badgerx16

The things that rankle most, for me, is not so much the value of the expenses and allowances available to MPs; it's the fact that they have exempted their benefits from tax, ( payable by everybody else in the country ), and tried to exclude the fees system from the Freedom of Information Act. I heard a radio interview yesterday with one of the lawyers who worked with Heather Brooke, the Guardian journo, on the FOI case against the Fees Office, ( which was the real precursor for the Telegraph stories ). At the end of the High Court appeal against the disclosure order, which the Government side quite rightly lost, the question arose as to whether the Government should be liable for costs, and for how much. HMG's lawyers argued that they should not be liable for full costs. The Judge asked why, and was told that "We should not have to pay the full amount, as our case was so weak from the start the other side should have realised and convinced your Lordships to shorten the hearing". The Judge responded that this was probably the worst line of argument anyone had ever dared to present to him, and awarded full costs against HMG.

8 - ABBA, The Day Before You Came 10 - Billy Joel, Piano Man

Not the Lady in Red ?

Good call. :smt098 Helsinki would be my alternative, but probably a bit too pricey.

"Browser" but not bothered registering yet. Mine is an Octavia TDi, mainly due to doing @22K miles per year, mostly on 'A' class rural roads. Had it for just over 3 years and the only fault has been that the radio needed a recall for a software upgrade. Average mpg approaching 60 My wife's car ia a Fabia with the 3-pot engine, though my son seems to think it's an MR2 when he's driving it

Welcome to the club

Do the Tories not have morals then ? That explains a lot The Tories being in it solely for themselves.:cool: A SOCIALIST understands the need for money, they just feel that it might be more evenly distributed. Cameron is merely demonstrating he is Tony Bliar's true heir - the king of the opportunistic soundbite.

Since when were the current Government socialist ?

The "top" 6, based on the figures on the BBC site, include 5 scottish members ( 3 LAB and 2 Lib Dems ), who obviously have more work related travelling, ( one of them is the member for Orkney, and another for Ross & Skye ). The other is the Conservative Ben Wallace, member for Lancaster and Wyre. Of the next 5 on the list, all are Labour members for scottish or northern english wards. How many Labour members have claimed to have their moats cleaned, or their tennis courts maintained ? Please rely on facts rather than rhetoric, which after all is being driven by the Tory press.

The one I find most amusing is that the Sinn Fein MPs claim 2nd home allowance, despite boycotting Westminster !

Is that more accurate ?

Would you buy a used photo-copier from this man ? ( No, I thought not )

But if we are given the choice between a turnip and a radish, which do we pick ? :cool:

You do in the public sector,....................... unless you are an MP.

As prats go, you are certainly 'king size'.

Is it possible

How many MPs would vote for that ?

Look out for Uncle Monty, he may want to commit burglary in the kitchen

No thanks, as I am not from London, nor have I come on holiday by mistake.

If you are going to eat cake, you must accompany it with 'the finest wines known to humanity'.

Sorry dad !

Topped off with parmesan cheese ? Or then again, maybe it's a cold lasagna.

What does a Dingle's girlfriend say to him during sex ? Baaaaa.

The Lake District, the Peak District, the Pennines, the Cheviots, the Yorkshire ( damn them all ) Dales, the Northumberland Moors, the north-east coastline, Dumfries and Galloway, Snowdonia. All less than 2 hours from my house. Yep, it sure is grim up here :D

Taking this as the 'match build-up' thread, can I be the first to..... woot !