Should MPs be above the law?
Three of the Labour MPs today charged with alleged theft over fraudulent expenses claims appeared to claim some kind of Parliamentary privilege suggesting that their actions are accountable to the Parliamentary authorities rather than UK law. This is taking the MPs expenses saga down a very difficult and very controversial path when ultimately many people in the UK are dismayed to hear about some of the various expenses which have been paid out to many other MPs as well as the four politicians who have today been charged.
It must also be noted that a Tory party frontbencher, Lord Hanningfield, has also been charged over alleged fraudulent expense claims although he has not been as vocal as the three Labour MPs who issued a joint statement today. This will cause further embarrassment for both the government and the Conservative party on top of yesterday's revelations that many MPs are refusing to pay back part of their expenses which were deemed unacceptable by the Parliamentary body in charge of reviewing expenses.
It would appear that MPs were given the chance to bury this particular saga some months ago but have chosen to take the fight further and with the election looming this may turn out to be a very dangerous option.
Share this..
Related stories
House building boosts UK construction industry
03/07/2014 The UK construction industry grew at its fastest pace in four months this June as a result of an increase in house building, according to the Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers Index (PMI). The PMI is a measure that determines how quickly the construction industry is growing or shrinking. A measure above 50 indicates growth and vice versa for a measure below 50. Despite prediction...
Read MoreBuilding society savings at "very high level"
It has been revealed that saving levels with building societies are high at present, thanks in part to the recent increase in the Bank of England base rate.According to the Building Societies Association (BSA), savings with building societies are at a "very high level" due to good rates of interest and the high quality of products available.Neil Johnson, public relations and policy manager for the...
Read MoreBank of England sees recovery towards the end of 2009
In a move which will surprise many observers ahead of the budget on Wednesday it has been revealed that the Bank of England expect the UK economy to recover towards the end of 2009 and move into positive territory in 2010. Despite the fact that today we saw inflation turn negative for the first time in 50 years it seems as though the UK recession may be coming to an end and consumers may be growin...
Read MoreAlistair Darling rules out US banking style levy
As we covered yesterday, Barrack Obama has revealed plans to introduce a new levy on the US banking system purely and simply to replenish taxpayer coffers which have been emptied because of the banking rescue package in the states. While there was speculation that the UK government would look towards a similar scheme in the UK, Alistair Darling has today suggested this is not an option and not up...
Read MoreTriple-Dip Recession may be avoided after all
There is fresh optimism that another period of recession, the third in just over five years in the UK, will be avoided. A report from ICAEW / Grant Thornton Business Confidence Monitor (BCM) has revealed that business confidence is now at the highest level since the second quarter of 2011. The BCM survey has forecast that, instead of another period of decline, the UK economy is set to grow by...
Read More