Anthony Steen (Tory MP): 'You're all just jealous'

Anthony Steen (Tory MP): 'You're all just jealous'

www.independent.co.uk

Anthony Steen said public "jealousy" was fuelling the furore and claimed that taxpayers have no right to see the details of individual MPs' claims.

Mr Steen made his comments in a BBC interview shortly after announcing that he would be standing down at the next election. His decision came after it emerged that he claimed £87,729 over four years to maintain his country house. "And you know what it's about? Jealousy. I have got a very, very large house. Some people say it looks like Balmoral"

(visit the link for the full news article)


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I'm posting this thread not only to vent about this mess but also so that our American cousins can see the extent of the corruption that has rotted right into the core of the British government!

Out of all the alegations regarding MP's expenses, this one got me riled up the most!

Not specifically because of the amounts, but because of this MP's attitude to the public reaction! I heard his interview on radio 4 yesterday on the way into work and nearly pulled the steerring wheel off my car in anger!

Who does he think he is claiming that we're all just jelous that he has a 'very very large house...that looks like Balmoral' (The Queen's Scottish castle residence for you Americans).

It's not jelousy, it's anger!! Why should my hard earned taxes support such an extravagant lifestyle? If he can afford a 'very very large house' then he, and not the public, shgould pay for its upkeep.

"What right does the public have to interfere in my private life? None. Do you know what this reminds me of? An episode of Coronation Street. This is a kangaroo court."

The public has every right to interfere, especially since we're paying for it!
He then went on to slam the Freedom of Information Act. Ironically it suits the government when they want to use it for their purposes, but when it backfires it's all our fault!!

I understand that there are expenses that come with the job, and its only right that these are re-imbursed, but when I claim expenses, I have to submit reciepts, to the penny. Not only on items over £250! That's a week's wage for some people!!

When people are losing their jobs and struggling to pay their bills our MP's are being subsidised by us to clean their moats, repair their houses and claim £400 a month on food bills. All while making a profit from the sale of their publicly funded second homes.

How can these people represent us, the public, in Parliament when they don't have a clue about the weekly struggles of the average person!?


www.independent.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Edit - spelling and to add further to the rant!!!

[edit on 22-5-2009 by Thebudweiserstuntman]

The political class is detached from reality, it has been this way for many years, the third world style fraud is just one part of it- the liberal/left ruling class have a lot to answer for.........

truely mind boggling - another idiot who neeads the principle of accountability beating into him

An accurate and tempered response to what is a shameful state of affairs, starred and flagged my friend! This kind of attitude will hurt the Tories and I am surprised that he wasn't jumped on before he could utter a word. The fact that he is "standing down" is irrelevant as we all know that mud sticks.

I an continually appalled that MPs still use the Nuremberg Defence, "... but it was all allowed so why shouldn't we do it?" How about having the moral conviction to realise something is wrong and to change it - they are supposed to be the country's leaders after all. What happened to "setting a good example?" Yes, I know that is pie in the sky stuff and we can expect even less from people in positions of power than the average Joe who works at the local factory (well, it it hadn't been shut down due to the financial crisis!).

How can a person claim to have "their moat cleaned" and yet not have a flicker of moral dilemma? How is that possible? Even if you decide, "Ahh, f*ck it, the taxpayer can afford it..." and go ahead with it at least stand up and admit that you'd never had it so good.

I see an MP paying for his daughter's flat on expenses. What? Did you read that correctly? Yes, Ian Gibson and senior Labour MP claimed almost £80,000 in 4 years for mortgage interest and bills on a London flat which was the home of his daughter. Get this, she lived there with her boyfriend rent-free, with all bills paid by the taxpayer, for several years after the MP bought it.

WTF?

I wasn't as eloquent as the OP but it winds me up so much!

Originally posted by SugarCube
An accurate and tempered response to what is a shameful state of affairs, starred and flagged my friend! This kind of attitude will hurt the Tories and I am surprised that he wasn't jumped on before he could utter a word. The fact that he is "standing down" is irrelevant as we all know that mud sticks.

I an continually appalled that MPs still use the Nuremberg Defence, "... but it was all allowed so why shouldn't we do it?" How about having the moral conviction to realise something is wrong and to change it - they are supposed to be the country's leaders after all. What happened to "setting a good example?" Yes, I know that is pie in the sky stuff and we can expect even less from people in positions of power than the average Joe who works at the local factory (well, it it hadn't been shut down due to the financial crisis!).

How can a person claim to have "their moat cleaned" and yet not have a flicker of moral dilemma? How is that possible? Even if you decide, "Ahh, f*ck it, the taxpayer can afford it..." and go ahead with it at least stand up and admit that you'd never had it so good.

I see an MP paying for his daughter's flat on expenses. What? Did you read that correctly? Yes, Ian Gibson and senior Labour MP claimed almost £80,000 in 4 years for mortgage interest and bills on a London flat which was the home of his daughter. Get this, she lived there with her boyfriend rent-free, with all bills paid by the taxpayer, for several years after the MP bought it.

WTF?

I wasn't as eloquent as the OP but it winds me up so much!

Indeed, and let us not forget the Tory Leader, Cameron- he and his wfe are worth a combined est £30 million- what moral right does he have to claim ANYTHING from the public purse

We need a tory collapse so a proper alternative party can fight on a non liberal/leftist agenda (the BNP are not it, as they are actually left wing on many issues, never mind race concerns!)

Indeed, the UK has sunk into a cronie-socio-capitalistic police state, nightmarish in it's effort in continuity. What a waste. I always wanted to visit there, but I'm afraid of getting off the plane at Heathrow only to be thrown out for being an "undesirable" or a terrorist. I'm afraid of boarding a plane in the US for fear of being branded a terrorist. Every time I get on a plane to visit my mother in Vegas from Reno I get a little nervous, knowing my foreign ass is being watched. And regardless of the fact that I don't break the law, the idea that my ipod version of the US constitution might be considered terrorist material is enough to provoke feelings of anxiety.

I can't imagine how authoritarian crap like CCTV must feel. Or these stupid criminal protection laws, but so long as criminals are allowed to run the UK and sell it to the EU the more of this you are likely to suffer.

[edit on 22-5-2009 by projectvxn]

[edit on 22-5-2009 by projectvxn]

We have allowed our MP's to get away with so much that they are now so removed from the cares and concerns of everyday people.

An MP's priority should be to the well being of their constituents, this has changed and politicians primary concerns now are personal and financial betterment and party allegiance, even to the detriment of their constituents.

Our whole electoral and parliamentary process is rotten to the core, is it any wonder it produces corrupt MP's.

We need to throw all the current bunch of MP's out of parliament and replace them with non-aligned Independant MP's who vote on each issue in accordance with their conscience and the well being of their constituents.

Party Politics has failed us miserably.

We need a new Cromwell, (minus his religious bigotry!).

I know I have posted this before but.....I don't think it can harm posting it again;

Oliver Cromwell's Speech on the Dissolution of the Long Parliament
Given to the House of Commons
20 April 1653

"It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your
contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and
enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell
your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.
Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have
no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not barter'd your conscience
for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?
Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den
of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the
whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd, are yourselves gone!
So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors. In the name of God, go!"

350 years later and the words are as relevant today as they were then.

Not surprising is it. Pathetic public figures, that the public thought where great, talking like this, lol.

Nothing more to be said.

Originally posted by Freeborn
Party Politics has failed us miserably.

totally, the party "machines" are surpressors of reason, ingenuity and ability- people are selected for who know and whether they cowtow to the established doctrine from above (for example, in the Tory party, they have bought into the liberal/diversity mantra, so if you differ from this you will be weeded out and have no chance of selection for a constituency)

The truth is, I'm not even THAT bothered about some of the claims. A trouser press, fair enough. Some gardening for the second home while you're away, fair enough.

But when its blatant robbery of the tax payer, by people who already have plenty, then that's what really gets me.

Their other favourite defense is that an MP's salary of £64,000, approx $101,000 USD at todays rates, is less than waht they would get in the Private sector!!?

The average UK wage is £24,000!! ($36,000 USD) I am 31 year old graduate with three degrees, including a masters, and don't even earn the average wage!!

reply to post by Freeborn


As ever, a star for you Freeborn - I love that speech.

The way i see it is they should be held accountable like the crimes they do. I have my life monitored everyday non stop living in london, and i did nothing, while these scum, can swindle what ever amounts of money they all want. Democracy is just mob rule, and the stup1d mob that voted these clowns in, are seeing the fruits of that democracy now.

Love the way that these clowns would want people prosecuted for crimes, than swindle what ever amounts they want.

Classic democracy, lol.

A bit of light relief...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

At least we can see the funny side to it! (said dispairingly...)

I was just listening to the news on the radio, and one woman MP said that "A lot of MPs were walking around parliment this week looking scared stiff", and that it could drive many suicidal.

I wouldn't wish suicide on anyone, you have to be in a pretty low place to get to that option. However if many are feeling like this, maybe it's a wake up call for them.

I still don't know how to feel about this whole expenses thing. Obviously theres anger over it all, thats understandable. Yet most of the cases we hear about is just a case of them claiming for what they were allowed to claim...is that not the case?

The fault lies with those who made the rules in the first place IMO.

If you go into a job where they give you a company car as part of the perks, you don't hear shop assistants yelling that they don't get one. It's just the way it goes, you want a company car...go get a job that offers one.

Same with the MP's. if you are voted in as an MP, and are told that you can now claim for this and that due to your position, would you not use that? Most of the horrendous claims that were put through were agred and paid out for. Therefore, no matter now bad it may look, they were just using the perks that came with the job.

I don't agree with it, i too think it's really bad, but i wonder how many here who are so against it, wouldn't do the same thing if they were in the same boat? I may be the only one who is thinking like that, so feel free to rip me a new one.

The illegal activities that are dug up like claiming for houses they don't need to is an obvious no-no, but i am more talking about the general expences claims that they were allowed to make.

I see on the news this morning, they are looking into using the system for the MOD uses for "second houses" needed for the job. There is accomodation that they can use near their place of work instead of one extra house for every MP. I think that would be good.

CX.

[edit on 22/5/09 by CX]

What do you expect?! He's a Tory!

PROTIP: they think we're serfs that are meant to fund their extravagant lifestyle.

"We have a wretched Government here that has completely mucked up the system and caused the resignation of me and many others, because it was this Government that introduced the Freedom of Information Act and it is this Government that insisted on the things which caught me on the wrong foot."

Must be common practice to blame everyone else but themselves for the predicament they find themselves in.

Are they trying to get themselves guillotined, or something? Honestly, madness.

Funny how some rich people like say ing that! What they fail to realise is that most people are happy in their own skin. I certainly am! Even tho i'm not rich, i am happy with the way i look and the way i conduct myself in life. I wouldn't swap for anyone's shoe's. I don't want a house that resembles Balmoral. I love my house.
These so called politicans make me sick and the people that irritate me most are braggers. You can't take it with you. This false assumption that money and status protects you is very false and misleading.
I hope that all the politcans from all parties that have been sponging off the taxpayers for so long are removed from their posts forthwith and are appropriately investigated by the powers that be.
When ordinary peple are suffering from loosing their home's, job's etc, these people should be ashamed of themselves! As for Hazel Blears, she should go now. Was it her who's brother s a bus driver? I wonder what he thinks of his sisters overlooked greed and that of her so called colleagues?
We need politicans for the people, not these smug egotisitical idiots that are as far removed from the real world that they can possibly be! Robbing us at the same time. Name me one thing a politican has done lately for the greater good of the people of this country? I can't think of anything, since Tony Blair came into power and unfortunately for him Bush recked all that by eating his soul!

Originally posted by MacDonagh
What do you expect?! He's a Tory!

PROTIP: they think we're serfs that are meant to fund their extravagant lifestyle.

"We have a wretched Government here that has completely mucked up the system and caused the resignation of me and many others, because it was this Government that introduced the Freedom of Information Act and it is this Government that insisted on the things which caught me on the wrong foot."

Must be common practice to blame everyone else but themselves for the predicament they find themselves in.

irrelevant being a Tory- TOries and New Labour are exactly the same- all part of the same liberal/left political class

Originally posted by happinness
Funny how some rich people like say ing that! What they fail to realise is that most people are happy in their own skin. I certainly am! Even tho i'm not rich, i am happy with the way i look and the way i conduct myself in life. I wouldn't swap for anyone's shoe's. I don't want a house that resembles Balmoral. I love my house.
These so called politicans make me sick and the people that irritate me most are braggers. You can't take it with you. This false assumption that money and status protects you is very false and misleading.
I hope that all the politcans from all parties that have been sponging off the taxpayers for so long are removed from their posts forthwith and are appropriately investigated by the powers that be.
When ordinary peple are suffering from loosing their home's, job's etc, these people should be ashamed of themselves! As for Hazel Blears, she should go now. Was it her who's brother s a bus driver? I wonder what he thinks of his sisters overlooked greed and that of her so called colleagues?
We need politicans for the people, not these smug egotisitical idiots that are as far removed from the real world that they can possibly be! Robbing us at the same time. Name me one thing a politican has done lately for the greater good of the people of this country? I can't think of anything, since Tony Blair came into power and unfortunately for him Bush recked all that by eating his soul!

I would force politicians to use public transport and remove any police protection, I reckon "realism" might bite a bit then