Should the English MPs who have been creative with their expenses be prosecuted?
@Sandra1952 (6047)
Spain
May 18, 2009 9:26am CST
At the moment, I am ashamed of my country. All these MPs claiming for everything including the kitchen sink, and all they can say is 'We didn't break any rules.' Well, I'm sorry, but you did wrong. If Joe Public did the same, he'd lose his job and appear in court, and rightly so.
What is so galling is all this publicity about bebefit theft, when the people who make the laws and run the country are the biggest benefit thieves of the lot. What do you think?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
18 May 09
If they felt the need to be creative to justify the expenses, they knew they were doing something wrong.
1 person likes this
@tigertang (1749)
• Singapore
18 May 09
I think you've said it as simply and as accurately as possible. If they couldn't be open about their expenses, chances are they were not above board.
Apparently the expense claims are within the rules. However, it seems quite unbelievable to most sane and rational people why anyone would be doing things like paying off a mortgage that had already been paid off. I think the accurate term for this is fraud.
At worst, they will get suspended from their MP duties. Although Criminal prosecution will be hard to get going, I think its worth a shot.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
10 Jul 09
Morning Sandra, I've been hearing a lot about this scandal from my friends back in England but can honestly say I wasn't surprised in the least. If the politicians still haven't by now passed a law abolishing the monarchy, which in my opinion is the biggest benefit fraud ever, how can you expect them to not follow the example. It's not as if anyone gives them any respect or expects them to be honest. At least that's my cynical opinion. Maybe it will bring more people back to the ballot box and maybe produce a new 'honest' party.
@dreamhealer (812)
•
18 May 09
Yes, it's pretty unbelievable, no wonder the speaker of the house, didn't want the "freedom of information" act to apply to the houses of parliament. And a point of order, I'm sure Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MP's have also been getting in on this one.
As for been ashamed of been English, I not so sure about that one - is it more the case we're ashamed of what's got out into the open. We can no longer look down on all those other countries, who supposedly have endemic corruption. This is a worldwide thing. Can we call ourselves democratic in the true sense of the word... if anything this should give all the smaller parties a much better chance in the forthcoming Euro and local party elections.
And while I'm about it, here's another fact: all those people who like to think they're above politics; well if they got involved a bit more, paid attention to when they went to vote, stop being swayed by politician's bribes, we might actually get better politicians!!! Wow!!! What a blinding fact
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If we look at the facts the MP's had a very soft claims system. The office that were supposed to be scrutinising these claims, were actually helping MPs in some cases as to what they could claim for, what they could get away with and what might just be seen as been a little bit greedy!!! What juicy temptation they had!
In the final analysis, I'm afraid we get the politicians we deserve AND if you didn't even vote, what right do you have to criticise??? RANT OVER 
.
If we look at the facts the MP's had a very soft claims system. The office that were supposed to be scrutinising these claims, were actually helping MPs in some cases as to what they could claim for, what they could get away with and what might just be seen as been a little bit greedy!!! What juicy temptation they had!
In the final analysis, I'm afraid we get the politicians we deserve AND if you didn't even vote, what right do you have to criticise??? RANT OVER 