MPs Four Times More Likely to
Commit Fraud Than Benefit Claimants
According to the National Audit Office 1 in 2585 benefits claimants were successfully prosecuted or cautioned for benefit fraud in 2006-07.* Whereas for MPs the numbers so far identified are (after Conway), 1 in 646 parliamentary expense claimants. Four times as high...
Is it any wonder that the latest Populus poll has 73% of the population viewing all politicians as equally sleazy, with 14% thinking Brown's government is more sleazy than the Major government. Dave is sufficiently worried about the sleaze issue re-surfacing that he has summoned Tory MPs to an emergency meeting of the parliamentary party.
Is it any wonder that the latest Populus poll has 73% of the population viewing all politicians as equally sleazy, with 14% thinking Brown's government is more sleazy than the Major government. Dave is sufficiently worried about the sleaze issue re-surfacing that he has summoned Tory MPs to an emergency meeting of the parliamentary party.
This definition is doing the rounds at the moment:
Politics pol·i·tics, pronunciation: \ˈpä-lə-ˌtiks\Which seems correct to Guido...
- Function:
- noun plural but singular or plural in construction
- Etymology:
- Greek politika, from neuter plural of politikos political. From poli meaning many and tics which means blood sucking grubs.
*via Chris Dillow.
37 comments:
FOUR times Guido? Were it only so bad I think most of us would go home happy. Tips and icebergs will have nothing on these Hon. Members if we really started to dig in the ordure. Forty more like is my guess.
Will Brown be bugging the meeting?
Hmm.. Not sure you would pass an A-level in Statistics, but very amusing nonetheless..
Why aren't you giving the Wintertons a kicking ? They seem to deserve it, though nowhere near as much as some of the other grafters in Parliament.
Guido, you cannot draw meaningful conclusions from the evidence you have detailed here ("four times as high" indeed!).
If I were you I would avoiding commenting on anything to do with proportions or percentages.
Arithmetic and logical deduction are not your strong points.
Following the news that polygamous Muslims can claim benefits for their multiple wives...
Today's story 1:
The Bishop of Rochester, Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, has been threatened with death if he continues to criticise Islam, following his claim that parts of Britain had become "no-go" areas for non-Muslims.
"The irony is that I had similar threats when I was a bishop in Pakistan, but I never thought I would have them here," the bishop said.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/03/nislam103.xml
Today's story 2:
Muslim medical students are refusing to obey hygiene rules brought in to stop the spread of deadly superbugs, because they say it is against their religion.
Women training in several hospitals in England have raised objections to removing their arm coverings in theatre and to rolling up their sleeves when washing their hands, because it is regarded as immodest in Islam.
The Islamic Medical Association said: "No practising Muslim woman - doctor, medical student, nurse or patient - should be forced to bare her arms below the elbow."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/03/nislam403.xml
i see gordo is "writing to the speaker to urge more transparency"
why not start with Lord Hoyle? What did that report say? what punishment was given?
come on gordo walk the walk!
Like the statistical interpretation; it's the one the government/BBC uses.
BTW a "tic" is a momentary nervous spasm; the word you want is "tick". And ticks are arachnids, not grubs.
Otherwise, carry on dear boy. At least ticks have a useful role in the scheme of things.
Hilarious report in one paper over the weekend, that the National Audit Office might be put in charge of verifying MP's expenses .... when one recalls, that not that recently .....
Sir John Bourn resigned as head of the NAO after racking up an expenses bill of nearly £400000 in three years
Little piggies
The House of Commons should be reserved for independently wealthy individuals over the age of 45 who have already proved themselves in demanding area of activity quite separate from politics. To assist them we can have a freely elected House of Lords full of venal arse-licking gobshites but with no actual power.
Houses of Parliament more like a House of Cards.
Shurely shmome misshtake Guido:-
Benefit Claimants Four Times More Likely to
Commit Tax Evasion Than MP's
Which means everybody's at it.
Sadiq Khan was an 'unpaid' Ministerial aide to Justice Minister Jack Straw in 2007. Strange that Straw does not appear to be incensed at the mistreatment of his erstwhile aide, or perhaps he is being true to form , and treating 'unpaid' employees as being truly worthless.
I have been saving up to bribe an MP - and I was wondering if you had any advice on how much one costs these days?
Andrew Neill is clearly a reader of Guido. Used his 3 MPs stuff. No acknowledgement, though.
methinks the party is coming to an end.
when privileges are being abused they must be withdrawn. even a schoolboy knows that. the time has come for an era of austerity for those who inhabit parliament.
any MP who would be against such a measure is transparently (one of these thieves favourite words) bent.
as we should cut the money supply to drug dealers so should we cut the supply to these corrupt individuals to curtail their nefarious activities. and then they will be forced to engage in that most precious of democratic tools, debate. talk is cheap. spin and lies have proved to be too costly to democracy and offer no value except to the parties engaging in such propagandist activities.
fr
as did quentin letts at the cameron news cojnference earlier today. he asked the very same question about maclean
Guido, your understanding of statistics and their exploitation easily surpasses the whizzkids at the Office of National Statistics; in fact compared with you they're rank amateurs. I'm sure they could find you a suitably remunerated post.
i nearly had small wee , cameron taking the nettle , wanting transparency , halfway through breaking news alert "pm to ask for greater transparency"
yeah right gordon dont seem to recall that being part of your vison , caught plagarising again!!
cameron goes for clean up , grimaceing flint goes for bashing poor in council houses.
you couldnt make it up , gorbels mick got parlimentary approval for his missues £14k extra flights as did the wintertons for there trust scheme , there not going in front of standards board , because standards board approved it.
"spend your money its what we do"
now we have three monkeys root and branch investigation of there own deal , whilst mrs £5.50 hr bog cleaner gets investigated for claim fiddles so she can keep gas fire on.
you just wonder at what point did parliment become a financial services club for its members.
however by the time whitehall gets looked over and local goverment let alone what brussels upkeep cost , its all got out of hand .
but then again you get 100k a week for kicking a leather bladder round for 180 mins .
nice work for some .
Some of you statisticians ought to take quantify your sense of humour.
Er, what's that Guido?
Re. Anon 11:49
Guido, how's about a little competition to come up with what Gordon's letter to Mr Speaker might have said?
Just got my new catalogue for my House of Commons privilege card.
Its called the ' Gentlemen's Club Card' and is like Tesco card [so iam informed, I have never seen a Tesco Club].
Whenever you submit expenses you get points awarded which you can redeem from the catalogue.
Points are awarded for staff costs, stationary, attending the House, voting with the whip etc .
Travel expenses and 2nd homes count double, which is handy for me as I have to come from my Surreysex constituency.
Why that train can take 40-50 mins sometimes so I naturally keep a flat in Mayfair.
Handy for keeping a spare brolly in, and Mr Apronoverich pays a tidy rental, but keep mum about that bit eh..
Anyway seems I have 32800 pts to spend. That 42" Plasma looks like a good 1/2 term present for my boy Chaucer. I can claim THAT as expenses too and so even get more points!
Nothing like a little Cashback eh ?
Hooray. A posting of mine has made into a main Post by Guido
Wait till I tell the boys back at the station.
Speedcameraman
(Sorry I didn't know that a tic was facial etc...as pointed out by that idiotic pedant. Everyone else knows what it means anyway.)
speedcameraman,
we'll be keeping a close eye on you sonny, you've got previous.
try and behave yourself this time and keep your nose clean eh. don't want to have your license revoked again now do you.
There is a saying that my old maternal grandfather used to use, especially when referencing to the House of Commons.
"There is more crooks out of prison then in them."
We burn Guido every fireworks night, for the wrong reason.
We should not burn Guido because he tried to blow up the real habitual criminal classes of England. We should burn Guido because he failed dismally.
thick as thieves 3.57pm
What is this 'we' business, pillock. Do you run this show with Guido or are you, like I mentioned last time, but not published, really an alter ego for Guido?
Hey, Thick as thieves. There's more of a chance that your licence will be revoked due to my activities than mine due to yours!
Sovay bin cawt wurkin saim thyme wiv claymin benfitzen?
Wen my mait got court duwinnat. she got cutoff. an dafter. vaybangderupp.
I really admire the way Jade Goody never lets her problems prevent her from engaging in every possible sphere of life.
Ino. Imammaizinennii.
They should get Capita to set up a hotline - oh no that costs 50% more than it recovers.... so best not.
£40 is TWICE what I can afford to spend on food for a whole week.
Speedcameraman said (to TaT)..
"are you, like I mentioned last time, but not published, really an alter ego for Guido?"
Well no wonder you haven't had your post published! Guido may be many things, but a coarse, uncouth loudmouth.. I doubt.
Shame, he had so much promise in the beginning.
old tat,
you are obsessed with me aren't you. 'can't get you out of my head' could be our signature tune.
and why do you double space and take up so much room when you've got fuck all to say.
you silly cunt.
ps. I think you like dirty talk. tat's why you keep coming back for more. you kinky bitch!
You're so clever tat! Hole in one! I guess I must be a bit like you in that I can't stop, don't know when to stop but will either stop on own or be stopped by way of cleverer put down than you or I can manage.
There was another boring (albeit clever) fucker on like you a time before. Rotten___ something or other was his name. Took awhile, but he ultimately perished in what was known as the 'greatest slagging off in the history of the internet'. I await either your tempering of personality, or a similar demise at the hands of betters.
now tat, don't think you can butter me up with compliments.
I'm too long in the tooth for that old caper.
but without wishing to bore you, I expect you have noticed that if there is any slagging off going on, it is being done by my goodself. the reason for that is because I am one righteous motherfucker and I save my attacks for those who are not.
try not to think about me too much, it will drive you even crazier than you already are.
why not try a dating site to see if you can get this obsessive behaviour out of your system.
chin up girl, he's out there somewhere. oh and if you want to catch him, try to be a bit nicer eh.
Stop it you two or get banned. BORING!
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