UK MP's expenses - what are your views?

This one claimed £16,000 on a mortgage that had already been paid!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8049096.stm

I think they're only sorry they got caught. it's laughable really, they're meant to be the ones running the country but they've all got their hands in the till! how could anyone 'mistakenly' acquire £16000 and not notice?? or think it's okay to spend taxpayers money on dog food??? thats what your wages are for buttheads!

As far as I'm concerned they get paid 70 grand a year or whatever it is and that's that. Why don't they spend their wages - isn't that what they're for !

If they don't like it - join the club and don't take the job.

By all means claim what we all do for work outlay such as travel and accomodation but that's it.

overpaid , over rated and over here

My printable answer is this.

It's fraud..... no more, no less. If I was "fiddling" my expenses at work, I would be sacked - end of. Then they should be prosecuted.

If £70k per annum isn't enough for them, get rid, and let some decent, honest, people have a crack at the job.

I know a few regular people who would make brilliant politicians......

Makes my blood boil.

I think they are a bunch of thieving ba*tards and should be prosecuted.
The system is at fault but that is no excuse for milking it. Why should they even be allowed to claim for a second home mortgage, they should have to rent their second home and the rent should be a non negotiable set allowance.

They should be in the nick for fraud which is what would happen if it was anyone else and coz thats what it is - that and pure greed

I think they've got away with it for far too long. They must be gutted now that this has all been made so public and they, like the rest of us, will have to use their own money to buy things. I agree that occcasionally things might go through accidentally but some of the ones that have been made public recently are just ridiculous.

Absolutley disgusted.

Yes they should be allowed a living expense but then anything above that should be personal expenditure.

My OH lives in London all week in a small rented flat. He does not claim for all that stuff...As one MP said on the tv this morning,you need a small safe place to sleep, shower and grab a bite to eat. It is NOT an excuse to live the life of Riley!

There ought to be some system for charging them interest etc on the money they have squandered and a fine on top!