OUR unemployment rate--- UK MP rorts

[Drop Bear]

This week it was announced that the current unemployment rate in my state ,South Australia is the lowest in Australia ,at 4.7%.

That sounds great,and it would be if it were true,which it isn't. The figure shows only those registered as unemployed. The real figure is probably closer to 12% or higher. (I worked for Social Security for 25 years.Those figures were always considered a joke.)

MY point? NEVER implicitly trust government figures of any kind.


http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/s...5839613377



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I saw on the midday news today (Friday 12 March) that the first British MPs are facing charges over the expenses rorts . Good stuff on the surface. However,reading between the lines, ,my perception is that the UK parliamentary expenses system is corrupt at an institutional level. That many of the MPs caught out may not have actually broken any laws. Is this perception right?

[chaggle]

Yes you are quite correct. Only a few MP's (and lords) have actually done anything for which they can be prosecuted and these are going to say that they cannot be tried in court because of Parliamentary Privilege.

There is a thread here about this

[Matt]

The fact is that MPs considerethemselves underpaid for a high level job with little job security. Back in the days of Thatcher the MPs were going to vote themselves a massive pay rise. This would not ave been popular so to prevent a backbench revot a deal was struck whereby the expenses system could be broadened to evetively allow MPs pay to be topped up under tha table.

This would have worked just fine except freedom of information laws and promises of transparent government were brought in at a later date. The unforseen consequences of this was that these under the table payments got brought to light. Not only that but this light reveal that some MPs were milking this system far more that might have been expected.

The scandal in part is that some expenses were clearly fraudulent, but what came as a real shock to the public is how much money was being rubber stamped for MPs who had been entirely honest with the parliamentary office. e.g.
Is it OK if I claim the mortgage on a huge expensive town house that I don't need, will hardly use and will sell at massive profit later.
Why yes sir, that's can be entirely within the rules so long as you fill in the forms like this...