Expenses.

I’m struggling to think about how I can articulate myself regarding the current political hot potato that is political expenses. Whilst I’m thinking, here are a couple of bullet points I must revisit…

i) Are you seriously telling me that you claiming £16,000 of mortgage payments on an already paid mortgage was an “oversight”? Dodgy accounting? Bloody right it was. I’m sure that these are people that are more intelligent than me, with degree’s and the like… I’m just a simple salesman at the end of the day, but I know of every penny I owe and what comes in and what goes out every month. It’s nice to know they’ve offered to pay it back, but would they have offered if they’d not been found out?

ii) I’m ALREADY fed up of the news suggesting that politicians are now the “good guys” for offering to pay their expense claims back. Balls. They’ve been rumbled and they’re trying to save their asses.

iii) An expense is just that, a legitimate business expense, incurred as part of the duties of their role. These are and, rightly should be, subject to scrutiny. Even more so when the claims are publicly funded. I am fortunate enough to have a job which allows me to incur legitimate expenses. However, I cannot claim for personal food (consumed during my working day), I cannot claim for postage costs, stamps, stationary etc. I have a fixed, small, daily allowance which is designed to cover these items. I work for a very large multinational corporation. Now, if a politician is not happy with their basic wage and feels the need to subsidise it with other means, then I have no problems in all honesty. However, here would be my solution;

GET ANOTHER JOB.

You are supposed to be a democratically elected representative of the people. You are supposed to uphold the laws of the land, be the representative voice of the common man. You are not supposed to abuse your privilaged position, or steal money from the public purse, or tell blatant lies to the people who’s trust and expectations you have destroyed.

You are wondering why voter turnout is at an all time low? It’s not rocket science guys. You’re wondering why people are disillusioned with politics? Have a few guesses? This country is in serious trouble. The class system may be dead, but the gulf in engagement those in power and the common voice is ever widening. Gordon Brown stating that the Arctic Monkies were his favourite band is an example of how non-relevant our elected officials really area. It’s a bad state of affairs and this recent crisis has only demonstrated just how bad a state we’re in.

Get out of your nice houses, your second homes, your posh cars, your secluded country clubs and walk shoulder to shoulder with the working class parents and see how life is for them. Go shopping with them, go on holiday with them, spend Christmas with them. Once you’ve done that, spend some time with the single parents, perhaps babysit for them one night, whilst they go on a night out with their friends (you’d have to do it for free though). When you’re travelling to meet these people, may I suggest that you do it on public transport. Make sure that you arrive early so you can really savor the delights of our public transport hubs. Make sure that you enjoy the comforts of our railway stations, their catering and seating arrangements surely shouldn’t be missed. Once you’ve sampled a few of those (not the one’s in London – there are other cities in the UK you know) then may I suggest you do a few bus stations – but make sure it’s at dusk – you really see their beauty then.

I should take your face mask with you though. If you were to get ill, then with the work you’ll be doing walking shoulder to shoulder with the working class families, you’ll never get chance to go to the doctors – they’ll be shut by the time you can get to the surgery.

Mind you, by the time you’ve finished all of the above, perhaps you should treat yourself to a well earned drink. Maybe a city centre on a weekend. You can see just how well spent all that money has been in the anti-binge drinking adverts. Although, perhaps you’ll see a generation of teenagers and twenty somethings that really do have the power to change the world. They are an amazing generation, growing up in amazing times. However, if I was them living my life all over again, then perhaps I would perfer to go and get battered on a weekend then engage in politics that have no relevance, no understanding and a complete lack of repsect for my life and intelligence. Perhaps you should address the real issues before stealing money from us and pretending that it’s ok.

n.b the police, nurses, doctors etc in this country do an amazing job under the most pressured of environments. I’m not having a go at you, just the people who are giving you stick when their ideas don’t work, and taking all of your praise for when it goes right. You’re all truly amazing, both for what you do and for what you’re putting up with.

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