O/T Geraldine's Expenses

[North Stand Shrimp]

and it's only pennies compared to what is going on over in the EU

By the time they pay for a review of the expenses it will cost more than the actual money they have had to pay back.

Very good Point!

Not only will the review cost a lot, last night on Question time it was revealed that the process of putting all these receipts on-line had so far cost £1.5 Million!

It also seems apparent that most MP's classed these allowances/expenses as part of their re-numeration package as they felt that their actual wage was very low in comparison to jobs they could get in the private sector.
Does this then mean that, for the country to have the most talented and intelligent cream of the crop working in Westminster on our behalf, that we are going to have to pay them all more? If that is the case then the cost to the tax payer may well end up a lot more than if this whole thing hadn't have been exposed in the first place.
However the last thing we want is a return to the days when only people who could afford to be in government were representing us!
A proper pay package should be put together, agreed by an independent body, and any future wage raises should be strictly linked to the rise in inflation only. Any expenses should be claimed for with receipts and for only the basics. Any second homes should be paid for by the state, be owned wholly by the state and when sold all monies recouped should go back to the state!

The biggest thing that winds me up about the whole affair is the fact we are paying for MP's to build up equity in a property that when sold they get to keep! At a time when there are 1000's of people struggling to keep up with their mortgages and with houses being reposessed at an astounding rate, MP's are managing to massively profit from the housing market using our money! On top of that, in some cases to not even pay Capitol gains tax is simply Criminal!

[outsider]

Just a thought but after the 2012 games there will be the athletes village, why not do away with 2nd home allowances and just put them up in that? Would be easy to police and protect them as well

[Aspers]

If anyone took a gift off someone for more than $100.00 and not report it and if they work for a public company they could get hauled off to ICAC.
And our swimmers don't take performing enhancing drugs.

[Keith]

There are some remarkably thin skins round here.

If Geraldine wants to dine on Eggs Benedict rather than what we have in a morning then so be it

Ah, but would she eat Eggs Benedict if she was paying for them herself? Would you eat Eggs Benedict if the tax payer was buying them for you?

In fact, I think the oddest part of Miss Smith's expenses claims is how rarely she managed to fill them in without making errors! That the people who run the country struggle to fill in a simple form correctly doesn't exactly fill me with confidence!

I think MP's SHOULD be paid more and I do think those who live a reasonable distance from Westminster should get expenses. That a GP gets paid in the region of £40,000 a year more than the people who make decisions as important as whether to take the country to war, is crazy. Actually, that's a bad example, if we had people of the calibre of GP's running the country we may not have gone to war in the first place...

[Posh]

There are some remarkably thin skins round here.

Damn!

[Jumping Jack Flash38]

THIS IS TOTALLY APPALING BEHAVIOUR TO MAKE PERSONAL ATTACKS ON GERALDINE. I HAPPEN TO HAVE A LOT OF AFFECTION FOR GERALDINE AND I WILL NOT ACCEPT THESE NASTY COMMENTS ABOUT HER EXPENCES. SHE IS ONE OF THE ONLY LABOUR MPS WHO HAVE VOTED SENSIBLY ON MORAL ISSUES AND FAMILY VALUES. MORECAMBE SHOULD BE PROUD OF HER AND THESE UNDERHAND COMMENTS SHOULD STOP. I BET NONE OF YOU SAY THESE THINGS TO HER FACE. I WILL WWORK FOR GERALDING IN THE ELECTION AS I HAVE DONE IN PREVIOUS ELECTIONS -- BEING A POULTON BORN AND BREAD I LISTEN TO LABOUR FOKE AND THEY VOTE FOR GERALDINE AS A PERSON NOT THE LABOUR PARTY.

COMMON SENSE SPEAKING

[marky]

SHE IS ONE OF THE ONLY LABOUR MPS WHO HAVE VOTED SENSIBLY ON MORAL ISSUES AND FAMILY VALUES. MORECAMBE SHOULD BE PROUD OF HER AND THESE UNDERHAND COMMENTS SHOULD STOP.

That is entirely subjective. Her record when it comes to homosexual-based legislation is scandalous in my opinion. I certainly wish I hadn't voted for her in 2001. She's socially conservative and certainly didn't represent my views back then (and I wish I'd have known that). As for her expenses, she's an MP. She chose to put herself in the firing line and she's fair game for criticism. However, I do think people ought to pay more attention to Lancaster's MP, whose claims were £10K MORE than Ms. Smith (I know he had to pay an extra secretary as maternity cover but his total amount is still utterly ridiculous).

[Gnasher]

I BET NONE OF YOU SAY THESE THINGS TO HER FACE

Here's a challenge for you. Seeing as you know her so well, ask her to arrange a public meeting with her electorate to discuss her expenses. First on my list is "Why did you claim for £682 for a lamp and some cushions? Is Ikea not good enough like it is for the rest of us".

Give us the chance and there'll be plenty of people lining up to ask questions.

[Jumping Jack Flash38]

More than happy to arrange a meeting becasue she does relate well to the people.
However the Poluton Residents Association would be an ideal forum because to me they are the most imprtant people form where I am standing.

[Abbo]

jumping jack flash, are you for real or are you having a laugh ????

[Gnasher]

Apologies, I thought Geraldine had been elected by more than just the Poulton ward

[Plain Peter]

I live in Gosport (aka Duckville)
Sir Peter Viggers, out local Tory MP is completely quackers
He wants a Peerage
So we can call him "Ma'Llard"

[Keith]

Jumping Jack Flash, please don't use block-capitals when writing. It is considered to be 'shouting' and is more difficult to read.

As you made it clear you are an MBI supporter, do you think Miss Smith should stand as an MBI at the next General Election?

[Jumping Jack Flash38]

Yes maybe--however Evelyn Archer would do very well becasue she is well liked and people naturally like her when they meet her--that is why she gets such large majorities. If Geraldine does not stand as an M.B.I amd that is very unlikey I really think that Evelyn should consider standing as P.P.C for the Morecambe Bay Independent Party to emable M.B.I supporters and members to vote for thier chosen political party.

[Gnasher]

Evelyn Archer would do very well becasue she is well liked and people naturally like her when they meet her

I didn't like her when I met her and I don't think it's very polite to end a discussion by turning your back on someone. That's the real Archer.

[Plain Peter]

My local Tory MP has gone Quackers.
All the signs into into town now say "Welcome to Duckville".
His duck house is up for auction in most of the local Estate Agents.
He's even after a peerage, so he can be be greeted as "Ma'llard..."

[Bare Ben]

I'm sure I've heard that somewhere before...

[Plain Peter]

I'm sure I've heard that somewhere before...

Come down to Duckville and you can witness it too.

[Keith]

I'm sure I've heard that somewhere before...

Come down to Duckville and you can witness it too.

Too subtle Ben...






(words no one expected to see written together! )

Groundhog Day Peter???

Sun Jun 21, 2009 5:47 pm

I live in Gosport (aka Duckville)
Sir Peter Viggers, out local Tory MP is completely quackers
He wants a Peerage
So we can call him "Ma'Llard"

Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:00 pm

My local Tory MP has gone Quackers.
All the signs into into town now say "Welcome to Duckville".
His duck house is up for auction in most of the local Estate Agents.
He's even after a peerage, so he can be be greeted as "Ma'llard..."

[Plain Peter]

I had that awful feeling when woke-up with a thick head this morning

[CASS]

Having looked through our M.P.'s expenses (Tim Farron Lib Dem Smiles all the time and it bothers me !) all 660 pages. All the in fo is there in black and white,well more black than white,
I have to say apart from buying tons of Coffee,Milk and biscuits he do's not look to have put a foot wrong.Which I have to is a bit of a let down as I was looking forward to having a go at that smile.

[Suzi Quatro]

Having looked through our M.P.'s expenses (Tim Farron Lib Dem Smiles all the time and it bothers me !) all 660 pages. All the in fo is there in black and white,well more black than white,
I have to say apart from buying tons of Coffee,Milk and biscuits he do's not look to have put a foot wrong.Which I have to is a bit of a let down as I was looking forward to having a go at that smile.

Tim Faron is cute, leave him alone. I like that lovely smile.

[PUNKISDEAD]

Geraldine felt it neccessary to claim 250.00 for a picture so she did not have to stare at a blank wall

Her penthouse on sandylands overlooks a blank bay, perhaps she should fill in the water with a boat, put it on our tax, we dont mind

[Suzi Quatro]

Geraldine is the 37th highest claimer yet I have seen no evidence to justify such claims. She has hardly supported investment in Morecambe or the area. One has to remember her conduct in regard to the Link Road when she jumped into bed with the MBI. Common sense has prevailed and we are on the yellow brick road towards Lancaster and Morecambe having this vital piece of infrastructure. Sadly Geraldine has yet to admit that she was wrong in her judgement.