This is how I see the Elliot Morley expense claim situation:If for some strange reason, I had a contract with my employer stating that they would pay my mortgage for me, I would be a very lucky chap. However if I continued to take my monthly mortgage payment (£16,000 for mortgage interest over 18 months) from my employer after said mortgage was paid off (and they found out) then I would be a very sacked chap - and possibly locked up for fraud.
No amount of pleading that it was down to "sloppy accounting" would get me off the hook. Morley is another MP to be added to my list of those who should sacked immediately and sent through the doors of Westminster with a toe up their arse.
UPDATE: Archbishop Cranmer asks: How should MPs address ‘dishonourable’ members?
UPDATE 2: @ 20:18 Morely is stepping down at the General Election. Not good enough - he should be going now.
6 comments:
I couldn't agree more Steve. All these fraudsters, flippers, expense fiddlers and tax dodgers show be kicked out immediately, whoever they are. Alternatively a general election should be held in June/July.
If Brown could find his moral compass we'd have an election, as it is I think the man will have to be shoe horned out of downing street.
You do not forget that a mortgage has been paid off. That just does not happen. I was counting the months leading up to my final payment and I knew EXACTLY when it would happen.
I would be quite happy to stand up in any Court of Law and call Morely a liar.
PS..Have a good time tomorrow. Sorry I can't be with you all.
Cato, Totally agree. Sorry you can't be there tomorrow. Maybe next time.
What if your employer said, "Look Steve, I can't raise your salary, the shareholders wouldn't like it as we are supposed to be keeping costs down. How about I set you up an expense account instead? You can have 10 grand, tax free. Just make sure you bung in a few receipts, it doesn't matter what they are for as long as they add up to £10k. If any shareholder asks, just tell them you need the expenses to do your job, they'll never see the receipts."
If the fictional shareholder above found out - who'd get the sack, or jailed? You for taking the money, or your boss for offering it; or both of you?
Sure, Morley is a venal idiot, let's all be mad at him. But I'm madder at the systemic abuse of the electorate. The designers and upholders of the system should also be carrying the blame, not just those with insufficient imagination to cook up sensible sounding receipts. We have been played for fools by the whole lot of them.
Spot on Mark. Those who ran this system have got to answer for their actions.
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