How much does a butler's uniform cost at John Lewis?

Hypocrisy Watch

Isn't this post just a 'pathetic class war attack'?

Nicholas

No.

Tiberius

Well at least Michael Crick's job is secure.

As well as leaving the door open for fraud and error, it is shameful that MPs (and it seems to be Labour in the main) should decide to put themselves above the far more rigorous controls that exist in the real world.

Consider the rep who used to get tax concessions on the tool of his trade (the company car) with the 18,000 miles dispensation, who has in effect had that expense allowance withdrawn by one of Brown's stealth taxes.

The injustice is scandalous.

Chris Norman

Do MPs pay tax on these expenses?, nice little earner if they dont.

Richard Holloway

Unfortunately you can't purchase a butler's uniform at John Lewis. Although the kids department does have a Pink Fairy Outfit on sale for all those MPs who voted to continue to live in a make believe land where they think the public will tolerate this disgraceful situation.

David Boothroyd

Comment to Richard Holloway - what MPs have decided is that the combined effect of the press constantly reporting the system as corrupt (often ignoring the controls that do exist), and the ingrained cynicism of the public about this subject, makes it impossible that the public will ever regard what they do as reasonable. They've therefore decided to ignore public opinion, set the allowances at what they consider reasonable, and take the criticism they get on the chin.

The public would notice quite quickly if their MP could not afford to have a home in the constituency and so stayed in London, or could not afford to run a constituency office or employ staff to follow up correspondence.

Charles

"F** off you toff"

Hmmmm. "Fop", maybe? Other than that, I'm stumped.

London Calling

Tighten your belts
Times are hard
But don’t mind me
And my John Lewis card

I need a plasma
To be an MP
And a new kitchen
You don’t… just me

I earn all my perks
I’m privileged you see
You don’t have to be posh….
Just become an MP.

Never knowingly undersold
The underclass ungrateful toads
Don’t they know how hard we work
Our responsibilities we always shirk

So do not quibble at our expense
We earned the privilege
On luxuries spent

I know it’s your money
And you cannot spend it
But those are the rules
And we can bend it.

C Powell

Chris raises a very valid question, which I have also raised in the past. Why doesn't the Spectator get a tax accountant to tell us the answer. Or put in a Freedom of Information request to find it out. If they're not taxed as benefits in kind (as they would be if the rest of us had such generous employers) on what legal basis does this occur? When was the law passed? Who voted for it etc? I'd like chapter and verse so that we can continue to harry MPs about this. The situation re their expenses and how they are taxed should be no different to that for every other citizen. So journalists need to find out this information and continue making a stink about it until something is done.

What would really raise my estimation of the Tories is if DC were to insist that all Tory MPs would only claim expenses on the same basis as everyone else in the country (ie. with receipts and for nothing that wouldn't be allowed by the IR), would declare these on their tax returns and would make full disclosure to their constituents. (Fat chance, I suppose....)

You should also pay less attention to gossip about who swore at who. What's really important is that the amount of their expenses is such that they each get c. £130,000 p.a. and not the £60,000 they snivel about, an amount which is itself 3 times the national average wage.

John

Hypocrisy Watch - ever look in the mirror, hypocrite?

For a party that includes so many VERY rich people, including but hardly limited to the regretable Shaun Woodward, to conduct a class war (remember Crew and Nantwich?) is yet another demonstration that these lot need the men in the white coats more than any other measure one could think of.

grb

Ian Austin's majority is only 5432 votes so it is hardly surprising he was a little touchy since he will be losing his seat shortly and will not be able to claim anything. the poor guy is in fear of losing his job. Oh dear oh dear, still if he needs to resort to making such statements parliament will be better off without him. Goodbye, Mr Austin!

Nicholas

Comment to David Boothroyd - pull the other one, it's got bells on.

And, bearing in mind the divisions in voting, 33 cabinet ministers and a majority of Labour MPs against, the whole Conservative front bench for, your comment is asinine.

Faceless Bureaucrat

Ian Austin? - ha, ha, ha, ha...

A typical commet from him - no wonder his nickname at HM Treasury was 'The Ginger Tw*t' -even the cabbies that were forced to deliver his early morning editions of the newspapers thought he was a joke. A future period of unemployment will be a sobering experience for one with such an inflated ego...

oldtimer

The butler`s uniform is the ideal wheeze. Because it isn`t on the John Lewis list an MP can make up any number up to say £3000 - the price of a Savile Row suit - and the Hoc invoice checkers will have no choice but to accept.

You really should not have mentioned this, because now they will all be after them, that is butlers and suits for them.

Austin Lane

An unfortunate choice of words, suggesting that a Government might "whip through" changes to MPs affairs in the House.

It might be helpful if James Forsyth did a little more research on constitutional conventions before suggesting that the Government should seek to control the pay and conditions of MPs.

James Forsyth

Austin Lane, My point was that this expenses farce is doing so much damage to the standing of Parliament that a Tory government should be prepared to consider breaching this convention.

M. Onal

In your opinion, what are the 5 cardinal mistakes Labour has made with the economy since coming to power?

MO

Which of the upcoming Tory MPs belonging to the younger generation are leading contenders for one of the bigger offices in the future?

THX1138

I'm trying so hard to get over my dislike of all things Toff.

Sometimes one takes a couple of steps backwards.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=x8U6aIXOqaw

Anan

This behaviour shows exactly what Labour are like - their true colours come out when they are losing and staring oblivion in the face: a bunch of wild animals with only class envy that drives them. This explains completely the way this government has done everything possible to punish the middle class for being decent. Ironically, the so-called socialists allowed the rich to become far richer, and pay no tax at all in many cases. But this would ensure that there were enough rich people around to give Labour generous donations later on. Corruption at its worst.

Barely a mention of this obscenity in the MSM. Now imagine if this had occurred the other way around. Osbourne telling a Labour MP of deprived origins: "F off you pauper" or something like that. All hell would have broken loose amongst the militant left wing MSM and their NGO lackeys. Campaigners against discrimination would be out en masse telling everyone how these sorts of attitudes should not exist in this day and age, and calling for Osbourne's head as nothing less will disprove that the Conservatives are nothing but stuck-up and looking down on everyone else.

Elizabeth Elliot-Pyle

Nowadays it is ALL MPs who are toffs, and the rest of us are the great unwashed, poor ,working class.
Talk about "4 legs good, 2 legs better". Welcome to 1984, and God have pity on our souls.

Ian C

There are unlikely to be any significant number of Labour MP's left to object to a rule change in the next Paliament.

Austin Lane

@ James Forsyth - thank you for the confirmation. It's not clear you understand the enormity of the constitutional implications of your proposal.