Carswell takes the hint...
Yesterday, I prodded Douglas Carswell over his indignation over the attempts by MPs to conceal their expenses.
And, as if on cue (surely I flatter myself), Douglas has posted the following on his blog today.
Good stuff, Douglas: we look forward to seeing how you've accounted for every penny. What with you and Ben, there's only another 644 of you to go...
UPDATE: Douglas has emailed to inform me that that he only saw my prodding post after he had pledged to publish his expenses. Still, I'd rather take a spontaneously honest MP over a boost your humble Devil's ego...!
Also missing from your post is a promise to publish all of your expenses, regardless of what the FoI law says, on your website. Will you undertake to do this?
Or is this simply another MP urging others to "do as I say, not do as I do"...?
And, as if on cue (surely I flatter myself), Douglas has posted the following on his blog today.
This week the Westminster establishment will try to pass a law that would exempt MPs from the Freedom of Information Act and allow MP expenses to remain secret.
I've had enough of this farce. I decided over the weekend that at the end of this financial year (April 2009), I'll be publishing a detailed breakdown of all the things I've claimed for as an MP over the year. Want to see what I spend on travel or rent? I'm going to put it on-line for all to see.
My colleague, Ben Wallace MP, had the courage to show the way, and I now intend to follow his lead.
Good stuff, Douglas: we look forward to seeing how you've accounted for every penny. What with you and Ben, there's only another 644 of you to go...
UPDATE: Douglas has emailed to inform me that that he only saw my prodding post after he had pledged to publish his expenses. Still, I'd rather take a spontaneously honest MP over a boost your humble Devil's ego...!
Labels: jubilation, pointless wastes of time and money, politics, taxes, thieving bastards, waste
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18 Blogger Comments:
I've had a pop at my MP but I sure as shit don't expect a satisfactory response. It'll be some crap I'm sure.
We shall see...
I'll lay you a pound to a pinch of shit that the honourable member for WOlverhampton South West will vote exactly the way he's told to by number 10. This man's got form for doing what he's told...
DK, I've written to my mp over at http://harryaldridge.wordpress.com
I calculate that, the Commons authorities having spent over £1m on attempting to log the receipts, that this equates to £1,500 per MP. At £7.50/hr that is 200 hours. If somebody can process (data input and scan) a receipt in, say, 10 minutes, that is 6 per hour, 1,200 in 200 hours, or more than 23 per week!
I can't see how it can cost so much money to make this info available.
What's that saying - something about an iceberg and the tip of it?
Vindico, That's the point. It will save the tax payer money but cost the MP... That is what they mean is so expensive.
David Curry (Conservative, Skipton and Ripon), and gave this reply to a constituent: "I am sorry but I believe you are wrong. No-one is trying to conceal expenses. It is a question as to what is a sensible level of detail.
Anybody else think that shows that he's got something to hide?
That sounds like a campaign !
Do we really need every cup of coffee? The horror will be the discovery that most of them are deeply dull individuals without imagination.
Though transparency is all very well the amount of time, also paid by the taxpayer mark you, spent detailing all the minutiae is hardly productive is it?
There again seeing as they only dael with about 20% of the laws passed in our land I guess it would be more productive than most things that they do.
it's simple. do what anyone on self assessment does. catalogue your income and expenditure, then give the figures to your accountant to reconcile and submit. then make them available for public scrutiny on the web.
i really can't see what the problem is - other than the public finding out just how profligate they are and just how much they suckle off the public tit. no wonder they're by and large uncomfortable.
Michael Gove MP publishes his on his website also.
Written to Michael Ancram, no idea how he'll vote currently
The bastards that vote for this need to be given as much exposure as possible
Brooks Newmark MP, Westminster Village Idiot, duly mailed
I've emailed my MP, Peter Luff, Mid-Worcestershire. Whilst I hope he'll do the right thing, a detailed risk assessment shows that I shouldn't hold my breath!
WV: furch
I sent an email to my MP, hon Michael Wills, and he already publishes his expenses on his website so I shall await his reply!
here is an alternative viewpoint. Enjoy...
Vindico- wouldn't the cost/hours be something to do with the foi's limit of 'disproportionate effort', currently billed at 20+ hours or £450 so i believe.
Bear Kieran Thank you for your email re the above. You will know that until a Labour Government there was no Rights ofFreedom of Information. There is no such proposal before the Commons toexempt MP's as you believe or as the Lib/Dems would have you believe.The question for debate is about how best information can be collated,produced and made available to the public. Yours sincerely Jim Hood
Emailed MP Milton but no reply as yet.
The cost argument is spurious. The reality is this. If receipts be published,the cost of processing will be outweighed by a fall in claims.
Name and shame always works.
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