MP's allowances? Come take a look

No-one likes having their dirty laundry aired in public. Infact, no-one likes having their laundry aired in public full stop, be it clean or otherwise. Try telling the national press that those Dangermouse underpants were simply an 'ironic' gift from a girlfriend. Go on. We dare you.

Some people, of course, are bound out of that old-fashioned ideal of 'duty' to share all their secrets, especially those who've been hoisted up to a position of power by the huddled masses. Step forward, then, every existing member of Parliament: if you've got any financial skeletons in your respective closets, now would be the time to admit it. Go on. We dare you.

Following a Freedom Of Information case brought forward by the BBC - possibly as revenge for government plans to bugger them up completely - the House Of Commons has agreed to disclose details of "second home allowances" dished out to 20 prominent MPs since 2004. So if David Cameron has an undersea volcano housing a set of nuclear death-rays and tanks of BoJo-supporting mutant sharks, you'll be able to read all about it on the cover of the Daily Sport.

Actually, there's nothing as exciting as that. Early indications show that the most we'll learn about is "David Cameron's mortgage payments on his Oxfordshire constituency house", and "repairs carried out to Gordon Brown's flat in Westminster". Having said that, though, ministers can expect a fair degree of backlash if they've shelled out thousands on an original Lowri painting because it "keeps them in touch with the little people" ...

Written by C J Davies on 4 Apr 2008 12:29 AM. Permalink