Comments on: MPs expenses http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/ Conservative Party Candidate for Wokingham Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:13:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Roger Pearse http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31367 Roger Pearse Sat, 24 Jan 2009 12:59:32 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31367 Excellent. Excellent.

]]> By: Roger Pearse http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31316 Roger Pearse Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:13:08 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31316 Good to hear. But... when will you make your expenses accessible online, as Douglas Carswell and co have done? Reply: They are through theyworkforyou.com Good to hear. But… when will you make your expenses accessible online, as Douglas Carswell and co have done?

Reply: They are through theyworkforyou.com

]]> By: A_Mullinder http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31192 A_Mullinder Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:42:22 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31192 Here's the point: If MPs have nothing to hide, there's nothing to exempt. Just what were they so afraid of? Here’s the point: If MPs have nothing to hide, there’s nothing to exempt. Just what were they so afraid of?

]]> By: simon p http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31185 simon p Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:08:31 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31185 John, if things turn out extremely badly... would it be possible by an Act of Parliament to have Gordon Brown denied a MP/PM's pension. The state pension will be sufficient. Reply: There is no majority for such action. John, if things turn out extremely badly… would it be possible by an Act of Parliament to have Gordon Brown denied a MP/PM’s pension. The state pension will be sufficient.

Reply: There is no majority for such action.

]]> By: Ian Jones http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31183 Ian Jones Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:03:38 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31183 Finally, some democracy at work! I'm sure it will embarrass a lot of MP's on all sides but hopefully it will make them think about what they are expensing! Finally, some democracy at work! I’m sure it will embarrass a lot of MP’s on all sides but hopefully it will make them think about what they are expensing!

]]> By: skooch http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31166 skooch Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:59:40 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31166 John - Has the gov withdrawn it, or delayed it? I don't think we have to worry, because the bloggers are on to it and won't let it go. See: http://www.mysociety.org/ Of which I'm sure you're aware. John -

Has the gov withdrawn it, or delayed it?

I don’t think we have to worry, because the bloggers are on to it and won’t let it go. See:

http://www.mysociety.org/

Of which I’m sure you’re aware.

]]> By: Dave http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31160 Dave Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:17:49 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31160 I do not believe that the government saw sense, I believe that they saw defeat and rebellion. They would have required to force their own MPs to vote for a measure against their will and risk a rebellion. I do not believe that the government saw sense, I believe that they saw defeat and rebellion. They would have required to force their own MPs to vote for a measure against their will and risk a rebellion.

]]> By: A man in the street http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31147 A man in the street Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:21:10 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31147 As President Obama said in his inauguration speech: “And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.” It is time our bankrupt Government woke up and smelt the coffee as they say in the US! It is time for a vigorous cut in wasteful public spending, e.g the £400m wasted by DWP as revealed in response to your colleague Mark Harper's PQ. It time to strengthen the NAO, give them some real teeth like the US GAO, start publishing Gateway reviews and generally get some light and transparency into the stygian depths of Government departments. As President Obama said in his inauguration speech: “And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.”

It is time our bankrupt Government woke up and smelt the coffee as they say in the US!

It is time for a vigorous cut in wasteful public spending, e.g the £400m wasted by DWP as revealed in response to your colleague Mark Harper’s PQ. It time to strengthen the NAO, give them some real teeth like the US GAO, start publishing Gateway reviews and generally get some light and transparency into the stygian depths of Government departments.

]]> By: alan jutson http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31146 alan jutson Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:20:26 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31146 Pleased that you are not in approval of the Governments scheme to hide expenses. Transparent Government and its costs we need more of. Bet the expenses list is the only one that no one wants to head at least in the Press. Well done for being very low down on the list and for giving good value. Pleased that you are not in approval of the Governments scheme to hide expenses.

Transparent Government and its costs we need more of.

Bet the expenses list is the only one that no one wants to head at least in the Press.

Well done for being very low down on the list and for giving good value.

]]> By: pauldavies http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31142 pauldavies Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:57:41 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31142 Are there any circumstances in which you can envisage that the government can be forced to have a general election rather than waiting for Brown to decide - Basically how can we stop this incompetent, (unflattering word) from totally destroying the British Economy? Reply: No realistic ones. If we could win a vote of No Confidence he woudldhave to go, but Labour MPs are not going to help us do that. I guess if he decided it was all beyond him or if he had some other personal reason he could resign. Are there any circumstances in which you can envisage that the government can be forced to have a general election rather than waiting for Brown to decide – Basically how can we stop this incompetent, (unflattering word) from totally destroying the British Economy?

Reply: No realistic ones. If we could win a vote of No Confidence he woudldhave to go, but Labour MPs are not going to help us do that. I guess if he decided it was all beyond him or if he had some other personal reason he could resign.

]]> By: mikestallard http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/01/21/mps-expenses/#comment-31133 mikestallard Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:36:28 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=2683#comment-31133 My late father used to say - don't look at the hands, watch what's going on behind the magician's back. The hands are telling us that the government is not what we thought - nicking our expenses. Wow! Behind the back, all sorts of economic mistakes are going ahead undiscussed. The scandal is that, while parliament is wasting time on silly expenses, the economy is not even being mentioned. This is an old Communist tactic, I believe. Parks and Gardens were being discussed at length during the invasion of Hungary (1956). My late father used to say – don’t look at the hands, watch what’s going on behind the magician’s back.
The hands are telling us that the government is not what we thought – nicking our expenses. Wow!
Behind the back, all sorts of economic mistakes are going ahead undiscussed.
The scandal is that, while parliament is wasting time on silly expenses, the economy is not even being mentioned. This is an old Communist tactic, I believe. Parks and Gardens were being discussed at length during the invasion of Hungary (1956).

]]>