Good news on the moat!

Posted on | May 15, 2009 | Comments Off

UK Conservative MP Douglas Hogg announced today he will pay back the money he billed the public to have his moat cleaned. Something about this just tickles my funny bone. Imagine the audacity to hand in a chit to be  reimbursed for a moat cleaning. How was it written up? “M’Lord, herein are the details on clearing the estate moat. The damned peasants were uppity and I actually had to pay the little blighters for the work. I swear, governing the unwashed masses just isn’t what it used to be!”

Mr Hogg said, “I believe that my claims fell clearly within the scope of the rules”. But he also went on to say the moat wasn’t claimed for but hadn’t been “positively excluded” from the invoices he submitted. Ohhhh… I admire a well turned phrase. Let’s role that around in our mouths for a bit “Positively excluded“. Mmmm! It sounds like negative billing – if we don’t tell you about it then you have to pay.

Nice try ducks! But it didn’t work. It is nice to see so many MPs cueing up to repay their expenses today. It’s a crying shame that it took such a massive scandal to make it happen. Many are now vowing not to make any claims on behalf of the 2nd home allowance – the primary reason for so much of the abuse.

I do wish they would stop chirping “I believe that my claims fell clearly within the scope of the rules”. Almost everyone of the MPs who have been shamed publicly are parroting this line.

Twitter This

Usuario: Password:

Comments