parliamentary expenses unfair?

I think the system was reasonable back in the day when MP were not paid to be MP. They had to rely on the current system.

However, now that they are being paid there is no excuse for it. If you don't want to travel to Parliament then don't become a minister.

So many on all sides were up to their eyebrows in pig swill that no-one could see a way of overhauling the 'rules' in a transparent and fair way. Those on the make would have to be compensated by a huge hike in salary - impossible when the very same greedy piggies were limiting public sector pay increases to 2% or less.

We all know travel and accommodation expenses need to be covered for MPs whose 'place of work' is 2 or 300 miles away from 'home' for PART of the year. And we all know devising such a system is NOT akin to sub-atomic particle physics - a Human Resources team could formulate one in less than 24 hours - whereas Brown & Co (having originally tried to suppress the details) waffled about a bunch of the same crooks reporting back in July !!!

The details show wholescale abuse of the 'necessarily incurred in course of performing duties' proviso - indicating tacit approval of income tax dodging (in addition to avoiding CGT on profit from sale of 2nd homes funded by taxpayers).

Brown should be brought before the Parliamentary Standards Committess to explain why as Chancellor for a decade he failed to stop these outrages.

I agree with you in principle. The problem is that most of the current bunch of MPs are career chasers not vocationally committed. When they knock on our doorstep to get elected they always say : "I want to serve the community and give something back to this country, vote for me and I will give100% to serve the community" !! Now most of them serve themselves only. Most of them have two jobs either as a lawyer or a company director. Did you know they start in Cambridge and Oxford university where they have a mock up house of commons to hone their debating skills that is why Hazel Blears is always smiling because they train themselves to constantly smile even when they are lieing. They never answer a direct question, they never knock the party line even if they are totally against it. So what is the point. I would like to see the police invloved they have behaved worse than Mr Ian Tomlinson the man smashed to the ground by a police officer.

Come back Tony Benn and John Major MPs with integrity who told the truth men of principle. They dont exist any more.

I have written and emailed to evry one of the MPs accused of fiddling, especially Margaret Moran with her second house 100 miles away from London and Luton (we paid for it) apparently she misses her husband ???? What a load of crap. These are the peole who make decisions affecting our country. GOD HELP US>

The expenses system is designed so that they can have a second home in London so they're able to work at the Houses of Parliament. The problem is that not enough checks and balances were put in place and the system was abused.

The extent to which they have abused the system is despicable. What we are not told, however, is why these things have been let through and approved. Is there no system of checks and balances? If everything is approved -- so such a ludicrous level of abuse as claiming for dog food and tampons, then human greed being what it is, people are going to try it on to a greater and greater degree. We are being governed by people who themselves need to be governed and disciplined. No wonder we are in such a mess.

I agree! I can't believe they are allowed to claim money for furniture for their house and get their plumbing fixed from the taxpayer's money :/ The rules need to get changed so this isn't allowed, people in every other job can't claim for these ridiculous expenses, so why should MP's?

Sorry about the rant :P