The MPs Expenses Scandal
After nearly three years of fighting the release of information under the Freedom of Information act the day has finally arrived. Despite a last ditch attempt to block the release of MPs expenses, at a cost of over £100,000 to the taxpayer, we finally have sight of how taxpayers money is being spent. So how does it all look?
While we see that the vast majority of MPs have been claiming interest on mortgages for their second homes, there are many more weird and wonderful ways in which they have been spending our money. Kitchen repairs on second homes run into thousands of pounds for many MPs, Sky Subscriptions are also common and one multi-millionaire MP was even claiming £90 each time her windows were cleaned!
All in all it looks as though while the UK population has been struggling with increasing household bills, ever higher food prices and escalating fuel costs the MPs have not been feeling the pinch. Are there any other places of employment which would allow you to claim hundreds of pounds a week in eating expenses, pass the bill for gardening work to the taxpayer and allow employees to decorate their homes at employer expenses and keep the proceeds when they sell the property?
There have been few cross party scandals in the Houses of Parliament for some time but this is one which brings all MPs into the spotlight. Now we know why so many were scared that the information would be released to the electorate, why they spent thousands of pounds of taxpayers money protecting themselves and why they are so desperate to hang onto their seats.
As more and more Labour MPs face the possibility of losing their seats at the next general election perhaps it is now easier to understand why they are all so happy to stab each other in the back and look after number one.
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