I think that we are all aware that the majority of MPs have been abusing their generous expense allowance. Recently the Guido Fawkes BLOG offered an opportunity to download details of these expenses which I did. I was amazed at the audacity of some of these people so I decided to experiment. When I was a government official our expenses claims were scrutinised rigorously for discrepancies. We could only claim 'official' mileages and each journey had to be authorised.
By using Autoroute I noted the mileage from London to the constituencies of each MP who seemed to be claiming the most. I know that this is an inexact science but it was a bit of fun so I divided the amount claimed by the mileage to the constituency. This gave me the cost of one journey so I then allowed them 50 return trips to their constituencies per year. That way I could discover just who was costing us the most.
Obviously the most expensive MPs generally lived in the wilds of northern Scotland and bearing in mind that they already have their own parliament in Edinburgh it does seem to be an expensive indulgence. One name did appear in the top ten however, who did not represent a constituency north of Glasgow. Phil Woollas (Lab) (218 miles from London)was claiming as if he represented a Highland constituency. Over £10000 for railfare, almost £6000 for car travel and over £7000 for air travel all this to get to Oldham for heaven's sake! His trips according to my little calculation worked out at £1.07 per mile. He stands out like a sore thumb at the top of the heap and I didn't expect to find anyone worse but hang on a mo.
Over at Doncaster (181 miles) I came across Rosie Winterton (Lab) who worked out at £1.28 per mile. She claimed almost a grand more than Charlie Kennedy and he represents Skye! There were other rather expensive MPs like Angela Browning a Tory from (Tiverton and Honiton), John Grogan Lab (Selby) and Alan Meale (Mansfield) but they paled into insignificance when I tumbled across Robert Wilson Con from Reading East (41 miles)who claimed £16900 and became the first MP to cost us over £4 a mile!
Surely he had to be the limit but my goodness no he wasn't because down at Croydon(11 miles)resides Richard Ottaway (Con) and it cost the public purse £13270 to transport him to and fro from Croydon which works out at £6.03 per mile. Now just possibly he travels every day but most of us pay for that ourselves. I have never been able to claim my fares to get to and from work on a daily basis.
I can already hear you thinking that nobody could get worse than that but then I nearly fell off my chair! The MP from Hampstead (5 miles) claimed travel expenses of...wait for it...£12266 which works out at £24.53 per mile!! So I award the title of SOW OF THE YEAR to Glenda Jackson (Lab). Nice one Glenda!
It would not be fair to ignore some of the better snouts like David Taylor Con (NW Leics)£1.45, Malcolm Moss Con (NE Cambs) £2.18, Mike O'Brien Lab (N Warwicks) £1.47and Paul Clarke Lab (Gillingham) the PPS to Ed Balls who clocked up a whopping £4.10 per mile!
I think that the auditors should be looking at this but then if they are not going to refer Derek Conway to the police then what is the point of any checks at all!!
Friday, 21 March 2008
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Brits Abroad
I have just spent a week in Tenerife in constant warmth with day time temperatures varying between 22 and 25 degrees. My wife and I have opted for this March holiday for the last few years because we can always guarantee the temperatures in the Canary Islands at this time of year.
What struck me this year however, was the sheer number of Brits who actually live on Tenerife. They are everywhere, running taxis, cafes, restaurants, hiring out apartments and generally living a very nice life in the sun.
Satellite television brings the English lifestyle into their homes and the English papers arrive regularly each day delivered to English style supermarkets which stock all the English products interspersed with Spanish and German food as well.
The English language is common everywhere and so here we have a superbly relaxed life style lacking nothing of English news and yet a million miles away from the misery heaped on so many by Gordon Brown and his cohorts.
The streets are shiningly clean, graffiti is non existant, the police motor cycle patrols are highly visible even along the proms and the collection of rubbish puts the emphasis on the householder. It is the latter which is so simple. Stragetically placed in each area, usually on a street corner are the 'Basura' (Rubbish) bins. They are numerous and appear to be emptied every night. They are all under cover so that rubbish does not smell or blow around and there are also convenient bottle banks. I cannot believe the fuss that the local councils in this country make about recycling.
It is the social atmosphere which is so refreshing because real English people can enjoy a real English lifestyle without any of the Marxist politically correct crap which we endure on a daily basis.
I arrived back to a drop of 18 degrees and a post bag which included an annual Council Tax bill for almost £1400. The councils lecture everyone on recycling and then produce bag fulls of socialist propaganda attempting to explain how they can waste so much money on so little! I don't mind the Fire Service contribution but a non existent Police Service is costing me way too much. The rest is a scandal when one compares the reduction in services which we have all suffered in the last decade.
What struck me this year however, was the sheer number of Brits who actually live on Tenerife. They are everywhere, running taxis, cafes, restaurants, hiring out apartments and generally living a very nice life in the sun.
Satellite television brings the English lifestyle into their homes and the English papers arrive regularly each day delivered to English style supermarkets which stock all the English products interspersed with Spanish and German food as well.
The English language is common everywhere and so here we have a superbly relaxed life style lacking nothing of English news and yet a million miles away from the misery heaped on so many by Gordon Brown and his cohorts.
The streets are shiningly clean, graffiti is non existant, the police motor cycle patrols are highly visible even along the proms and the collection of rubbish puts the emphasis on the householder. It is the latter which is so simple. Stragetically placed in each area, usually on a street corner are the 'Basura' (Rubbish) bins. They are numerous and appear to be emptied every night. They are all under cover so that rubbish does not smell or blow around and there are also convenient bottle banks. I cannot believe the fuss that the local councils in this country make about recycling.
It is the social atmosphere which is so refreshing because real English people can enjoy a real English lifestyle without any of the Marxist politically correct crap which we endure on a daily basis.
I arrived back to a drop of 18 degrees and a post bag which included an annual Council Tax bill for almost £1400. The councils lecture everyone on recycling and then produce bag fulls of socialist propaganda attempting to explain how they can waste so much money on so little! I don't mind the Fire Service contribution but a non existent Police Service is costing me way too much. The rest is a scandal when one compares the reduction in services which we have all suffered in the last decade.
Monday, 10 March 2008
A message to Australian Muslims!
I have been sent an E-Mail which has such a significant impact that I intend to copy it onto my BLOG. It is apparently a speech delivered by John Howard the Prime Minister of Australia in response to some the Muslims in his country who want to live under Sharia Law. He also supported his spy agencies monitoring mosques in a bid to head off potential terror attacks. Since NONE of our politicians seem to value this country in the way that Mr Howard values his it is worth the publicity.
" Immigrants not Australians must adapt. Take it or leave it. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the attacks on Bali we have experienced a surge of patriotism by the majority of Australians.
Our culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.
We speak mainly ENGLISH not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian or any other language. Those of you who wish to be part of our society must learn the language.
Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push but a fact because Christian men and Christian principles founded this nation and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of schools. If God offends you then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home because God is a part of our culture.
We will accept your beliefs and we will not question why. All that we ask is that you accept ours and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.
This is our country, our land, our lifestyle and we will allow you the opportunity to enjoy all this BUT once you are done complaining, whining and griping about our flag, our pledge, our Christian beliefs and our way of life I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great Australian freedom. THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.
If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country you accepted."
No bloody wonder that the Aussies have a lifestyle to be envied. I cannot envisage any of our political leaders daring to be so blunt (except the BNP of course) but I think we should omit the word 'Australian' replace it with 'British' and post this speech on every major billboard in the country!
" Immigrants not Australians must adapt. Take it or leave it. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the attacks on Bali we have experienced a surge of patriotism by the majority of Australians.
Our culture has been developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.
We speak mainly ENGLISH not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian or any other language. Those of you who wish to be part of our society must learn the language.
Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push but a fact because Christian men and Christian principles founded this nation and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of schools. If God offends you then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home because God is a part of our culture.
We will accept your beliefs and we will not question why. All that we ask is that you accept ours and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.
This is our country, our land, our lifestyle and we will allow you the opportunity to enjoy all this BUT once you are done complaining, whining and griping about our flag, our pledge, our Christian beliefs and our way of life I highly encourage you to take advantage of one other great Australian freedom. THE RIGHT TO LEAVE.
If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country you accepted."
No bloody wonder that the Aussies have a lifestyle to be envied. I cannot envisage any of our political leaders daring to be so blunt (except the BNP of course) but I think we should omit the word 'Australian' replace it with 'British' and post this speech on every major billboard in the country!
Saturday, 8 March 2008
Enoch Powell
I have just watched a programme on BBC 2 about the prophesies of Enoch Powell which showed footage of the protests against mass immigration more than twenty years ago. This is very significant to all the white males of my age because we lived through these times and have seen our country change beyond all recognition.
The England of those days was a safe place where children could run free all day long. The elderly would never be attacked because they were someone's mother or father and they would be avenged. Education was constant, recognised and approved.
We all knew our place in society but the overriding principle of our society was the upholding of law and order.
Fast forward to today and look what we have got. Our country is in decay. We don't even trust the police even when we see any. Education for our children is a joke. We have parents desperately buying houses in certain areas in the hope that this will qualify their children to attend a decent school!
Nobody wants to be admitted to hospital because it courts death from horrendous super bugs. The executives who run these hell holes pick up huge salaries and even more in bonuses but are never held culpable when people are murdered in their disease ridden hospitals.
But back to Enoch Powell...he warned against mass immigration possibly in terms that were not prudent but all the same he had a point. The character of our country has changed beyond recognition. The honour and integrity which bound together an indigenous white population together has been usurped by a totally alien concept of behaviour.
Now before I am accused of racist tendencies which frankly I would openly admit to I do believe that mass immigration has been such a disaster for our country. We will never recover from it. I was always taught at school that we English were unconquered since William the First in 1066. There are now so many aliens in our country that they have totally changed the face of England and far too much money is spent on them. The white indigenous population feel that they are being ignored to such an extent that all the talent is bailing out.
This is a country in serious decline and we all know it. We have a desperately bad Prime Minister and a desperately bad Cabinet. Even the opposition is poor, I mean look at that prat Clegg...oh don't get me going! Enoch Powell was absolutely right but unfortunately he used the wrong words.
The England of those days was a safe place where children could run free all day long. The elderly would never be attacked because they were someone's mother or father and they would be avenged. Education was constant, recognised and approved.
We all knew our place in society but the overriding principle of our society was the upholding of law and order.
Fast forward to today and look what we have got. Our country is in decay. We don't even trust the police even when we see any. Education for our children is a joke. We have parents desperately buying houses in certain areas in the hope that this will qualify their children to attend a decent school!
Nobody wants to be admitted to hospital because it courts death from horrendous super bugs. The executives who run these hell holes pick up huge salaries and even more in bonuses but are never held culpable when people are murdered in their disease ridden hospitals.
But back to Enoch Powell...he warned against mass immigration possibly in terms that were not prudent but all the same he had a point. The character of our country has changed beyond recognition. The honour and integrity which bound together an indigenous white population together has been usurped by a totally alien concept of behaviour.
Now before I am accused of racist tendencies which frankly I would openly admit to I do believe that mass immigration has been such a disaster for our country. We will never recover from it. I was always taught at school that we English were unconquered since William the First in 1066. There are now so many aliens in our country that they have totally changed the face of England and far too much money is spent on them. The white indigenous population feel that they are being ignored to such an extent that all the talent is bailing out.
This is a country in serious decline and we all know it. We have a desperately bad Prime Minister and a desperately bad Cabinet. Even the opposition is poor, I mean look at that prat Clegg...oh don't get me going! Enoch Powell was absolutely right but unfortunately he used the wrong words.
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
European Football
Tonight Chelsea joined Man Utd and Arsenal in the quarter finals of the European Cup (as I call it). Next Tuesday Liverpool have a great chance of becoming our fourth team into those quarter finals. As it stands the opposition is Schalke(from Germany), Barcelona and Fenerbahce(from Turkey). Now with the exception of Barcelona I reckon that this competitiion is at the mercy of the English clubs but which one?
I must admit that I have a great admiration for the Gunners. They play the type of football that people like me want to watch. I love the artistry of Fabregas, Xleb and Flamini. What a pity that they are all foreigners but on Tuesday night a new English forward made his mark. Theo Walcott is now beginning to look the real deal. This young man could be a major contributor in the next World Cup. What a shame that he plays in the same position as David Bentley. We now have two world class players playing in the same position. Will we now see why Capello is being paid so much money by the FA or will we see the same old lack of imagination.
We have always had the players but we cannot find the managers to harness the talent. Will Fabio Capello prove any different?
I must admit that I have a great admiration for the Gunners. They play the type of football that people like me want to watch. I love the artistry of Fabregas, Xleb and Flamini. What a pity that they are all foreigners but on Tuesday night a new English forward made his mark. Theo Walcott is now beginning to look the real deal. This young man could be a major contributor in the next World Cup. What a shame that he plays in the same position as David Bentley. We now have two world class players playing in the same position. Will we now see why Capello is being paid so much money by the FA or will we see the same old lack of imagination.
We have always had the players but we cannot find the managers to harness the talent. Will Fabio Capello prove any different?
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
Lord Mayor of London
I know nothing about politics in our capital city but it is quite obvious that the position of Lord Mayor of London is a most prestigious position. So we have a competition between Ken Livingston, Boris Johnson and (gawd help us) Brian Paddick to see who will be the hat waving Lord Mayor.
Now don't get me wrong, but this position seems to be very important to Londoners so why haven't we got proper candidates? 'Red' Ken is a professional politician who is distrusted even by NoLab but they, for some reason, welcomed him back into their party even though he is distrusted by almost everyone on the political scene. His most trusted Lieutenant has just resigned, a guy called Lee Jasper, who resigned after allegatiions of financial impropriety! Surely not a NOLab supporter with his hands in the till?
Boris Johnson is a real live joke! He could not do anything useful in life so he has become a politician. So this is the best that the Tories could come up with? I'm sorry but he is an insult to the electorate and to his party.
That leaves us with the LibDems and they present us with Brian Paddick. He is only known as the gay top copper! He wrote an article in the Mail on Sunday last weekend which only went to prove why the Police Force is as ineffectual as it is. The man is a total liability.
I feel sorry for Londoners but then there are very few real Londoners left. The whole of our capital city is populated by foreigners or fat cats so they deserve what they get! Personally I don't give a damn!
Now don't get me wrong, but this position seems to be very important to Londoners so why haven't we got proper candidates? 'Red' Ken is a professional politician who is distrusted even by NoLab but they, for some reason, welcomed him back into their party even though he is distrusted by almost everyone on the political scene. His most trusted Lieutenant has just resigned, a guy called Lee Jasper, who resigned after allegatiions of financial impropriety! Surely not a NOLab supporter with his hands in the till?
Boris Johnson is a real live joke! He could not do anything useful in life so he has become a politician. So this is the best that the Tories could come up with? I'm sorry but he is an insult to the electorate and to his party.
That leaves us with the LibDems and they present us with Brian Paddick. He is only known as the gay top copper! He wrote an article in the Mail on Sunday last weekend which only went to prove why the Police Force is as ineffectual as it is. The man is a total liability.
I feel sorry for Londoners but then there are very few real Londoners left. The whole of our capital city is populated by foreigners or fat cats so they deserve what they get! Personally I don't give a damn!
Monday, 3 March 2008
Grandchildren!
This afternoon I spent a little time with my second granddaughter while her parents fulfilled an appointment at my first grandaughters's school. Number one grandaughter is a star! She is talented in so many directions that sometimes she is scary. It is difficult to visualise what her future might be because she already seems to know that she is a bit special.
She is a showgirl. She likes to perform and she is learning the guitar. She attracts a lot of attention but today I got to know grandaughter number two. We sat down and played Playmobil where we have to use our imagination and for an hour we had great fun. I am obviously a Grandad proud of my little ones. In this day and age it is sometimes all about mummies, grandmas, sisters and aunties.
We grandads however still have our parts to play. I don't see too many mummies or grandmas dropping their children (off the settee) into shark infested waters and then rescuing them just as the shark is about to strike! Kids love it! Imagination is a wonderful world and sometimes we grandads have that silly, stupid, insight into the kids world that the practical females do not comprehend. We do have our place folks even if the politicians have written us off as useless males!
She is a showgirl. She likes to perform and she is learning the guitar. She attracts a lot of attention but today I got to know grandaughter number two. We sat down and played Playmobil where we have to use our imagination and for an hour we had great fun. I am obviously a Grandad proud of my little ones. In this day and age it is sometimes all about mummies, grandmas, sisters and aunties.
We grandads however still have our parts to play. I don't see too many mummies or grandmas dropping their children (off the settee) into shark infested waters and then rescuing them just as the shark is about to strike! Kids love it! Imagination is a wonderful world and sometimes we grandads have that silly, stupid, insight into the kids world that the practical females do not comprehend. We do have our place folks even if the politicians have written us off as useless males!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)