Friday 8 May 2009

We can all make mistakes, eh Jack?


The Mail reveals:

"Damning details of MPs' expenses - including false claims allegedly made by Cabinet ministers - were revealed last night. In one case, Jack Straw over-claimed £1,700, trying to get public money to refund council taxes he had never paid. The Justice Secretary's mistake was one of a series of embarrassing revelations about 13 Cabinet ministers. Gordon Brown double claimed for the cost of hiring a plumber at his second home. The Prime Minister also paid back his brother £6,500 over the bill for the services of a shared cleaner."

Not exactly Watergate, more indicative of the majoresque collapse of Gordon von Brown's juncto.

2 comments:

cisbio said...

howdy dude, trust things are coool

The Indy has an interesting nugget today -the Telegraph paid 150,000 for the disc of complete details on MP expenses.

Allegedly, a 'businessman' on behave of a mole in the Parliamentary fees office (In earlier editions it was a Westminster lobby group) approached reporters with the offer of sale. This occurred in March.

Lets consider the timeline: March was the time that public anger over Sir Fred's pensions was hitting fever pitch.

ON March 25th rocks were thrown at Sir Fred's house by a group of malcontents. The message was basically 'Fuck the Rich'. Things looked to be getting out of hand. 'this is only the beginning' said the note from rock throwers.

IN time-honoured Anglo-SAxon tradition, when Capitalism seems a bit shaky - let the government take the flak. Anyone but the bosses. (poor people are usually a preferred target, also) Cue 'businessman' with leaked MP's allowances.

Without missing a beat the press went from 'Shocking venality of bosses' to 'shocking venality of MPs' -even though the money involved was paltry in comparison.

Taxpayers were now supposed to be angry about paying for MP's Kitkats, when before they were angry about paying for bosses' Loire vineyards.

The drip drip about MPs expanses will continue for long time, while Sir Fred and his mates are forgotten.

Job done.

That's my theory anyway. and it's been a privilege to see it unfold with such clarity beneath our noses.

Trooper Thompson said...

Interesting, man. Generally speaking the politicians are there to distract us from the real business being settled at the WTO, IMF etc.

It's always wise, when the media's hyping one thing to look what's happening elsewhere. The recent flu panic has masked some appalling economic stats for instance, and goodness knows what else.

The same thing played out over the row on bonuses, which in comparison to the bailout money going to Goldman Sachs etc was a drop in the bucket.