Bucks MP apologises over dog food expenses claim (From Bucks Free Press)
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Bucks MP apologises over dog food expenses claim
11:52am Monday 11th May 2009 in
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE MP Cheryl Gillan today apologised for claiming dog food on expenses.
The Chesham and Amersham MP pledged to repay £4.47 for two 39p cans of Ceaser chicken and turkey meat and a £3.69 bag of lams senior chicken dry meal for older dogs.
Members of Parliament are only allowed to claim expenses for items essential for their work as a politician.
Mrs Gillan said: “I mistakenly submitted a food bill which contained items for which I did not intend to claim back. I am sorry for this and will immediately repay the amount."
In April 2008 Mrs Gillan also claimed back a £72.27 gas bill when her account was £26.72 in credit, The Daily Telegraph said today.
The following month the Conservative MP claimed £66.15 when her account was £64.35 in credit. The fees office reduced the payment when given the claims.
In a statement from Conservative central office Mrs Gillan explained: “I pay my gas bill by direct debit and claim for the gas used when the bills arrive. “In one year two gas bills - actually sent by the gas company - contained duplicate information for a period of three months.
“This was identified by the fees office so the payment to me was reduced accordingly.”
The MP also claimed £305.50 to “cure noise problems” with the boiler in her London home, paid for out of the Additional Costs Allowance.
This is worth up to £24,222 a year and is for costs incurred for MPs staying away from their main home.
She said: “The boiler broke down in the flat which I use exclusively for overnight stays when I am working on parliamentary business.
“In order for me to have central heating and hot water a plumber repaired the boiler. This is within the rules.”
Comments(25)
SDJones
says...
12:12pm Mon 11 May 09
D A M N?
Steve of Penn
says...
12:24pm Mon 11 May 09
Saying sorry doesn't help. Although I am surprised these expenses claims were not within the rules, as any expenses claim by an MP seems to be 'within the rules' and therefore ok!
TheT0nemeister
says...
12:43pm Mon 11 May 09
parcelman
says...
12:49pm Mon 11 May 09
Malc London
says...
12:59pm Mon 11 May 09
erm
says...
1:35pm Mon 11 May 09
And how is food at your second home a work related expense, dont they eat the rest of the time?
Gyno
says...
2:12pm Mon 11 May 09
motco
says...
2:18pm Mon 11 May 09
Michael, HP7
says...
2:55pm Mon 11 May 09
Prolongs natural life. Finger-licking scandalous. The tax-payer is the mug.
Show your cordial appreciation of Gillan, her ilk, and kin, for their valuable services to the community at the slotted collection boxes conveniently placed at the British Legion Hall in quaint Old Amersham, next time you perform your civic duty.
Woof! woof!
G Akhtar
says...
3:00pm Mon 11 May 09
G Akhtar
says...
3:50pm Mon 11 May 09
And crooked, conniving, corrupt.
The rules are clear and explicit. Claims must be “above reproach”.
There must be “no grounds for a suggestion of misuse of public money”.
“Your main home will normally be where you spend more nights than any other.” Above all, “value for tax-payers’ money” must come first.
They have broken the law of the land, the rule of the taxman and the moral code they exhort us all to live by — fairness.
Zan28
says...
5:15pm Mon 11 May 09
How can they decide on rulings if they are not living in the real world? On housing allowances, all profits (or at least an appropriate percentage) of a property part funded by taxpayers would have to be paid back upon sale or when leaving parliament.
That would take out the investment opportunity factor of owing a second home. Council tax and stamp duty are major issues for us, it is blatantly wrong that they can expense those. I will make sure that I vote this year and I will make sure I will vote for someone who has not abused the system, even more so if they abused it and then try to talk themselves out of it
Career politicans have no idea of the real world. They seem to regard tax payers of lesser intelligence that would not comprehend that 'being an MP is expensive' yes it is, but you are supposed to be an MP with a goal of making life better for your constituents, not for 'my party to win the next election' as stated in mrs gillans interview on her website. Politicans have a moral responsibility, so the expense abuse is evidence of a lack of moral and they therefore need to be voted out immediately.
Zan28
says...
5:15pm Mon 11 May 09
How can they decide on rulings if they are not living in the real world? On housing allowances, all profits (or at least an appropriate percentage) of a property part funded by taxpayers would have to be paid back upon sale or when leaving parliament.
That would take out the investment opportunity factor of owing a second home. Council tax and stamp duty are major issues for us, it is blatantly wrong that they can expense those. I will make sure that I vote this year and I will make sure I will vote for someone who has not abused the system, even more so if they abused it and then try to talk themselves out of it
Career politicans have no idea of the real world. They seem to regard tax payers of lesser intelligence that would not comprehend that 'being an MP is expensive' yes it is, but you are supposed to be an MP with a goal of making life better for your constituents, not for 'my party to win the next election' as stated in mrs gillans interview on her website. Politicans have a moral responsibility, so the expense abuse is evidence of a lack of moral and they therefore need to be voted out immediately.
chesham20
says...
7:39pm Mon 11 May 09
J B Blackett
says...
7:42pm Mon 11 May 09
It is also believed that he claimed near the max amount for the privilege for owning this home to be able to sleep over after a 10pm sitting in the House (not the house he claims to live in ,you understand).
Two of my sons work in London , not far from Westminster - both sometimes work late doing responsible jobs and then getting home late.
They get no extra pay and no allowances for anything - they just accept their salaries (one of them less than half what Goodman gets as his basic pay)
And they just get on and do their jobs as asked for.
Why are MPs regard themselves as so special and need in total more than 23 times the average pay of the average worker.
Do you think they have become a tad avaricious and acquisitive.
The argument used is " ALL WITHIN THE RULES" - that's Their rules of course decided by the same miscreants.
Let's allow criminals to decide what punishment they get and how prisons are run.
THEY WORK FOR US AND WE PAY THEM VERY WELL !!!!!
How have we ended up being governed by such alleged crooks and cheats ?
Orwell's Animal Farm was not far from the truth with greedy pigs and previous landowners living like Lords while the Workers are being worked (taxed) into the ground and finally sent to the slaughter-house.
In the meantime the greedy pigs/farmers, living off the taxes and goods they have STOLEN from us , are trying to control every aspect of our life via surveillance, laws and questionaires.
And wo betide the poor animals (ie people) who ask for some scraps off the pigs' table
Am I getting paranoiac ? Perhaps but I didn't create THIS AWFUL MESS WE'RE IN. THEY DID - THE GREEDY SNOUTS-IN-THE-TROUGH
.
Some advice for all MPs - Beware the wrath of the common man/woman. Is that the jawbone of an **** in your hand or are you really pleased to see your MP ?
By The Way - is that the Wycombe MP's stomach protruding over his trousers ? Too many late night take-aways or Chesham dog food ?
He used to be quite slim , I hear.
Regards
The Oracle
says...
9:36am Wed 13 May 09
Surely this level of neglect is more important than the fact they were bought on expenses?
Shocking, to say the least.
Annoyed_of_chalfont
says...
8:40pm Wed 13 May 09
She refuses too either defend her claims or to agree that the claims were wrong (within the rules but wrong).
Now that her party leader has condemned the allowances - she is still arrogant enough to refuse to open a debate.
Before we vote for any Conservative in any election she should have the courage to apologise. In fact, if no apology no vote in local or national elections for the Conservatives.
Who will join me in promoting this?
Mike T
J B Blackett
says...
7:24pm Thu 14 May 09
I endorse your sincere sentiments and will follow up your recommendations
We , the People, must sort these terrible greedy people out, Now.
Because They, the Cheating Greedy Piggies, CANNOT BE TRUSTED to DO THE RIGHT THING. Not any more !
Regards
J B Blackett
says...
3:04pm Sat 16 May 09
Why have we got a cheap-skate one who allegedly only claims furtively on things like dog food
We feel doubly cheated
What do you think ?
SRCJJ
says...
2:53am Sun 17 May 09
The Oracle wrote:Why is this woman getting away with this behaviour?
What's most worrying about this story, and I have been told this in good faith by someone very close to Gillan, is that she fed the dog food she put on expenses to her KIDS. Surely this level of neglect is more important than the fact they were bought on expenses? Shocking, to say the least.
J B Blackett
says...
4:13pm Sun 17 May 09
on top of his TV.
Surely not !
The one printed is obviously NOT this said picture. One cannot trust the Press now-a-days can one ?
Even this snap looks a bit edited, doctored and 'dog-eared'.
Like our MPs I am very suspicious of the British Press and what they are getting up to in these troubled times. One might say that Some Folk are getting a bit cynical for reasons only they understand or justify.
And What a Silly Stupid Naive man to leave his wallet containing his only monies in such a vulnerable place!
He was asking for trouble !
There are such a lot of crooks, thieves and cheats about these days, are there not ?
And also; can this 'certain newspaper ' produce any kind of written or documented evidence at all of any of any of our MPs alleged financial
misbehaviour ?
Of Course Not.
I am sure their fellow politicians or associates would NOT allow that sort of behaviour to be permitted or go unpunished and would 'frown' severely on it in a disapproving manner.
Additionaly it would beggar belief and destroy the enormous trust, respect and regard we hold them all in.
Please continue to display the true and deserved due deference as is expected towards our superiors, leaders and betters.
You , the voter, after all, put them where they are today.
Thank You
Regards to All
lippy57
says...
6:52pm Wed 20 May 09
"Please continue to display the true and deserved due deference as is expected towards our superiors, leaders and betters. You the voter,after all put them where they are today."
Are you being facetious?
J B Blackett
says...
7:13pm Wed 20 May 09
6:52pm Wed 20 May 09
JB Blackett says
"Please continue to display the true and deserved due deference as is expected towards our superiors, leaders and betters. You the voter,after all put them where they are today."
Are you being facetious?
I apologize if it appeared so
I intended it to be very heavily ironic with a strong element of cynicism
,distaste and mockery.
I obviously missed my objective
Sorry !
The Oracle
says...
8:57am Thu 21 May 09
J B Blackett wrote:Please don't apologise for the impressive stupidity of someone who couldn't see the irony in your comments. It's GLARINGLY obvious.
ippy57, England SAID
6:52pm Wed 20 May 09
JB Blackett says
"Please continue to display the true and deserved due deference as is expected towards our superiors, leaders and betters. You the voter,after all put them where they are today."
Are you being facetious?
I apologize if it appeared so
I intended it to be very heavily ironic with a strong element of cynicism
,distaste and mockery.
I obviously missed my objective
Sorry !
Perhaps Lippy57 is American, it would explain a lot.
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SDJones says...
12:06pm Mon 11 May 09