and all happily covering up for each other so nothing to do with "classic tory arrogance", Labour and Liberal MPs have shown equal contempt for the standard committee and the basic premise that it is our money they are stealing.


My solution:
All MPs should receive "Grace and Favour" properties in London and, along with their own constituency home, be able to live in either/both as suits their requirements for parliamentary and constituency business.

The running costs of these London properties should be met, in full, by the tax payer, but we remain the beneficial owners of the property and were they to be sold, then the proceeds come back to the public purse. There can be more properties available than there are MPs, allowing for some small degree of choice and contingency for repair/etc, but they are allocated by some form of 3choice+lottery - much the same way our kids get put in schools - and if they don't get their first/second/third choice then tough sh*t, live with it!

There should be a maintenance program in place that gives a budget for furniture and decorating every few years and if they want something else/more then they pay for it themselves.

All other expenses should be FULLY receipted and there should be no "allowances" for either property not otherwise covered by the "grace and favour" terms.

My wife works in London a lot and has to start early and finish late and all the hassle on the trains , why can't MP's do this ? I understand they are in London quite a lot so why don't the parties have shares in hotels and have a floor or two for using for the MP's ? this would save the treasury a lot of money .

 

[Tricky Dicky]

My wife works in London a lot and has to start early and finish late and all the hassle on the trains , why can't MP's do this ? I understand they are in London quite a lot so why don't the parties have shares in hotels and have a floor or two for using for the MP's ? this would save the treasury a lot of money .

I would give them a pay rise and take away expenses, then let them spend it how they liked. Personally I'd stop them having second jobs too while they're in office.

 

[glasfryn]

thief is a thief
whatever way you dress it up

 

[father_and_son]

In any other profession fraudulently claiming expenses (or theft as it is) of £45k would lead to gross misconduct and being sacked.
No doubt she will get another role at a different organisation, with a salary likely in excess of her MP income, and not repay the full amount.

My wife works in London a lot and has to start early and finish late and all the hassle on the trains , why can't MP's do this ? I understand they are in London quite a lot so why don't the parties have shares in hotels and have a floor or two for using for the MP's ? this would save the treasury a lot of money .

They are in London an awful lot and so it makes sense for them to have semi-permanent residence there. Putting them in the same hotel (or block of flats) makes for a terrorist risk and, quite rightly, this has been avoided since the Grand was bombed. Even in conference season, they do try to spread themselves out as much as is reasonable.

This is why my solution would scatter them over London (as is the case now), with only a select few clustered in specific [secure] locations such as downing street. You can't stop one being blown up but it would be extremely difficult to take out enough for major disruption of parliament.


I used to work for a company with offices in Gibraltar and they owned a number of townhouses that were available for use by those of us who were over there a lot. It proved to be much cheaper than hotels in the long run - especially when you figure in the increase in property value over the length of time its held. Plus, when you are there a lot, its a much nicer environment to be in - your own kitchen/lounge/etc rather than a bland hotel room!

 

[dragonred]

good riddance and long overdue, whatever the rights and wrongs the reality is the rules were breached in spirit at the very least and after the previous scandals it is a scandal in itself that someone at that level cannot have have or exercise judgment and common sense to see that if it 'looks bad', it probably is bad and therefore if the slightest doubt just don't do it. The only sour note in all this is the decision to go is almost certainly not as she (or Cameron) think she actually did any wrong (he knows there will be others equally at fault so a can of worms not to be opened) but simply as it is creating bad press/news for him/his party and so is now sacrificed to end the story. For me this kind of motivation stinks of a total lack of sincerity or principle and is simply a decision made for expediency - and that is no way to govern anyone.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

They are in London an awful lot and so it makes sense for them to have semi-permanent residence there.

London? Guess where the MP for Worthing has his 2nd residence?

 

[father_and_son]

Assume you are refering to the right honourable Mr Herbert who commutes from Arundel to London because travelling from Worthing to London is too far..?!? FFS

Playing the system just as much as Miller, in my own personal opinion.

The system is STILL broken and should be reformed completely! Give them all USE of properties in London that all meet a certain standard, say, 3-bed semi/terrace within 10 tube stops of Westminster (or something like that) and take away all this b*llocks with "flipping homes" to get both redecorated and making £1M+ on homes sold just after they are switched to being main residence!

 

[Nibble]

Maria Miller. Can we trust any government?

No we cannot. Miller should have NEVER been allowed to resign. She should have been sacked, made to give a genuine public apology, not read from a card, NO PENSION, AND prosecuted for fraud. This is no anti Tory rant, although Cameron is governing an Austerity Britain so he should have made a far more extreme example of her but Labour let dozens of the crooks off with fraud.

 

[drew]

In answer to the question, probably not. Unfortunately, we need to have a government so the decision most people have to make is who do they distrust the least! CMD is proving his acumen for character assessment, Andy Coulson, Rebecca Brooks and Maria Miller!

 

[red star portslade]

A democracy is bollocks.
At least in north korea you're just given a ****. We have to choose one.

 

[fat old seagull]

I would give them a pay rise and take away expenses, then let them spend it how they liked. Personally I'd stop them having second jobs too while they're in office.

Yes I'd do that too, except it wouldn't give them a rise. I think they need to be paid in line with their attendances at Westminster and their administrative pay need be based on those attendances pro-rata.