Corruption at the top

[Mark Y]

How come when an MP or government minister takes the p##s with their expenses or laws, it's just an Innocent mistake, but if any general member of the public mess up they are criminals get prosecuted and lose  jobs etc.

[hairyasswelder]

Because they are above the law........ daft question  :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[crazymac]

Its who you know not what you know!!

It is deemed not in the public interest to proscecute a high society person as they will throw expensive barristers at the problem, meaning more cost for the government, but if you are a joe blog then you can't afford a barrister so easy proscecution!!

[hairyasswelder]

Its who you know not what you know!!

And who you play golf with at the weekend  ;)

[Saffy]

Always makes me suspicious when people in important positions are hounded to leave their post for small mistakes no matter how good a job they might actually be doing in reality and are the best person for that job at that time. It make me think that maybe these things come to light by design because someone else at the top would like this person out as they may be *too* good at their job, knows too much, won't be corrupted and so on  :-k

[carbore]

I wonder how many of us here have been asked by our employer to show passports? if not perhaps we should, all things being equal, turn ourselves in and tell the boss to pay out £5k like Baroness Scotland. Afterall we are demanding equality here, right?

(PS My boss has a copy BTW)

[Mark Y]

The difference with baroness Scotland was she helped write and put through that law and was happy to sit there earning her huge wage while other people were prosecuted on this law, but when it came down to her it was a (silly little mistake) , she was fined £5000 which won't hurt her really and gets to keep her job as it was just a minor mistake

[Gordo]

she was fined £5000 which won't hurt her really and gets to keep her job as it was just a minor mistake

It's a fixed penalty, so no reason why she would pay more (or less) for the offence.

I've had to provide proof of EU residency at my last few jobs for this very reason.

As for people being forced out of office for making a mistake, surely they're the best people to keep in the role because they now know how not to do it? Someone new is going to have to learn the same stuff from scratch  :-k

[Mutz]

As for people being forced out of office for making a mistake, surely they're the best people to keep in the role because they now know how not to do it? Someone new is going to have to learn the same stuff from scratch  :-k



Or they will have learnt how not to get caught like their predecesor.

[Range Rover Blues]

Being corrupt is a prerequisit of office isn't it?

[mr freebie]

and how many of us on here if we were in the same postition wouldnt milk the system for all we could get, i dont think its corruption more just an honest case of greed, i must admit i dont know if i could put my ethics above my bank balance and im sure there are more than a few people out there that wouldnt think twice.

[datalas]

The problem to some extent is that there isn't any system to compensate for human nature.  If you consider that for any of the majority of us to claim any money on expenses it'd have to be backed up with receipts which in turn would be scrutinised and checked for their accuracy.

Yes, if we were told we could claim £400 on food a month, mortgage repayments and £600 worth of "other stuff" with no questions asked then someone would surely the mick, but that is why we aren't allowed to. 

What you have to bear in mind is that whilst it might be understandable that some people claim these things not all MPs do, and the "worst" culprits are claiming more than most people in this country earn, ontop of huge salaries whilst claiming that they "need it to live".  If they do, how come a) other MPs don't and b) nor do the people they represent ?

[Saffy]

The problem to some extent is that there isn't any system to compensate for human nature.  If you consider that for any of the majority of us to claim any money on expenses it'd have to be backed up with receipts which in turn would be scrutinised and checked for their accuracy.

\oh those where the days, please mr hotel bar man add this evenings drinks to cost of meal receipt. And taxis in italy...  "how much would you like me to write your receipt for sir?". Tool shop visits "please just add the price of this nice shiney fluke to the receipt of that flow meter".  I once handed in receipts from a day trip to Venice (icecream and a haircut n all) when I was supposed to be working few hundred miles in other direction.