Even as they vote to restrict their salaries to a below-inflation rise [and send the blogosphere into shock] - presumably to get some good headlines - they are refusing to overhaul their expenses system:
MPs threw out plans to overhaul their expenses, insisting on their right to buy kitchens, televisions and sofas on the taxpayer.
Plans for rigorous external audits, a reduction of the threshold of receipts from £25 to zero and a ban on furniture or home improvements were all thrown out by MPs who voted against the proposals by a majority of 28…
The vast majority of MPs — 146 of the 172 — who voted to keep the “John Lewis list” were Labour, including 33 ministers. (The Times)
Disgusting.
Rather than vote for proper reforms, MPs have gone down the route of lower salary and exploiting expenses instead.
Their expenses must be fully reformed. If they want to be respected, they must ensure that their expenses are clear. It is a sad time when the members of the unelected House of Lords are more respected than thopse who supposedly have a democratic mandate to lead us.
Every MP who voted against the expenses reforms must be punished at the ballot box.
sooner or later we are going to have to resort to the hemp to bring these twats into line - the only trouble is Westminster bridge doesn’t have enough lamp-posts.