This afternoon, outside Waterloo Station, I photographed a couple of Members of Parliament. One was attending to his constituency paperwork, while the other was rolling a joint.
I wish. Whenever they introduce a new scheme the idea of which is to make things cheaper, they invariably end up making things more expensive. The only sure way to cut government spending is to shut things down. The idea that things can be made cheaper by being streamlined but perpetuated is folly.
The Evening Standard is jumping to all sorts of conclusions with its headline. Its actual story includes things like this:
Both Labour and Tory MPs could rebel over the plans, as many would stand to lose substantial sums currently used to pay their mortgages.
Plans. Nothing has changed yet.
However, some critics claimed that there would be big winners as well as big losers under the new scheme. Those who have paid off their mortgage on a London flat or man and wife couples could gain by claiming the maximum daily rate.
What’s the betting that there will be big winners, and little winners?
The present system means MPs have to produce receipts, which they hate. The new system that Gordon Brown is proposing sounds like it will simply do away with the receipts and, by the time the dust has settled in a few weeks or months time, double their salaries. They will get a salary on account of being an MP. And they will get another salary for turning up.
The idea that this will put a stop to muckraking by the likes of Guido Fawkes, by cleaning away all the muck, is very fanciful.
As far as I can tell from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8010034.stm, it will not do away with receipts at all.
“E. Full receipts. There will be a requirement for receipts for claims for all remaining transactions (for office costs, travel, and communications), including those under £25. MPs’ claims will be subject to independent audit by the National Audit Office.”
However, there is still a big, obvious gap into which a nice fat embezzling wedge can be driven, namely the central flat-rate allowance.
This might sound counter-intuitive on a Libertarian blog, but perhaps a leaf should be taken from the Soviet Union’s book. Since out-of-London MPs without an existing residence in London clearly need somewhere to stay, get them an apartment block. Costs paid by a automatic deduction from either their salaries, or their expenses. If they don’t want into the Politburo Apartments, then the amount is still deducted, and they can find their own accomodation out of their own salaries.
Barracks or bugger off.