MP's expenses released

[Tzarbo]

If we did vote, they would probably take the votes, and use them to buy DRUGS, in PARIS, and get FREE CARS made of GOLD!

I don't think a single person will vote at the next election!

[Clunk]

I can see the coming election being such a voter no-show. I mean, just who do you vote for?

I'll be protest voting when the time comes, there's no way I could vote for Hazel Blears, the smug, dumpy old clown, and I'm certainly not voting Tory, so it will be a case of seeing who is the lesser of the evils that are left.

[Lanky123]

I think it does say something rather unfortunate about the Lib Dems that even in a situation like this, they probably won't get in.

[Andeh13]

I can see the coming election being such a voter no-show. I mean, just who do you vote for?

As clunk said, its going to be a matter of voting for the lesser of the evils...what a way to pick the rulers of a country!

How do I get out of this game?

[Tzarbo]

Well Lib Dem MPs are caught up in this mess just like everyone else, so there's no reason for it to make them any more popular, and any less of a joke party.

This is good for the Tory party, and no-one else.

My reasoning for this - things like this always hit the government of the day the hardest; they are in power, so they can be punished by removing them from power. Given that, realistically, the only party who can replace them is the Tory party, this whole mess will, once the dust has settled, be of some benefit to them.

They become the lesser of 2 evils, the others can not get elected, Labour can not be allowed to remain, and Cameron is PM - if only by default.

He would have been anyway, due to the state of the Labour party and the unpopularity of Brown, but this has pretty much dotted the cherry on top of the molehill.

So get used to it folks - 1 year from now, David Cameron is PM. It's got to be running close to 90% certain now.

[Clunk]

I think the point I was trying to make was that it would probably be good for British politics to have some fresh blood in power, at all levels. We've currently got old hands that *should* know what they are doing, but seem to be more interested in their own personal agendas, rather than the public that they are supposed to be serving in the first place.

I just wonder about the state of the nation when people are actually looking at David Cameron and considering him as a viable leader for this country.

This is good for the Tory party, and no-one else.

My reasoning for this - things like this always hit the government of the day the hardest; they are in power, so they can be punished by removing them from power. Given that, realistically, the only party who can replace them is the Tory party, this whole mess will, once the dust has settled, be of some benefit to them.

Tory MP's have been as deceitful and underhand as the rest of them. I don't see how they could benefit from this at all?

[directhex]

What really annoys me is now all the MP's are going "look at me, i'm being good & giving it all back", when in reality, if this hadn't hit the media they'd all be hapily still skimming off the taxpayer with impunity.

One even agreed to pay back £4 for dog food!

See, they're not all bad eggs!

[CaseyV9]

I can see the coming election being such a voter no-show. I mean, just who do you vote for?

I'm not very knowledgeable with Politics - Like I need to tell you heh

I do not really agree with the way Labour have done things. Spending money we don't have to promote growth in our country. Like the business with the hospitals. All the figures looked good and then, Oh dear, we have spent too much, the NHS has black hole of £XXXXX now the NHS will suffer.
And it seemed a similiar story with a lot of things. And Iraq. Nothing achieved from that except soldiers lives lost.
Am I right in thinking we have Labour to thank for the minimum wage?

Still I have to question the way this counrtry is run anyway. Can any government ever produce the money to fund evrything that people want in this country? I think still think that whatever way this country is run, there will always be a lot of people unhappy.

And although am concerened about the way Brown is putting this country deeper into dept to fix this mess, It was the banks that buggered it all up to the extent it is now.

Do you think that Brown is in the position to fix the economy right now or will he make it worse?
The way I see it is a lot of people have gained from all this. And a lot of people have lost. But I don't think another government will change anything. Just different people will be the winners and loosers.

In my mind a government is in power temporarily until enough people get annoyed and vote them out. I don't believe there will ever be a goverment who will always be in power in the longrun

[Andy3536]

I think the point I was trying to make was that it would probably be good for British politics to have some fresh blood in power, at all levels. We've currently got old hands that *should* know what they are doing, but seem to be more interested in their own personal agendas, rather than the public that they are supposed to be serving in the first place.

I just wonder about the state of the nation when people are actually looking at David Cameron and considering him as a viable leader for this country.



Tory MP's have been as deceitful and underhand as the rest of them. I don't see how they could benefit from this at all?

Cameron has taken a harder line earlier than the others and changed how conservative MPs do there expences untill the reform comes in, taken out all luxury items and all expences will be available to look at on the internet and so on.
ALthough i don't think they will do well out of this, mabee they won't fare as bad as others.

As for me, i won't be voting when normally would always.
Mabee look around on hexus instead of going to the polls..............

[Tzarbo]

Tory MP's have been as deceitful and underhand as the rest of them. I don't see how they could benefit from this at all?

Then Sir, I shall explain it to you again.

The Government of the day, the Labour party, will get hit hardest by this scandal, as they are the seat of power, the one's who the voters will most see as to blame. Rightly or wrongly.

This lessens the already slim chance Labour had of winning the next general election from almost impossible, to completely impossible.

If Labour do not win, the Tory party wins, as no-one else can or will.

A popular and successful government lessens the chance of the opposition getting in. An unpopular and unsuccessful government increases the chance of the opposition getting in.

And which of those is this current government?

Short of some sort of mad situation where enough people protest vote UKIP or Green, or the Lib Dems going from also-rans to the government of the day, Cameron is home and dry.

So long story short, this whole affair, whilst making the Tory party less popular overall, the same as all other parties, will make it more likely they will be in government come the next election.

If you don't believe me, ask Saracen. He will confirm this logic.

[mediaboy]

If you don't believe me, ask Saracen. He will confirm this logic

Okay..

/waits for uberlong encyclopedia entry on politics..

[MadduckUK]

if only Stewart was here to give his opinion, he seems so near and yet so far

[Butuz]

There should be no expenses.

MP's should be paid a salary and that salary should be enough for them to live on. End of.

Butuz

[mediaboy]

There should be no expenses.

MP's should be paid a salary and that salary should be enough for them to live on. End of.

Agreed. The rest of the world seem to manage this alright...

[SammEl]

In my eyes, this is just jealousy from the public as far as I'm concerned.

They have expenses, and they take full advantage of it like any other person on this board, because you would, and that's it, if you could buy a £2000 TV on "expenses" and not on your own salary, you would, without any doubt in your mind.

Tens of thousands of people do it with businesses i.e. Laptops being bought by companies for their workers, the worker choses the model, and they get it, I know loads of people who do this on other things as well.

Don't single out MPs for the sake of it, it's just ignorant, because if you was in their shoes, you'd do it as well.

[Clunk]

Cameron has taken a harder line earlier than the others and changed how conservative MPs do there expences untill the reform comes in, taken out all luxury items and all expences will be available to look at on the internet and so on.
ALthough i don't think they will do well out of this, mabee they won't fare as bad as others.

As for me, i won't be voting when normally would always.
Mabee look around on hexus instead of going to the polls..............

Yep, but only now they've all been outed as cheats and charlatans. Cameron knew what was going on, all the MP's knew what was going on and now he's desperately trying to claw back some credibility by going all "hard line". Too little too late I'm afraid.