Lobbydog...

Monday 9 February 2009

Unbroken expenses rules, broken ethics

The most irritating response to questionable ethical behaviour is “no rules have been broken.”

That is especially so when said rules are set by the people behaving questionably.

We hear today that Jacqui Smith stayed at her sister’s house and then claimed back her rent money from the tax payer.

She says she paid her sister market rates, but it is not clear what that means yet.

Why can’t MPs see that such an arrangement is dubious when tax-payers' money is being used?

Right now senior ministers should be looking to be spotless in terms of expenses.

At Home Office questions today Lobbydog wants to see people haranguing Ms Smith over this on the Commons floor.

It should provide something for newbie Chris Grayling to get his teeth into.

2 comments:

Andy said...

Its especially interesting seeing that, should a poor person decide to rent a room in her sister's house, the law prevents her from claiming Housing Benefit, as you can't get Housing benefit when you have a resident landlord who is a close relative.

Anonymous said...

So True, But there is different rules for the reptiles

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