MPs' Holidays and Expenses
Posted by Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, at 13:45, Tue 28 April 2009:
My heart sank when I saw a recent story in the newspapers about MPs getting 12 weeks summer holidays. MPs have become the people the public love to hate. But much of the information put out is just false. This “12 week summer holiday” story is misleading. For the record just because Parliament is not sitting, that does not mean that your Member of Parliament is not working. Letters still come in, the phone still rings, emails still cascade in, people still come to my advice surgeries with their problems, campaigns still need to be run and there are schools and local organisations to visit. For instance Parliament did not sit for 2 weeks over Easter. But I was in my office every single day apart from Good Friday and Easter Monday. Over the summer Parliament will not sit for 12 weeks. But I will be working through most of that period; as will many other colleagues.
It is also frustrating when people quote a figure for MPs’ salaries which includes every penny they spend on staff salaries, renting an office, office equipment, and stationary. And in the light of all the recent controversy about MPs’ second homes I should point out that I have just one home, it is in Dalston and there is not a single solitary item in it that was paid for by the taxpayer and comes from John Lewis.
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Posted by Gary, 14:01, Tue 28 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
HI
I must say that I am very happy with the responses/action from Ms Abbott to my problems/issues and feel our MP is one of the best in Parliament!
Posted by Andrew Senior, 14:05, Tue 28 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
MP's should quote the number of days holiday they are entitled to per annum like any other employee and the actual salary they claim should be made clear and separate from the total allowance they have to pay other expenses, which should also be quoted.
The whole MP's expenses and holidays etc is only a huge issue because of the way it is presented. It is as if they are indeed all trying to cover something up.
Posted by Simon Pennington, 14:35, Tue 28 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
that made me laugh. I don't mind the expenses so much as the jobs for the boys directorships on leaving office.
that conflict of interest nonsense has got to stop. 20 quid on some stroke movie doesn't really worry me too much... big business having its say in the corridors of power by deferred bribery does
Posted by Linda Nalunga Sekagya, 14:41, Tue 28 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
I truly empathise with you and it is really sad that one person made a mistake and now this has had a negative impact on you guys that are doing your best. I know that being in your position you do all you can to help make a difference but you get little appreciation for what you do. Just hang in there. Best regards,......
Posted by Miss Lucy Hawthorne, 15:06, Tue 28 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Dear Dianne,
I appreciate that media coverage of the MP's expenses row has been a frustration for many MP's. For me as a constituent, it has been more of a frustration in terms of deviating public attention from far more pressing matters than bath plugs. Your recent email falls into this category for me, and I would far prefer to hear of positive ways in which you have engaged with Hackney's constituents rather than taking the time to demand your innocence in an already convoluted debate.
Posted by John Davis, 15:50, Tue 28 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
I'm not so sure about this. I wonder what Chris Rock might say about all this 'Honest, I do my job when your not looking, how about some credit' hand wringing self justification... "You want credit for going to your office and doing your job when we ain't looking, uh? Your SUPPOSED to do that, like the rest of us"!
What do you get from writing to her if, as I have it from an 'inside source' that Ms Abbott's mail bag in the largest of any backbencher and that she has people helping her answer it with just a glance at the final replies before signing and sending (one time this came to a sticky end - but that's another story).
Also, I work in a venue that is hired out by local councillors at £100 a time for their 2 hour surgeries, (with extra costs for employed 'security') yet they spend only half a hour there if no 'customers' are waiting in line, rather than sit out the two hours. Wasting tax payers money is natural to these people.
Did you know that Dunn & Bradstreet (a commercial business credit listings corporation) have a listing "trading as Diane Abbott MP..." and the House Of Commons as register buisness address, on their books - a question that Ms Abbott couldn't or wouldn't shed any light upon. If her only wages are public purse (tax payers money) and she buys stuff with it - then logically her house is full of tax payers funded goods?, though that is OK with me, it's her salary. But she says righteously that she has only one home... yeah, she lives only half hour from her place of business - the H of P - so a second home would be frivolous in that context. What did Chris Rock say again...
Posted by Rob Turner, 15:58, Tue 28 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
I appreciate the effort from D.A. to cut through press BS. I trust her on this more than most. R
Posted by John Callon, 17:52, Tue 28 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Sorry, Diane. It's nothing personal.
There just seems to be a pattern that when a party has been in power too long, scandals of all sorts get the light of day shone on them.
Posted by ron riley, 21:48, Tue 28 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
If only the Home Secretary were able to write the same email...
Posted by Rob Bowley, 06:19, Wed 29 April 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Not a single solitary item paid for by the taxpayer? I thought we paid your wages.
Posted by Steve lane, 15:38, Fri 1 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Dear Dianne
If only you could put as much effort into helping your constituents as you do in to your rhetoric.
Whilst people in Hackney are suffering from all kinds of problems brought on by maladministration and corruption withinn your council, Your main concern seems to be for what you should wear or do on "This Week". How can you be working hard on anything whilst you are distracted by preparing for a weekly TV show?
You've let a lot of people down in Hackney, and your standard reply of "I think you'll find I've done all I can" when you actually do very little, is becoming you're catchphrase.
When I worked with "the Voice" it was well understood that if we wanted you to turn up to support an ethnic event, that you would only show up if there was a free meal involved.
You, as an MP, earn more money than most of us will ever see but it seems that that is not enough. So you pass laws to make it legal for yourselves to take what you will. Some of you take less than others but in the publics eyes you have been caught stealing from our hard earned taxes.
Sorry did I say "stealing" - it's only called that when a member of the public does it, when an MP does it, it's ok.
You need to grow up and start representing the people that have put you in your above the law position.
regards
Steve Lane