Breaking My Rules over Politicians

When I started this blog just over a week ago I made a promise to myself - I wouldn't blog about the same subject on consecutive days. As usual with the double standards you'll no doubt see me employ a lot as time goes on, I'm going to break it already and blog again today about MPs expenses.

Why? Because I'm hot under the collar about it. Apparently backbench MPs are up in arms about what they perceive as the "changing of the goalposts" by Sir Thomas Legg as he requests they pay back expenses. We claimed, they whine, within the rules at the time. Well the rules, which they made up themselves, stank to high heaven.

These people are our representatives. How can they be so ostrich like and have no idea whatsoever as to how the likes of expense claims work in the real world. Do you really expect to be reimbursed for the likes of gardening and decorating when it is of no consequence to the job you are employed in?

I have worked for a few small to medium sized businesses. I have alway been entitled to mileage as I have had to travel 3 or 4 times a week to meet Clients and candidates. Very rarely will I claim for this.

Same with meeting people for coffee or lunch, which due the nature of my job I have to do frequently and would be quite entitled to claim on expenses. Again, I rarely do it. Every penny is a prisoner in the private sector and I get paid a decent salary for what I do. I'd feel like I was taking the piss if I claimed a couple of quid every time I took someone to Starbucks. I know people who do claim every last penny and they are generally viewed dimly by their peers.

But these brass necked parasites in the House of Commons feel they are "entitled" to claim for duck houses, light bulbs, grass cutting and tree pruning. They need to work for a small business who are being crippled by the punitive tax regime for a few weeks to see what the real world looks like. Let's see where they're told to stick their receipt for grass cutting outwith their Ivory Tower.

Totally different music tonight. Traditional North East of Scotland folk music. Bothy Ballads. Listen to the Barnyards of Delgaty, Charlie Allan or Willie Clark have fantastic versions. If you can't understand it, let me know, I'll translate! Now that's me loused till the morn's nicht!