Ed Balls And Yvette Cooper Referred To Watchdog Over Childrens' Expenses

[cool_hand]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/8364597/Ed-Balls-and-Yvette-Cooper-referred-to-watchdog-over-childrens-expenses.html

Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper have been referred to the parliamentary standards watchdog over £14,000 of expenses made in relation to their children.

Although they have not breached the regulations, Andrew Bridgen, Tory MP for North West Leicestershire, has written to John Lyon, the standards commissioner.

He has asked him to investigate the shadow chancellor and shadow work and pensions secretary.

The married couple claimed for 375 journeys taken by their three children between 2007 and 2010 between London and Yorkshire.

The rules state that an MP is allowed to claim for 30 journeys per child, per year.

Mr Bridgen wrote: “While it is right that the House recognises the different circumstances of husband and wife members, there should be no distinction between the rights given to families where both parents are members and families where only one parent is a member.

“I believe that how Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper have acted in claiming more than a normal family would claim for is in contravention of the spirit of the rules as set out in the latest edition of the Green Book.

“It would appear that Mr Balls and Ms Cooper have had their family’s travel subsidised more than the travel of other members’ families.”

However, a spokesman for the couple said they had claimed within their limits and offset the cost by not claiming for a spouse allowance.

As both parents are MPs, it is not possible for either the husband or wife to stay and look after the children, he added.

Sharon Hodgson MP, the shadow children's minister, said: "This is a desperate new low from the Tories to try to drag their children into a political fight.

"Ed and Yvette have to be in Parliament and their constituencies each week and they also take their family responsibilities very seriously.

"Who on earth does Mr Bridgen think is supposed to look after their children if they have to leave them behind in London or Yorkshire? He isn't living in the real world.

"This is yet another bogus and politically-motivated complaint."

[SarahBell]

Oh please let this be where their smug faces get sorted out.

[porca misèria]

Oh please let this be where their smug faces get sorted out.

No, let's not.

Far better they fall on a substantial point than on a technicality. Even if it was a technicality that would stand up, as in the case of David Laws who got busted for claiming half what he could've done if he'd stuck strictly by the rules.

[South Lorne]

"Who on earth does Mr Bridgen think is supposed to look after their children if they have to leave them behind in London or Yorkshire? He isn't living in the real world.

"This is yet another bogus and politically-motivated complaint."[/i]

....the Green Book should be changed / adjusted to cater ...there have been other 'both parents MPs' and more in the future...no point making up the rules to suit self.....

[Timm]

"Who on earth does Mr Bridgen think is supposed to look after their children if they have to leave them behind in London or Yorkshire both the parents have to work because that's what you have to do if you want to afford somewhere to live these days?

[cybernoid]

Their kids must be fat if it took 14ks worth of extra petrol to take their kids with them.

Why is it even possible to claim for your children?

Whine whine we can't live the lifestyle we expect because our mp salaries are too low compared to the cost of living whine whine. And what do the rest of us do then? And whose fking fault is that in the first place!!!?

[Lepista]

Their kids must be fat if it took 14ks worth of extra petrol to take their kids with them.

Why is it even possible to claim for your children?

Whine whine we can't live the lifestyle we expect because our mp salaries are too low compared to the cost of living whine whine. And what do the rest of us do then? And whose fking fault is that in the first place!!!?

Why should MP's have ANY different priveliges than anybody else?

There are many, many people who have to work away from home, often all over the country.

Personally, I think that MP's should be paid minimum wage, and only be allowed to travel on public transport.

[Lepista]

Why should MP's have ANY different priveliges than anybody else?

There are many, many people who have to work away from home, often all over the country.

Personally, I think that MP's should be paid minimum wage, and only be allowed to travel on public transport.

edit: Oh, and have to live in council supplied housing, and their children attend the local school.

[Ulfar]

Ok questions really need to be asked.

Why did each child have to travel between London and constituency 125 times. That 62.5 round trips per month which is more than once a week.

How did they travel, if it was in a car have Yvette and Ed also claimed petrol for their own expenses. Did the children travel together in which case if it was by car why did you claim three times.

Was the car one provided for ministers and therefore no money should have been claimed.

This also raises the issue of how is a husband and wife representing two different constituencies surely they only live in one. If they aren't are they claiming two second home allowances.

the committee scrutinising this should be a lot more thorough, common sense shows that some of these claims although within the rules are not legitimate.

[JustAnotherProle]

Why should MP's have ANY different priveliges than anybody else?

There are many, many people who have to work away from home, often all over the country.

Personally, I think that MP's should be paid minimum wage, and only be allowed to travel on public transport.

Exactly, this would make them think twice about taking that extra few thousand pounds for a duck house if they had the risk of being confronted in public about it, personally I think that anyone who wishes to be in a position of power should be prevented from doing so straight away!.

MP's should be selected like jury service, 6 months at a time then all change, minimum wage plus expenses for travel, that would kill the gravy train in it's tracks.

Why exactly does a small island need so many of these leeches in parliment anyway? Cull them by 60%..lets see if that makes any difference...anyone want to bet against me that they won't even be noticed as missing?

[tinker]

Ed and Yvette lovely, honest, decent, upstanding people - why don't people just leave them alone.

Spare us the blooming career politician.

It should be a vocation for people to do out of their normal careers; a couple of years max to keep fresh blood coming through. I'm not sure about family dynasties in politics either (very prevalent in local politics).

As for 'experience', just look where it gets us having these 'experienced' politicians in place. Most know the square root of ****** all, and are mere cannon fodder for the real skulduggery. Maybe getting wiser souls in for relatively short periods (as in most walks of business life) might be good for the political scene.

When it comes to politics less is more. Less interfering, fewer stupid, ill-conceived laws, less opportunity to trough.

Edited March 7, 2011 by tinker

[interestrateripoff]

Part of me really wishes he got the labour party leadership job.

[Democorruptcy]

It's not as much as they made flipping houses.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23413257-cabinet-husband-and-wife-cash-in-on-two-homes-loophole.do

[winkie]

There is something about that couple that I feel very uneasy about....I just can't my finger on it...they say go with your gut feelings so I am.

[Bosh]

It's not as much as they made flipping houses.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23413257-cabinet-husband-and-wife-cash-in-on-two-homes-loophole.do

Reading this link made me genuinely dizzy and sick.

[Compukit UK101]

I agree with George

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piggies

Have you seen the little piggies

Crawling in the dirt

And for all the little piggies

Life is getting worse

Always having dirt to play around in.

Have you seen the bigger piggies

In their starched white shirts

You will find the bigger piggies

Stirring up the dirt

Always have clean shirts to play around in.

In their styes with all their backing

They don't care what goes on around

In their eyes there's something lacking

What they need's a damn good whacking.

Everywhere there's lots of piggies

Living piggy lives

You can see them out for dinner

With their piggy wives

Clutching forks and knives to eat their bacon.

[cybernoid]

'but but but...'

Frowny face of mock sincerity, look straight into the camera,

'it was The Right Thing To Do'

Won't somebody think of the children!

[STRboomer07]

It's not as much as they made flipping houses.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23413257-cabinet-husband-and-wife-cash-in-on-two-homes-loophole.do

Totally crooked couple.

So their 'second home' is

(1) where they live the MAJORITY of the time.

(2) where their children go to school.

(3) I imagine where all their post is sent !

So HTF is that a SECOND home?

Lying, thieving, champagne socialist troughers.

Lock the cheating bar stewards up and throw the keys away.

HOW THE HELL ARE 'HONOURABLE' MP's ALLOWED TO BE SO CORRUPT ?

They have no respect for the hard working tax payers (incomes of only £6500 and upwards) to pay for their socialist life style, cheating us out of 10's of £1000's.

ED (so what) Balls deserves to have that smirk wiped off his fat face. :angry: