Question Time tonight

[Easy 10]

The panel will include the Housing Minister Margaret Beckett, Conservative shadow work and pensions secretary Theresa May, former leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Menzies Campbell, assistant editor of the Daily Telegraph Benedict Brogan, and the CEO of McDonald's UK Steve Easterbrook.

Should be a good GRILLING tonight for Ming the Merciless and Theresa. Old Mingo scammed TEN GRAND from us lot to have his flat redecorated by an interior designer ("all within the rules" of course, so he's decided to give back £1500 of it...)

Could be a bloodbath (although he'd probably claim for that as well).

 

[pasty]

More of this please......

1 minute 4 seconds in. David Dimbleby

[YT]6MrFV4c_sVY[/YT]

 

[CHAPPERS]

Oooh it's going to be a good one! I ruddy love a good Question Time.

 

[Tooting Gull]

A real sausage and egg mcmuffin of a Question Time.

"So, Sir Menzies...have YOU ever claimed for your hash browns?"

 

[blue and white army]

I'm dying for Nick Griffin to appear on it, liven things up.

 

[Easy 10]

It'll have to go some to beat the SAVAGING Eric Pickles took on that show a few weeks ago over his 2nd proprty allowance. I felt so embarrassed for him, it made me clench my bum a bit.

 

[Tooting Gull]

That McDonald's bloke is the one who last year blamed child obesity on video games. Not the three Big Macs and fries he ate before that, then.

 

[bigc]

That McDonald's bloke is the one who last year blamed child obesity on video games. Not the three Big Macs and fries he ate before that, then.

He was also the one that was out making jokes about Prezza's "bulemia"/weight, not a bad thing in itself you say, but the size of the bloke makes you think, stones, glass houses?

 

[bigc]

The panel will include the Housing Minister Margaret Beckett, Conservative shadow work and pensions secretary Theresa May, former leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Menzies Campbell, assistant editor of the Daily Telegraph Benedict Brogan, and the CEO of McDonald's UK Steve Easterbrook.

Should be a good GRILLING tonight for Ming the Merciless and Theresa. Old Mingo scammed TEN GRAND from us lot to have his flat redecorated by an interior designer ("all within the rules" of course, so he's decided to give back £1500 of it...)

Could be a bloodbath (although he'd probably claim for that as well).

What did May claim for, those shoes she wore once at Tory conference?

 

[Collar Feeler]

I'm staggered that these corrupt MP's think that simply by writing a cheque for what they have claimed and apologising they think they are off the hook. If a suspect of mine I was interviewing for fraud or deception suddenly got his chequebook out and offered to repay the money he had obtained fraudulently it doesn't change the fact that he's committed the offence and I'm going to pursue him regardless. As far as I'm concerned some of these claims need investigating as crimes of fraud (or the old deception laws if committed prior to the new fraud act). Anyone got the guts to consider arresting some of the worst offenders? I doubt it!

Some offences to consider:

Fraud by abuse of position - Fraud Act 2006
Fraud by failing to disclose information - Fraud Act 2006
Fraud by false representation - Fraud Act 2006

 

[strings]

I'm staggered that these corrupt MP's think that simply by writing a cheque for what they have claimed and apologising they think they are off the hook. If a suspect of mine I was interviewing for fraud or deception suddenly got his chequebook out and offered to repay the money he had obtained fraudulently it doesn't change the fact that he's committed the offence and I'm going to pursue him regardless. As far as I'm concerned some of these claims need investigating as crimes of fraud (or the old deception laws if committed prior to the new fraud act). Anyone got the guts to consider arresting some of the worst offenders? I doubt it!

Well said

 

[The Uninvited Guest]

Disolve Parliament now. The country should be run by the Armed forces with Tree hugger Mad CHARLIE WINDSOR ( WALES ) as PM.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Offering to repay expenses claimed is tantamount to an admission of guilt that those expenses were wrongly claimed.

I'm an accountant and if HM Revenue & Customs discovered that one of my clients had defrauded the taxman of £10,000 they wouldn't accept simply being paid back - criminal charges would be brought against that client.

And if these MPs are willing to pay back the expenses not because they're wrong but just because they're a bit immoral what does that say about the whole expenses system?

You couldn't make this stuff up.

 

[acrossthepond]

I'm staggered that these corrupt MP's think that simply by writing a cheque for what they have claimed and apologising they think they are off the hook. If a suspect of mine I was interviewing for fraud or deception suddenly got his chequebook out and offered to repay the money he had obtained fraudulently it doesn't change the fact that he's committed the offence and I'm going to pursue him regardless. As far as I'm concerned some of these claims need investigating as crimes of fraud (or the old deception laws if committed prior to the new fraud act). Anyone got the guts to consider arresting some of the worst offenders? I doubt it!

Some offences to consider:

Fraud by abuse of position - Fraud Act 2006
Fraud by failing to disclose information - Fraud Act 2006
Fraud by false representation - Fraud Act 2006

So how does a prosecution get launched then? Does a member of the public need to make an allegation, because if so I guess there will be a queue...

 

[strings]

Offering to repay expenses claimed is tantamount to an admission of guilt that those expenses were wrongly claimed.

I'm an accountant and if HM Revenue & Customs discovered that one of my clients had defrauded the taxman of £10,000 they wouldn't accept simply being paid back - criminal charges would be brought against that client.

And if these MPs are willing to pay back the expenses not because they're wrong but just because they're a bit immoral what does that say about the whole expenses system?

You couldn't make this stuff up.

A question for the legal eagles:
Could this be seen as setting a president (MP's admitting guilt but not getting charged), and therefore could somebody with a good enough lawyer get a reduced sentence for fraud because of the lack of charges bought about in Westminster?

- sorry that questrion is terribly worded, but I hope someone gets my drift!

 

[Easy 10]

Difficult to see how any of the MP's could actually be prosecuted, being as (as they are so keen to bleat on about) they have "acted within the rules". The rules are obviously so lax that loads of them have clearly taken FULL advantage and totally exploited them...but I'm not sure a fraud charge would stick.

(apart from maybe a couple of isolated cases, like the guy who was "mistakenly" claiming mortgage interest expenses on a property that had no mortgage left on it)

 

[Tooting Gull]

As Pavilionaire says, it does highlight the 'two sets of rules' attitudes that prevail in this country for the great and the good.

When an MP does something like this, they bleat it's 'an oversight, a mistake, an accounting error, an admin cock-up'.

For any normal person, those excuses wouldn't save them from the law.

Try telling a traffic warden that it was an oversight, and could you pay the £1 now rather than the £60 fine...

 

[aftershavedave]

A question for the legal eagles:
a president

is that a legal president?

 

[strings]

is that a legal president?

Yes, yes it is - have I spelt it wrong? I did muse to myself about the spelling. I also wondered if I had the correct word in the first place!

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Wouldn't usually watch it but I think I might just make the effort tonight just to watch these freeloading MP's get their come-uppance.