Those bloody expenses!

Like many activists I have been knocking on doors canvassing for the County and Euro elections.

It has been going well and we have been getting good results across the county. But Because of work commitments I haven’t been able to canvas for a few days. So Friday evening was my first opportunity to call on people since most of the stories broke about the MP’s.

To begin with things went okay, everybody were pleasant and friendly as usual and as I made my way through one of the many small villages in my ward. My canvas returns matched previous results and everything remained promising.

Then I moved to a different part of the ward, now it was later, and people were watching the news and then coming to the door. Still it was okay, but now there was defiantly an edge. Most were still okay but other were, well angry ……… and the thing is I can quite understand their point of view because actually I agree with them.

Now as it happens I have been working directly or indirectly for local government most of my working life, and of course I have claimed expenses, mostly travel and overnight stays.
But I didn’t have to be told that I was effectively spending tax payer’s money and I should ensure it was spent wisely and efficiently. So why can’t some MP’s see that too?

Actually you know, I don’t care about how much an MP spent on a sofa, I do mind if an MP flipped their second home to make more money or pay for moats and tennis courts.

I mind if they claimed for both homes because both Husband and wife are MP’s and so apparently can.

I mind if they carry on claiming when they have paid for their home

and I mind when caught out they pay it back and think that’s enough!

Cameron says he will do something about it…….okay but why didn’t he do something about it when he first became leader or is he really telling us that he didn’t know anything about his own party MP’s before last week?

Labour solution is to suspend the worse offenders and “sacked” (sorry that’s ask to stand down), others from Government, although of course they still get to be MP’s and can carry on claiming!
Even our own party has had MP’s claiming when maybe they shouldn’t (no moats or house flipping as yet!). ………..It’s all too much.

I don’t know about you but I feel let down, really, really let down and I know it’s not all of them, never-the-less it’s hard to defend politics on the doorsteps under these circumstances. I just hope there isn’t too much more for this…. But I fear more is yet to come.