Well things are in full swing and MPs are bitching about having to claim expenses and justify what they’re claiming for, like the rest of us. I particularly love this one.
“Labour’s Nick Brown asked for examples of other jobs where people had to “spend their own money up front to carry out their job. What’s the comparator?” he asked.”
Ok, let’s see.
- I travel to a customer site in the UK, I pay for the fuel and have to claim it back at the government set rate for my size of car.
- I travel internationally, I have to cover everything out of my pocket except the flight (unless I’m pressured into taking the likes of EasyJet which can’t be booked through the central system in which case that goes on the card as well), I then have to claim it all back, with receipts and in the case of meals within the limit set for each type of meal.
This is not atypical, it’s normal within industry.
If someone in my company had tried to do what MPs did with their expenses and got caught they would be facing gross misconduct and a sacking, no chance to pay back and let it lie there, no chance to announce retirement and pick up the resettlement payment many MPs have taken. Out, no notice period, and possible legal action.
So before whining and bitching about how this is unfair remember what brought it about.
The discussion I had with a party worker in the run up the election summed things up when I asked about the horseshit he claimed on expenses for his garden. Apparently the system was ripe for abuse and everyone was doing it, he didn’t have a comeback when I pointed out that surely this meant it was a test of character for MPs and his candidate had therefore failed.