Guest sibon Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 George Osborne uses public transport Indeed he does:) We're all in first class together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem8634 Posted October 21, 2012 Author Share Posted October 21, 2012 Indeed he does:) We're all in first class together. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/21/mps-expenses-quarter-charged-first-class-rail-travel-taxpayer_n_1995713.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cuk%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D133149 Full article below - More than a quarter of MPs have charged first-class rail travel to the taxpayer in the past year, it emerged today. An analysis of MPs' expenses by The Sunday Telegraph found that 185 had claimed for first-class train tickets. First-class travel has been curbed by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), brought in after the 2009 expenses scandal to sweep away the previous discredited regime. However, it is still permissible in circumstances where it would be cheaper than buying a standard open ticket. The extent to which MPs are taking advantage of that rule was revealed after Chancellor George Osborne faced ridicule after entering a first-class carriage yesterday with only a standard ticket. His office insisted he had always intended to pay for the upgrade and that an aide had sought out the train manager to do so. However, a television reporter travelling on the same train claimed that the aide had actually got into a confrontation with an inspector over whether he should have moved to standard. According to The Sunday Telegraph, some of the first-class ticket claims have cost as much as £300, five times as much as the cheapest standard fare for the same route. MPs who have travelled first-class on expenses include the Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude, Transport Minister Norman Baker, shadow chancellor Ed Balls and former chancellor Alistair Darling, the paper said. In total there were 113 Labour MPs, 48 Conservatives, 19 Liberal Democrats, two Plaid Cymru and three Scottish National Party who have claimed for first class rail travel in the past year. Ipsa's guidelines on travel expenses suggest MPs should consider "value for money" and whether cheaper, inflexible tickets will end up costing more if travel arrangements change at short notice. "You can claim for first class travel if it is less than the cost of a standard open fare," it states. First-class tickets purchased far enough in advance can end up cheaper than open standard tickets bought shortly before the journey. But Taxpayers' Alliance chief executive Matthew Sinclair said: "If MPs can get themselves organised to order a first-class ticket in advance, they should be able to order a standard-class ticket in plenty of time as well and it will almost always be cheaper. "If standard-class travel isn't good enough for MPs, it isn't good enough for ordinary commuters who pay for their own tickets." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I1L2T3 Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/21/mps-expenses-quarter-charged-first-class-rail-travel-taxpayer_n_1995713.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cuk%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D133149 Full article below - More than a quarter of MPs have charged first-class rail travel to the taxpayer in the past year, it emerged today. An analysis of MPs' expenses by The Sunday Telegraph found that 185 had claimed for first-class train tickets. First-class travel has been curbed by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), brought in after the 2009 expenses scandal to sweep away the previous discredited regime. However, it is still permissible in circumstances where it would be cheaper than buying a standard open ticket. The extent to which MPs are taking advantage of that rule was revealed after Chancellor George Osborne faced ridicule after entering a first-class carriage yesterday with only a standard ticket. His office insisted he had always intended to pay for the upgrade and that an aide had sought out the train manager to do so. However, a television reporter travelling on the same train claimed that the aide had actually got into a confrontation with an inspector over whether he should have moved to standard. According to The Sunday Telegraph, some of the first-class ticket claims have cost as much as £300, five times as much as the cheapest standard fare for the same route. MPs who have travelled first-class on expenses include the Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude, Transport Minister Norman Baker, shadow chancellor Ed Balls and former chancellor Alistair Darling, the paper said. In total there were 113 Labour MPs, 48 Conservatives, 19 Liberal Democrats, two Plaid Cymru and three Scottish National Party who have claimed for first class rail travel in the past year. Ipsa's guidelines on travel expenses suggest MPs should consider "value for money" and whether cheaper, inflexible tickets will end up costing more if travel arrangements change at short notice. "You can claim for first class travel if it is less than the cost of a standard open fare," it states. First-class tickets purchased far enough in advance can end up cheaper than open standard tickets bought shortly before the journey. But Taxpayers' Alliance chief executive Matthew Sinclair said: "If MPs can get themselves organised to order a first-class ticket in advance, they should be able to order a standard-class ticket in plenty of time as well and it will almost always be cheaper. "If standard-class travel isn't good enough for MPs, it isn't good enough for ordinary commuters who pay for their own tickets." Incredible. Do these half-wits ever learn? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem8634 Posted October 21, 2012 Author Share Posted October 21, 2012 Incredible. Do these half-wits ever learn? It would seem not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chem1st Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 How will giving MPs only JSA or DLA amount as a salary create full employment? Tie it with strings. Set JSA as a proportion of minimum wage. Tie MPs salaries to the lowest income. For them to get a payrise (to minimum wage), they must ensure everybody is employed and earning at least minimum wage. Once you have full employment, they will try to increase minimum wage in real terms. By increasing production and letting you by more for less, so that everybody is better off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert_Baehr Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 ... Tie MPs salaries to the lowest income. For them to get a payrise (to minimum wage)... That would at least reduce the number of people who wanted to be MPs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S10mainly Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 That would at least reduce the number of people who wanted to be MPs. That would reduce the people who wanted to be MPs down to those with substantial other means of income......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vague_Boy Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 I was wondering if they experienced more public services would that generate more political will to improve public services? Reminds me of the time when Fatty "cocktail sausage" Prescott nearly got happy slapped. Prescott confronted by 'happy slappers' Mr Grace & Favour got away with it of course because he had several Special Branch "minders" in attendance. Fine for 2 jags but what about the rest of us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truman Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 That would reduce the people who wanted to be MPs down to those with substantial other means of income......... Correct, just as it was in the old days..before 1911 MP's had no salary... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krooner Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 Quite right that is an excellent point - perhaps I should've restricted the point to the aspects of the NHS that have no private alternatives, public transport whenever possible and education. Regarding public transport, I also think bus/tram company executives and their families should also be compelled to utilise their own service twice daily [in rush hour], on match days, and late in the evening one week-end in four. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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