Mr Eugenides (Free subscription) | 04/07/2008
How utterly unsurprising : MPs have voted to keep their £24,000 second home allowances, but have decided not to award themselves above-inflation pay rises. They rejected tougher auditing and an alternative expenses regime proposed by a Commons review. A review by the Commons Members Estimate Committee had recommended the additional costs allowance (ACA) be replaced and an end to the so-called "John...
BBC News (Free subscription) | 03/07/2008
MPs are set to vote on changes to their expenses and how their pay is decided - part of efforts to boost the public's faith in the system.
Times Online (Free subscription) | 03/07/2008
MPs tonight voted to retain their controversial additional costs allowance to fund second homes in London and to have their spending audited only by internal auditors. Voting was 172 to 144, majority 28.
nunoncastors (Free subscription) | 04/07/2008
I read with growing meh* that MP’s have voted to continue spending our money without any real accountability; which upsets me somewhat. It’s as though they’ve abandoned all pretence of respectability and opted for the old adage ‘don’t do as I do, do as I say.’ Still, I understand that it’s nice work if you can [...]
mutations of mortality (Free subscription) | 04/07/2008
In 1997 Tony Blair won a landslide victory for 'New' Labor in the general election. His victory over John Major was built on accusations of dishonesty. Instances of Tory MPs taking cash from lobbyists for asking questions in Parliament and stays at luxury hotels paid for by foreign businessmen created an impression of Tory 'sleaze' while 28 'stealth' taxes were identified. In an attempt to raise money...
Make My Vote Count (Free subscription) | 03/07/2008
The predictable happens. MPs vote on their expenses and decide to opt for the measure which, though makes sense to them, gives the least form of public scrutiny and accountability. Once again they decide that Christmas - ie. the ending...
Scottish Roundup (Free subscription) | 06/07/2008
This week was the first week of the Scottish Parliamentary recess, so the political bloggers may well have been wondering just what they could squeeze out of the news to fill their pages. They were however feasting on so much coming and goings, mainly goings that if a week is a long time in politics [...]
ConservativeHome (Free subscription) | 03/07/2008
"Isn't the spirit that compels people to challenge anti-social behaviour the same sense of social responsibility that we so urgently need to nurture?" 10am CentreRight: Samuel Coates defends have-a-go-heroism Parliament: Justine Greening leads attack on Darling's Vehicle Excise Duty hike...
Nick Robinson's Newslog (Free subscription) | 03/07/2008
Stand by. MPs might be about to vote themselves an above-inflation pay rise and to reject a package of reforms of their controversial expenses and allowances system. Today the Commons votes on the government's proposal that they should stick to a non-inflation busting pay rise. The signs are, though, that they may well vote for one of a series of amendments involving pay restraint this year but above...
Looking for a voice (Free subscription) | 04/07/2008
The sickening lack of humility that was displayed by MP's of all hues on the question of their pay and allowances , made me wish that there was another Colonel Pride to hand. Who on earth was the pompous twerp from the Tory benches who said he was making Life and Death Decisions !!! therefore deserved to be paid better than he is already and have a second home paid for by the Taxpayer. Completely out...
Nation of Shopkeepers (Free subscription) | 04/07/2008
A gaggle of BBC / Nu Labour alliance and Tory MP’s vote to keep the gravy train steaming along. No surprise there. A list of snouts can be seen on Guido
ThePickards (Free subscription) | 04/07/2008
…and he’s paid enough to do so. Who do I mean? Why my MP of course. Thanks very much to the excellent They Work For You site, where I managed to dig out this information. Unless otherwise stated, all of the information comes from the Dave Anderson page there. My MP is Dave Anderson (Labour, Blaydon). I’ve [...]
Angus about Angus (Free subscription) | 03/07/2008
MP’s will vote later today on their salary award. It is tipped in the BBC news that they will ignore Gordie and vote themselves a “restrained” pay award this year but 4.4% or more in the years to come. Is your MP really worth - £61,820 basic pay BEFORE any expenses ? (Expense listed here - [...]
politicalbetting.com (Free subscription) | 03/07/2008
Is this a massive own-goal for those who voted for the status quo? If I was a PPC facing one of the 172 MPs who voted down the “John Lewis” list this evening I would work through the night tonight on a leaflet to hammer the incumbent so it can be delivered over the weekend. The [...]
Love and Liberty (Free subscription) | 04/07/2008
News reports of last night’s self-pampering vote by greedy MPs offer a choice of two messages: either ‘they’re all at it’ or ‘the Tories and Liberal Democrats condemned Labour’. But the truth is that not all MPs – and not all parties – have their snouts in the trough. The truth is that of 176 MPs so out of touch with the economic woes of the real world that they voted themselves £23,000 a year for...
