Margaret Thatcher claims £535,000 for ex-PM duties. Taxpayers shell out again.

Just come across this on the bbc news site Here

First off, Why the hell are MP's paid so much and given bonus's on top of that?
This woman has claimed HALF A MILLION POUNDS for basicly, turning up at events and giving small speeches here and there. This is NUTS!


Small quote from the linked article:

The system was set up by John Major in 1991, after one year in office, to reward former prime ministers for work including answering letters and attending public events. In the past five years, the three former number 10 incumbents have cost the taxpayer in total more than £1.7m in public duty allowances.

I don't understand how these people are allowed to get away with thieving. And it is thieving. What parliament needs is someone to come around and reduce everything to a "means-tested" type system. Giving them a capped allowance. Once you leave government, you should be struck off the wage bill as you no longer work for the tax payer. These b*****ds condemn the poor for looting shops but its okay for them to steal MILLIONS for doing sweet F.A, and lets be honest - They don't need the money they are taking, they are just doing it out of greed.

Also, it was a tory that set up this system, no surprise there then. But there is little to no difference between any party lines now, they are themselves and elite group of people, competing with each other at the expense of everyone else. Twats.

reply to post by SearchLightsInc


The old bugger

Funny enough she only ever took a cabinet ministers salary when she was PM. To encourage workers to take lower pay rises. It helps that Dennis was a millionaire however.

It's not right but politicians always look after themselves. It will always be this way IMO.

reply to post by Grifter81


Your right, it will probably always be this way, but come on, this is straight up taking the piss lol 500k? Not just a few grand, five-hundred THOUSAND pounds! Half a million!!
And the best bit? When she dies, shes getting a state funeral, also funding by the tax payer which is going to cost us... wait for it... THREE MILLION POUNDS!

all i really h ave to add to this is:

WHAT.THA.FACK!?

reply to post by SearchLightsInc


Your right, they are taking the piss. Especially when the roads in my area might as well be dirt tracks for all the pot-holes in them.

Funny how we keep hearing there's no money in the pot but they can splash out half a million on an ex PM in her 80's. I bet she won't have to sell her house to pay for a sub standard care home eh?

reply to post by SearchLightsInc


Although all politicians are TWATS!! Thatcher will go down in history as one of the worst.

I know what you mean,
Parliament must be the only employer in the UK that isn't trying to cut costs.
Rightfully, with such economic conditions, they shouldn't be paying out on such stupid wasteful schemes. Ive bet they've got alot more going on, bleeding the system dry while there is still money to be stolen. I wonder just how much corruption there actually is going on there.

Have to agree entirely with the OP! Here in the U.S. elected federal office holders; Presidents, Vice Presidents, Senators, Congressmen, etc.; get a lifetime pension after only one term in office. So for a Congressman that's a lifetime federal paycheck after only 2 years in office. How much of a scam is that?

reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II


Its like, moving to a new job and yet still expecting a wage from the one you just left! There's F-all right about it!!

reply to post by SearchLightsInc


Without any shame these people come with these ideas to fill their pockets and worse is that the decision makers give it to them.

The world is in a terrible, terrible state and a majority of sociopaths are running it. I am serious when I say that there should be a test for sociopathy. Everybody with the gene (or what ever it is) should be denied by law any leadership position in public service.

These people do not care about the environment of the planet or about their fellow humanbeing. It is all about money, power and themselves.

I agree totally with the OP's sentiments.

These people in Parliament are not in touch with the real world. They honestly care not one iota about me you or anybody. They only thing they care about is clinging onto the power they have and raking in as much money as possible.

The majority of these people (Prime Ministers) at least all seem to attend the same elite schools and it's just a revolving door of the same people every time.