THE country is bust, so they say, and the Government needs to save money by trimming the fat from the public sector.
So where does it start: schools and teachers? The NHS, our pensions, nurses or police?
Perhaps it might consider scrapping the ID card scheme?
Or could it slash the salaries of the banks’ chief executives?
Why don’t Government members take a long look at themselves if they want to save some cash?
For openers, how about freezing the salaries of the Commons and the Lords?
Why do they get paid such a ridiculous sum anyway for months of theatrical, cross-party heckling in Parliament?
If they want to save money from the public purse, how about they buy their own biscuits and pay their own mortgages?
I still do not understand why the taxpayer has had to fork out for the mortgage interest on MPs’ second homes. How many hospitals and schools could that have paid for?
Little has come in the way of reform since the expenses scandal.
It dominated the headlines for a fortnight, sickening the nation and costing the Speaker his job – and that was it really.
An inquiry was set up to investigate but we’ll be waiting some time for the results and even then, I bet their proposed reforms will be laughable.
A total of 80 MPs have over-claimed on their mortgages and been ordered to pay money back with no criminal charges pressed.
It was also revealed this week that MPs owe £140,000 in unpaid food and drinks tabs incurred at Parliamentary restaurants.
The scandal continues with children’s minister Baroness Morgan of Drefelin claiming a small holiday cottage in Wales as her main residence, when apparently the woman has lived in London all her life.
This is the minister who wants criminal record checks done on parents who volunteer to supervise kids’ trips.
What I find even more disturbing is the apparent incompetence of the claims office.
There is a paper trail to all this nonsense, there are rules, we are told. They have a little book which tells them what they’re entitled to and I’m guessing the claims staff have a copy of this book themselves.
So, how come our Attorney General, Baroness Scotland, was being investigated for employing an illegal immigrant as her housekeeper?
Baroness Scotland lives in London, claims her London home as her primary residence but has reportedly received £170,000 over the last few years as an allowance for Lords who live outside London.
Surely it doesn’t take much to spot the potential error here – I’m absolutely dumbfounded, I really am.
I remember when Tony Blair came to power, he froze the Civil List and ousted hereditary peers.
I think it’s high time the House of Lords and its very existence was reviewed again. And regarding the Civil List ... can someone tell me why we pay The Duke of Edinburgh?