Quote: Lee Henman @ May 18 2009, 2:58 PM BST

And the thing that sticks in my throat most are the very journalists who're pushing this story are the worst offenders. I used to go out with a journo and she used to rape her expenses account royally, as did all her colleagues. Hypocritical bastards one and all.

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A lot of people have started going on about the principle of overstated expenses, but the real issue for most is that it's public money they're claiming it on - again failing to take into account that their wages are from public money, and that it's the low wage which has brought us to this. They'd still be buying the same stuff with our taxes, just not in the same direct manner.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ May 18 2009, 2:59 PM BST

We did, he was called John Major.

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How did that work out for us? Well, I expect.

Quote: Aaron @ May 18 2009, 2:49 PM BST

£65k is a damn sight more than I've ever earned, but I'm not required to keep two homes on the go, one either in or within a sane commuting distance of central London, and the other an expensive train ride away.

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Well I have. And I had to pay for my own taxis.

Quote: Griff @ May 18 2009, 3:10 PM BST

In general I am sympathetic to the MPs on this one, I think this is a nasty campaign that benefits no-one.

However I'm not sure I buy Aaron's argument that if the MPs were paid more they wouldn't dream of fiddling their expenses.

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He's presumably suggesting that the increase in salary would negate the need for any system of expenses.

Quote: john lucas 101 @ May 18 2009, 3:15 PM BST

He's presumably suggesting that the increase in salary would negate the need for any system of expenses.

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Exactly.

And shouldn't they be expected to be above fiddling expenses? Being an MP is a calling not a career.

Quote: Lee Henman @ May 18 2009, 2:58 PM BST

Why is everyone so surprised at this? And the thing that sticks in my throat most are the very journalists who're pushing this story are the worst offenders. I used to go out with a journo and she used to rape her expenses account royally, as did all her colleagues. Hypocritical bastards one and all.

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So from this you extrapolate the notion that all journos are 'expense rapists'?
Mmm.

Problem is many people who become MPs expect to live a priveledged life, sending their kids to private schools, etc.

Quote: john lucas 101 @ May 18 2009, 3:18 PM BST

So from this you extrapolate the notion that all journos are 'expense rapists'?
Mmm.

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Funnily enough when I was running two homes on an income of less than £65k, with no expenses I was a journalist.

Quote: Griff @ May 18 2009, 3:20 PM BST

How did you spell priveledged when you were a journalist?

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That's what the Sub Editor was for.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ May 18 2009, 3:20 PM BST

Problem is many people who become MPs expect to live a priveledged life, sending their kids to private schools, etc.

Funnily enough when I was running two homes on an income of less than £65k, with no expenses I was a journalist.

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Dolly for Parliament!

Quote: Lee Henman @ May 18 2009, 2:28 PM BST

I'm amazed that ANYONE is surprised at what's been going on. "What?! Our beloved politicians have been DISHONEST??? But how can this be??? Surely they are beyond reproach!" Come on...

And I don't see how Fry has shot himself in the foot at all. What he's done is flagged up an uncomfortable truth - that we've all been manipulated by the press (again) into getting into a flap about something relatively unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

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I'm not surprised at all. In fact most of us have known for years that this sort of thing has been going on, probably worse, (if we're allowed to go back beyond the four years Brown's suggesting). It's just that now it's out there-in black and white, and given their token 'sorries', it's very jarring to see "The net is closing in on benefits cheats-we know where you live" commercials. I wish I know where they live.

It doesn't help either when someone (Stephen)points out that 'we're all at it'. Well I'm not.

And so what if we are? Doesn't make it right.

A moat, ffs!

Quote: Lee Henman @ May 18 2009, 2:28 PM BST

What he's done is flagged up an uncomfortable truth - that we've all been manipulated by the press (again) into getting into a flap about something relatively unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

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That's one of the most idiotic posts I've seen in a long time. Glad I'm not on your payroll. The phrase 'devil in the detail' is there for a reason.

For people to believe that if MPs salaries were greater, they wouldn't fiddle, can't seriously be that clued up!

Quote: random @ May 18 2009, 3:43 PM BST

For people to believe that if MPs salaries were greater, they wouldn't fiddle, can't seriously be that clued up!

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All they're saying is you can't fiddle an expense account you don't have.

Quote: sootyj @ May 14 2009, 3:12 PM BST

William, too much of a girl to marry his girlfriend of 7 years.

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Marriage isn't for everyone, doesn't make you a girl!

Plus marrying young is stoopid.

(He is still young, right?)