Topic ID 4771
http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/hertfordshiremercury-news/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=456640 I read that Mark Prisk has been told to repay £7000 in presumably wrongly claimed mortgage interest payments on his second home. Does it strike anyone else as unnecessary that he needs a second home at taxpayers expense when the most distant part of the constituencey is only 30 miles from Westminster. Quite apart from the overpayment, this costs £18000 per annum. The national rot extends to East Herts.
Reply ID 68305
I'd be supprised if it hasn't struck us all. I'm also imagine that, before this all became public, most would have assumed no such entitlement existed........ but now we know.[;)]
Reply ID 68307
I think anyone that is not representing an inner London constituency is entitled to a second home. I wonder what they count as inner London?
Reply ID 68316
Only surprising thing is that his second home isn't in Cornwall........or have I missed something. I should think the majority of working people in Much Hadham commute to London every day..........can they claim second homes...........ah! no thought not
Reply ID 68317
True but there is a purpose for the second homes, quite sensible and necessary one, if its in London then fine! Those ones that claimed elsewhere; if they didn't resign should be fired. That was an abuse.
Reply ID 68319
It's not as if he appears to give much value for the money he draws from the public purse, legitimately or otherwise. Perhaps I do him an injustice, but to my mind he's not a busy MP. Compare his efforts to those of fellow Conservative Grant Shapps in Welwyn Hatfield.
Reply ID 68322
Thatcher stopped MPs wages increasing - given her restraints on working peoples wage rises, she told MPs that they could not ask for increases themselves. However they could get rich on "expenses". I say, give them £500,00 a year, a constituency home, a flat in Westminster, both owned by the state, no second jobs and two terms in office! Problem sorted. P
Reply ID 68323
quote:I hope you mean £50,000 and not £500,000 (or maybe that comma should be a full stop and you mean just £500!)
Originally posted by Paul
I say, give them £500,00 a year
Reply ID 68324
It's outrageous that we should pay for him to have a second home when he lives so close to London. And do we still give him £300 expenses whenever he attends his 'job' in Cornwall? As a shadow minister he's supposed to be part of his leader's "Cleansing of British politics" crusade. Ironically, he may well actually increase his majority next year.
Reply ID 68327
quote:It certainly ironic that the party with the worst record is the one widely tipped in polls to win[:0]. Who knows, maybe the electorate will think more carefully when the time comes. Frankly, I doubt it. Hertford tends to vote Conservative no matter how badly their interests have been served.
Originally posted by dennismoore
It's outrageous that we should pay for him to have a second home when he lives so close to London. And do we still give him £300 expenses whenever he attends his 'job' in Cornwall? As a shadow minister he's supposed to be part of his leader's "Cleansing of British politics" crusade. Ironically, he may well actually increase his majority next year.
Reply ID 68345
If one bears in mind how many of his constituents commute into work in London (indeed I know people in the same village who work longer hours than any MP) claiming for a second home isn't really on in my view.
Reply ID 68350
quote:I don't think that the Tories need irony. The Conservative Party cannot be any worse than the pile of pond-life that have crippled this country on so many fronts; Education, Policing, Borrowing, Mandelson....
Originally posted by shuntquote:It certainly ironic that the party with the worst record is the one widely tipped in polls to win[:0]. Who knows, maybe the electorate will think more carefully when the time comes. Frankly, I doubt it. Hertford tends to vote Conservative no matter how badly their interests have been served.
Originally posted by dennismoore
It's outrageous that we should pay for him to have a second home when he lives so close to London. And do we still give him £300 expenses whenever he attends his 'job' in Cornwall? As a shadow minister he's supposed to be part of his leader's "Cleansing of British politics" crusade. Ironically, he may well actually increase his majority next year.
Reply ID 68353
quote:Amazing as it might seem, I think it absolutely certain that they can.[;)] I wouldn't commend the current national gov, but their primary cause of the current problems we face are the ways in which they have been too much of a clone of Conservatism, just under a different name. I'm searching for something radically different from either for my next vote, not a more extremist version of what we have.[:)]
Originally posted by James007quote:I don't think that the Tories need irony. The Conservative Party cannot be any worse than the pile of pond-life that have crippled this country on so many fronts; Education, Policing, Borrowing, Mandelson....
Originally posted by shuntquote:It certainly ironic that the party with the worst record is the one widely tipped in polls to win[:0]. Who knows, maybe the electorate will think more carefully when the time comes. Frankly, I doubt it. Hertford tends to vote Conservative no matter how badly their interests have been served.
Originally posted by dennismoore
It's outrageous that we should pay for him to have a second home when he lives so close to London. And do we still give him £300 expenses whenever he attends his 'job' in Cornwall? As a shadow minister he's supposed to be part of his leader's "Cleansing of British politics" crusade. Ironically, he may well actually increase his majority next year.
Reply ID 68713
It looks like the Committee on Standards in Public Life will recomend that MPs who's local station is 60 minutes or less from Westminster will no longer be able to claim for a second home. See you on the train Mark! [;)]
Reply ID 68715
Bishops Stortford to Tottenham Hale 30 minutes -> Tottenham Hale to Green Park 20 min -> Green Park to Westminster 2 mins , leaves him 8 minutes for connections , lots of walking and escalators between platforms at all them stations , he will never do it . His 2nd house is safe by a few minutes , you will never beat them . [:(]
Reply ID 68716
I like the sound of that proposal, to halt second homes based on commutability. For the benefit of the public purse and for credibility amongst ones constituents - a high proportion of whom here commute daily into London to their places of work, - perhaps this ruling should be the time taken to the nearest station in an MP's constituency. It is Prisk's choice to live in Much Hadham, so if his journey is slightly longer than the 60 minutes then he has the option to move or to stay. He can commute to Westminster within an hour or to his constituents within 1/2 an hour. Blimey, if he stays put he might have a 1 hour 15 minute commute. Woopey doo! On another point raised previously in this thread, prior to his promotion to the Shadow Cabinet, I recall that Prisk was regular news-fodder for the Mercury for his local constituency work. His local profile was much higher than now and primarily positive; he certainly operated a good PR machine. Prior to the last general election, despite the regularity of our area to return a Conservative candidate, he was the only candidate that I met at my front door who wanted to canvas my opinion and for my vote. Yes, his profile since his promotion has been less; however, isn't this to be expected from those MP's whose political career advances? I wonder how often Brown is in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath? Or Mandelson in Hartlepool? Or Nick Clegg in Sheffield?
Reply ID 68717
The one good thing about this is that if suddenly MPs become commuters we may find something done about the shocking state of the railways in this country.
Reply ID 68719
Yes surely it should be the closest station to Westminster in his constituency(sp). If he cosed to live in a the furthest corner then that is his choice. Does Broxbourne come under his remit? that must be under 60 minutes.
Reply ID 68720
Broxbourne is a different constituency. My guess is that Sawbridgeworth is the quickest on that line.
Reply ID 68721
No Broxbourne is a different constituency , Bayford is probably closest , still 30 minutes to Finsbury Park but saving time on the Victoria line compared to Tottenham Hale .
Reply ID 68722
I did wonder if that was where the borders met, will be interesting to see what the decision is on that one!
Reply ID 69033
quote:Sorry to disagree with you, but since 1997 the face of secondary education has been transformed by the Labout government. In '97 we were on our uppers - no money, no respect and extremely low morale. Today I can truthfully say that we have had 12 years of good funding, respect and improving morale. I know that our education system is far from perfect, but when I think back to the very dark days pre '97 I worry that they may be about to return. To be honest, the tories wrecked our education system - let's hope they don't do it again if they gain power.
Originally posted by James007 The Conservative Party cannot be any worse than the pile of pond-life that have crippled this country on so many fronts; Education, Policing, Borrowing, Mandelson....
Reply ID 69035
quote:Off-topic
Originally posted by homelessquote:Sorry to disagree with you, but since 1997 the face of secondary education has been transformed by the Labout government. In '97 we were on our uppers - no money, no respect and extremely low morale. Today I can truthfully say that we have had 12 years of good funding, respect and improving morale. I know that our education system is far from perfect, but when I think back to the very dark days pre '97 I worry that they may be about to return. To be honest, the tories wrecked our education system - let's hope they don't do it again if they gain power.
Originally posted by James007 The Conservative Party cannot be any worse than the pile of pond-life that have crippled this country on so many fronts; Education, Policing, Borrowing, Mandelson....
Reply ID 69038
quote:Had a look on his website and you are right Bayford is closet, I wonder if they will take it from the closest part of the constituency or from where the M.P. chooses to live?
Originally posted by Donostia
No Broxbourne is a different constituency , Bayford is probably closest , still 30 minutes to Finsbury Park but saving time on the Victoria line compared to Tottenham Hale .
Reply ID 69040
quote:You have an obsession with wardrobes! [:D]
Originally posted by Marilyn
Had a look on his website and you are right Bayford is closet, I wonder if they will take it from the closet part of the constituency or from where the M.P. chooses to live?
Reply ID 69041
quote:[:D]
Originally posted by Stevequote:You have an obsession with wardrobes! [:D]
Originally posted by Marilyn
Had a look on his website and you are right Bayford is closet, I wonder if they will take it from the closet part of the constituency or from where the M.P. chooses to live?
Reply ID 69042
quote:Nice one. It's about time Bayford got 'outed', we've all known it for years! [:D]
Originally posted by Marilynquote:Had a look on his website and you are right Bayford is closet, I wonder if they will take it from the closet part of the constituency or from where the M.P. chooses to live?
Originally posted by Donostia
No Broxbourne is a different constituency , Bayford is probably closest , still 30 minutes to Finsbury Park but saving time on the Victoria line compared to Tottenham Hale .
Reply ID 69043
quote:No I just can't spell you should know that by now [:D] Would have helped if Presdales had taught us to type but in those days it was not an option. Back to the topic will he be considered within 60 minutes from London so lose the 2nd home?
Originally posted by Stevequote:You have an obsession with wardrobes! [:D]
Originally posted by Marilyn
Had a look on his website and you are right Bayford is closet, I wonder if they will take it from the closest part of the constituency or from where the M.P. chooses to live?
Reply ID 69044
According to route planners: Bayford to Highbury & Islington 36 mins, Highbury to Westminster 18 mins. Of course he'd have to wait for connections at both Highbury and Green park as well. He could just do it if he put his mind to it!
Reply ID 70164
Further expense details for the period since 2004 have now been published online. http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/mark-prisk/ He appears to have had bad luck with water pressure and the plumbing to his boiler, wc and shower over the published periods with a handful of call-outs. No wonder there are so many leaks in Parliament [:p]. Apart from that, I haven't found anything sensational from my quick browse through. I'm now off to watch some paint dry . . .