Tuesday 24 March 2009

Fat Political Pigs Exposed In Detail

So yesterday's Evening Standard focused in on what Additional Costs Allowance London MPs have claimed between 2001-2006. You need to scroll down the page to see the table at the bottom.

A few observations:
  • The maximum possible that could be claimed over the five year period was £104,701.

  • For one there is no data (by-election post 2006).

  • 21 claimed nothing.

  • Three claimed less than £10k.

  • Eight claimed between £10-50k.

  • Nine claimed between £50-£100k.

  • Seven claimed more than £100k.
A few questions:

1. Mike Grapes (Lab - Ilford South), Harry Cohen (Lab - Leyton and Wanstead), Derek Conway (Con/Ind - Old Bexley and Sidcup), Andrew Rosindell (Con - Romford) all managed to get their claims to add up to....almost exactly £104,701. (Cohen's actually did add up to the penny). How did they manage that then? All those receipts, just all added up did they? Oh no, silly me. No receipts needed.

2. The three Croydon MPs show how utterly fucking stupid the system is:

Malcolm Wicks (Lab -Croydon North), a 'right-on', NuLab Government minister, lives in a very swanky detached house set in about half an acre of immaculately manicured garden in a very smart road in....Croydon South. His constituency is about 15 mins drive away. To get to Westminster, he can walk 10 minutes to his local station (Sanderstead - 30 mins to London Victoria). Trains run till just after 2300 hrs daily. If later, he can take a train to East Croydon 24/7 and catch a taxi (10 mins and about £10 including tip). WTF did he claim his £9138 for then?

Richard Ottaway (Con - Croydon South) lives on the outskirts of a nice village in leafy Surrey. His constituency is about a 10 minute drive away. To get to Westminster he has two mainline stations within 5-10 minutes drive: Oxted (40 mins to London Victoria) and Redhill (30 mins to London Victoria). Trains run to Redhill until just after midnight. WTF did he claim £101,808 for?

Andrew Pelling (Con/Ind - Croydon Central), a total muppet who has ruined a promising political career by being a media exposed adulterer and alleged wife beater, lives in Croydon South and claimed nothing. Is he so dumb he can't work out the fiddle?

3. WTF are any of these greedy bastards claiming anything for? All of them can commute like the rest of us proles.

THIS IS TAXPAYERS' HARD EARNED CASH!!!!!!!! If anyone can similarly detail the situations of others, please link or email.

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