A lot of the expenses scandal revolved around the expenses MPs were able to collect because they had to have two homes; one in their constituency and one in London. The Wikipedia article is quite extensive.
I think that a big reason that it seems a lot is because it was dumped on us all at once, rather than being the odd isolated report.
I didn't think Peter Viggers actually got the duck island on expenses, I thought he claimed for it and was denied?
Either way, if I were an MP, I would claim for a castle, and have a militia army on standby. Maybe ride to the house of commons on a horse, and expect a commoner to hunch down in the mud, so I don't get any grime on my velvet cloak.
Basically, I don't think I would be good with expenses. I steal pens from work.
Why are there so many corrupt politicians and government officials?
Fixed your post.
And while it was a misuse of the system of expense claims, it wasn't embezzlement in the sense you implied, except for those guys who claimed for nonexistant houses. Technically the majority of claims were within the system. It's the system itself that came under scrutiny, especially in times of economic woe.
This said, there were a number of delightful silly geese who protested the reforms, like the dude who complained about having to pay for first class rail travel.
I didn't think Peter Viggers actually got the duck island on expenses, I thought he claimed for it and was denied?
Either way, if I were an MP, I would claim for a castle, and have a militia army on standby. Maybe ride to the house of commons on a horse, and expect a commoner to hunch down in the mud, so I don't get any grime on my velvet cloak.
Basically, I don't think I would be good with expenses. I steal pens from work.
Corrupt pen stealing Britain eh.
I usually engage in forward planning with regards to positioning of work data manipulation resources. Appropriate resources should be positioned at likely work sites, in case I need to respond to sudden change in location
Possibly because two of their results haven't come through? I'll have a look a bit later. God damn, the King Edward Schools are just so much better than everything else in Birmingham.
There's so much data coming out, like how much money each school spends on a student. I love stats, but god damn it, I have an essay to write!
Why are there so many corrupt politicians and government officials everywhere?
Fixed that for you.
Rohan on
...and I thought of how all those people died, and what a good death that is. That nobody can blame you for it, because everyone else died along with you, and it is the fault of none, save those who did the killing.
The vote on bringing in the alternative vote system could be postponed because Labour peers are holding up the progress of the bill which would enable it to happen.
So it turns out that our Taoiseach had a private dinner and a game of golf with one of our worst banking executives two months before enacting the banking guarantee that ultimately ruined us.
So nice to have clean politicians.
It turns out that two other board members of the bank were there and they were discussing the future of the economy.
You might be holding out for a better system. On the other hand, a 'No' at the referendum will probably be spun into a 'No voting reform ever', so it might not be the best way to acheive the desired result.
You might be holding out for a better system. On the other hand, a 'No' at the referendum will probably be spun into a 'No voting reform ever', so it might not be the best way to acheive the desired result.
Indeed. AV is a system I do not particularly like, as AV+/MMP are more my style, but this is not just about that, it is the first that the British public as a whole have had a chance to vote on voting reform and really discuss the issue.
I plan to vote more in support of the concept of voting reform than anything else. Sadly I think a lot of people are going to vote No to somehow punish the Liberal Democrats or the wider Coalition. Which seems like a silly reason to make a decision on voting reform, but then this will be the only vote they get until the General Eletion
Labour’s Debbie Abrahams took 14,718 votes, over 3,500 more than the Liberal Democrats’ candidate, Elwyn Watkins, who was beaten by just 113 votes last May by Labour’s Phil Woolas, though Woolas was later ejected from his seat by court judges.
However, the disappointing result for the Conservative candidate, Rashif Ali, who received just 4,481 votes, will strengthen Mr Cameron’s party critics, who have argued that the Conservatives failed to throw their weight behind Mr Ali because they wanted the Liberal Democrats to win.
The vote on bringing in the alternative vote system could be postponed because Labour peers are holding up the progress of the bill which would enable it to happen.
Exactly. You pretty much have to vote yes on this as otherwise we'll be stuck for the foreseeable future with our awful system. This is progress. A tiny sliver, but enough to push onwards from.
Mojo_Jojo on
Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
I got a reply from Ed Vaizey (the Minister for Culture, Communication and Creative Industries) in regards to last years 'Two-speed' Internet story. The gist of the letter is that rather relying on regulation to enforce the status quo, they are planning on using as little regulation as possible, unless anti-competitive effects present themselves.
I got a reply from Ed Vaizey (the Minister for Culture, Communication and Creative Industries) in regards to last years 'Two-speed' Internet story. The gist of the letter is that rather relying on regulation to enforce the status quo, they are planning on using as little regulation as possible, unless anti-competitive effects present themselves.
So it's about letting the free market have a crack at it. I'm concerned that once the genie is out of the bottle it would be hard to restore fairness.
Clegg said: "I think it was a strong result given the circumstances in which the byelection was fought. It was a byelection held in unusual circumstances at a time when the government is taking difficult decisions, of which we are a part. It was clear that it was going to be, and turned out to be, a fairly close race between us and Labour."
Labour’s Debbie Abrahams took 14,718 votes, over 3,500 more than the Liberal Democrats’ candidate, Elwyn Watkins, who was beaten by just 113 votes last May by Labour’s Phil Woolas
Tony Blair had a "wobble" on the eve of his first bombing mission against Saddam Hussein after a late-night reading of the Bible, Alastair Campbell writes in his diaries serialised in today's Guardian.
In a powerful illustration of the impact of Blair's faith on his actions, Campbell writes that a New Testament story about Herod and John the Baptist prompted prime ministerial jitters hours before the launch of an Anglo-American bombing mission against Iraq in December 1998.
Campbell, who famously dismissed questions about Blair's faith by saying "we don't do God", admits in his diaries that the former prime minister often read the Bible before he took "really big decisions".
"Proud to be Irish, ashamed of our government" is a good one I've seen doing the rounds on Facebook.
Rohan on
...and I thought of how all those people died, and what a good death that is. That nobody can blame you for it, because everyone else died along with you, and it is the fault of none, save those who did the killing.
The Liberal Democrats didn't win the election so my promise to vote yes for this referendum cannot be kept.
:twisted:
Wait, so what are you basing your decision on? A bet?
Political trolling in the end really. It's the Lib Dems that really want this AV to go ahead - more so than the rest - but this would be the same Lib Dems that broke a promise...or two.
I'm voting no out of political spite. Heaven forfend.
Posts
Hmm, I keep forgetting that VAT only applies to some goods. The NZ equivalent covers everything, so I keep assuming that is the case everywhere
I think that a big reason that it seems a lot is because it was dumped on us all at once, rather than being the odd isolated report.
"They claimed chocolate and duck ponds???"
While bad, Shanadeus needs to remember these funds were not taken out of the orphan budget or something.
Either way, if I were an MP, I would claim for a castle, and have a militia army on standby. Maybe ride to the house of commons on a horse, and expect a commoner to hunch down in the mud, so I don't get any grime on my velvet cloak.
Basically, I don't think I would be good with expenses. I steal pens from work.
Fixed your post.
And while it was a misuse of the system of expense claims, it wasn't embezzlement in the sense you implied, except for those guys who claimed for nonexistant houses. Technically the majority of claims were within the system. It's the system itself that came under scrutiny, especially in times of economic woe.
This said, there were a number of delightful silly geese who protested the reforms, like the dude who complained about having to pay for first class rail travel.
He was my old MP, incidentally.
Corrupt pen stealing Britain eh.
I usually engage in forward planning with regards to positioning of work data manipulation resources. Appropriate resources should be positioned at likely work sites, in case I need to respond to sudden change in location
No. I can see my school there, and it was an academy.
Though the table I'm looking at only has the results including English + Maths, and English Baccalaureate.
(79% and 8% respectively)
This the table you're looking at?
Yep. This is my school http://www.kingshurst.ac.uk/.
Possibly because two of their results haven't come through? I'll have a look a bit later. God damn, the King Edward Schools are just so much better than everything else in Birmingham.
There's so much data coming out, like how much money each school spends on a student. I love stats, but god damn it, I have an essay to write!
Fixed that for you.
Nothing's forgotten, nothing is ever forgotten
Most parties back AV, but mainly as a step towards further voting reform.
What's your reasoning?
In addition to my earlier post:
It turns out that two other board members of the bank were there and they were discussing the future of the economy.
Why on earth wouldn't you want some form of PR?
Strong Government.
[/tory]
Oppress me master!
[/igor]
You might be holding out for a better system. On the other hand, a 'No' at the referendum will probably be spun into a 'No voting reform ever', so it might not be the best way to acheive the desired result.
- Vote for AV, no more improvement from that for years
- Vote against, no other voting system for years
I still like the idea that's floating around at the moment of House of Lords that is based off PR.
Byelection is apparently much closer to call than polls would have predicted apparently.
Indeed. AV is a system I do not particularly like, as AV+/MMP are more my style, but this is not just about that, it is the first that the British public as a whole have had a chance to vote on voting reform and really discuss the issue.
I plan to vote more in support of the concept of voting reform than anything else. Sadly I think a lot of people are going to vote No to somehow punish the Liberal Democrats or the wider Coalition. Which seems like a silly reason to make a decision on voting reform, but then this will be the only vote they get until the General Eletion
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
a) a by-election
b) any kind of voting in Oldham.
Exactly. You pretty much have to vote yes on this as otherwise we'll be stuck for the foreseeable future with our awful system. This is progress. A tiny sliver, but enough to push onwards from.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
So it's about letting the free market have a crack at it. I'm concerned that once the genie is out of the bottle it would be hard to restore fairness.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
Hrmmm...
The Liberal Democrats didn't win the election so my promise to vote yes for this referendum cannot be kept.
:twisted:
What's the qualification for winning an election? No party emerged with a majority.
And with AV, that scenario would be far more common.
Wait, so what are you basing your decision on? A bet?
"Proud to be Irish, ashamed of our government" is a good one I've seen doing the rounds on Facebook.
Nothing's forgotten, nothing is ever forgotten
Political trolling in the end really. It's the Lib Dems that really want this AV to go ahead - more so than the rest - but this would be the same Lib Dems that broke a promise...or two.
I'm voting no out of political spite. Heaven forfend.