This infuriates me beyond words.

[Zeb]

On the plus side, if convicted the courts can (and hopefully will) order them to pay back what they are claiming, alongside their sentences / fines.*

Nevertheless...I AM looking forward to the court case .

* Just spotted Paul's second post....I am an echo...

[carlpenn]

Three former Labour MPs accused of fiddling their parliamentary expenses have won taxpayer money to help pay their legal bills just weeks before the introduction of “means testing”.

And after all my Taxes and N.I Contributions, I couldn't even claim a State Prescription when I lost my Job through bad health..........

Us and Them.......as Pink Floyd said and Labour showed us the meaning.......

[trebor]

some barristers do quite well off legal aid, Cherie Blair was one of them, and i also remember Robert Maxwells sons getting legal aid to fight their corner after their Dads death and all the scandal that followed, lets hope the MP's are found guilty and end up at HMP.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...m-legal-aid.do

[carlpenn]

Originally Posted by trebor

some barristers do quite well off legal aid, Cherie Blair was one of them, and i also remember Robert Maxwells sons getting legal aid to fight their corner after their Dads death and all the scandal that followed, lets hope the MP's are found guilty and end up at HMP.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...m-legal-aid.do

I'm curious, but how do you get Legal Aid? I mean, my Brother was refused Legal Aid during his lengthy Divorce and Custody battle etc...........Yet he earned £186.00 a week.......Obviously those in question earn substantially more than that ?

[VVC-Geeza]

The posotive to come out of this for me is that it's a timely reminder for voters of where NOT to put your X come polling day

[FredSpencer]

Quite rightly they should be given exactly the same treatment as anyone else. Then they should be taken outside and shot, just to set an example for any others who might think of trying it on in future.

[Raistlin]

Originally Posted by FredSpencer

Quite rightly they should be given exactly the same treatment as anyone else. Then they should be taken outside and shot, just to set an example for any others who might think of trying it on in future.

That's a... compelling argument Fred

[FredSpencer]

Personally I'd be quite happy if it was the other way around, or just do away with the first bit completely. But I also think there should be a lot more of them in the dock. Legally they might not have done anything wrong but morally they've done enormous damage. My only dilemma would be where to draw the line.

And I'm already sick to death of hearing them say how wonderfully they would run the country if they get voted into power at the election. We all know whoever forms the next government will mess everything up just like they always do.

I'd better stop before I need to call the flying doctor out.

[topman]

Originally Posted by Raistlin

I've just been chatting to a friend who is a barrister and she tells me that the one small saving grace, if you can call it such, is that if found guilty they can be ordered to pay the costs of their legal aid.

A very slim chance indeed, reported last year £1m paid back after an outlay of £1,300m in legal aid costs.

[Roverowner]

Originally Posted by FredSpencer

Personally I'd be quite happy if it was the other way around, or just do away with the first bit completely. But I also think there should be a lot more of them in the dock. Legally they might not have done anything wrong but morally they've done enormous damage. My only dilemma would be where to draw the line.

And I'm already sick to death of hearing them say how wonderfully they would run the country if they get voted into power at the election. We all know whoever forms the next government will mess everything up just like they always do.

I'd better stop before I need to call the flying doctor out.

You rang.......


Unfortunately. this is democracy as we know it. The political system is a sector of society just like the transport sector or health sector. They are all a club unto themselves. Outwardly everything is above board but within the walls of the club these things go on and are never unearthed. The worst thing you can do, if you have been so lucky as to be included in the club, is get found out publicly. They don´t mind that you steal and defraud as long as you don´t break the 11th commandment (get found out)

I´m afraid that it is really a good idea -to work the system- as they say because there is very little come back (if you are so clumbsy as to get found out). The fiddling and rip offs that go on are probably known to the public in say ½ procent of cases (if that). The reason why the EU has develloped is to keep -those who know how things should be- in harmony with each other despite language and borders. If you keep the choices of who can run the show to the minimum then it doesn´t really matter who wins the election, the club members always see to it that they can continue to use the strings of power and economy to their best interests.

Don´t for one minute think that this is something peculular to UK. Exactly the same thing here. Slightly more transparent here. As authority is under no obligation to do anything about it then transparency doesn´t matter. If you have personally shafted the tax payer for X million then if you are a member of the club, you would have to resign. You would probably have a clause in your job spec which gives you the right to X number of months full pay (12 to 48 months) Then when the heat has died down and you´re yesturday news, the club see to it that you get a nice quiet post, out of the way, as long as you swear never to jeperdize the clubs good name (and possibilities to carry on the the same vane). One bloke made a complete backend of being party leader here (skandal with secretary amongst other things). Had to step down poor thing. Was given the job of ambassador to Canada as the official slap on the hand. Last I heard he was living in Italy at the tax payers expense.

Sorry to say but there is nothing honest to put your X against. Rogue parties like the nationl front etc have sensed the publics outrage at the way things are run at their expense and have of course capitalized on it. Of course they cannot be trusted, they just want to get their hands in the till (just like the rest)

Actually there is one woman european MP who always uses the cheapest means of transport. Nothing new except that instead of pocketing the difference from a first class flight etc (as the rules allow) she donates it to save the children fund. She thinks that she is worth slightly more than an average worker, nothing fantastic really, so the rest goes directly to cancer research. She hasn´t many friends in the club and they probably won´t put her name forward on their list next time round......