IDS £39 Breakfast expenses rejected

[Joshua Rose 10]

Perhaps because most lefties are morons?

 

Ha Ha Ha that is so funny

People on here will argue black is white

[nightrider 13]

I've stayed away on business and submitted a breakfast receipt for a similar amount - you don't get much choice in some hotels.

 

I don't get what the story is?

 

I have to go to some very expensive cities on business - still I've never even come close to paying £39 for breakfast. I cannot see how this would happen, unless I stayed in a 5 star hotel (which is not appropriate on a business trip IMO).

[truman 10]

I have to go to some very expensive cities on business - still I've never even come close to paying £39 for breakfast. I cannot see how this would happen, unless I stayed in a 5 star hotel (which is not appropriate on a business trip IMO).

 

We don't know whether it was just for IDS or for more than one person. breakfast meeting to do with government maybe..? The Mirror has failed to give any details..........

[F. Sidebottom 10]

I have to go to some very expensive cities on business - still I've never even come close to paying £39 for breakfast. I cannot see how this would happen, unless I stayed in a 5 star hotel (which is not appropriate on a business trip IMO).

 

It all depends on the type of champagne you have on your cornflakes

[L00b 441]

I have to go to some very expensive cities on business - still I've never even come close to paying £39 for breakfast. I cannot see how this would happen, unless I stayed in a 5 star hotel (which is not appropriate on a business trip IMO).

Very easily: coffees and miniatures for 4 people in Washington hotel (Fairfax at Embassy Row, central-ish, walkable to Walter E. Washington Convention Center (WCC)). Early May 2012, smack in the middle of "international convention season". >£50 IIRC.

 

Business expense, and beats flights and hotels to go visit the 3 guests individually in their respective countries (Poland, Brazil, Canada) hands-down

Edited May 14, 2013 by L00b

[Staunton 18]

If you think he does so many bad works then there is no need to mention such a non-story.

 

On the contrary! There is every reason to mention such double standards. The more people who encounter such issues and come to an awareness of the sleeze and dishonesty at the heart of UK politics the better.

 

---------- Post added 14-05-2013 at 20:13 ----------

 

And you'd do it for free would you?

 

People need to eat, and pay for shelter and essential services such as water and power.

 

Ordinary people like nurses, social workers, administration assistants, mechaics, bricklayers, shop staff, call centre workers, bus drivers or care assistants don't earn enought to accrue a large personal fortune, so we require a regular income if we are to meet our bills, pay our council tax, pay for our shopping. There is no mystery in this.

[F. Sidebottom 10]

On the contrary! There is every reason to mention such double standards. The more people who encounter such issues and come to an awareness of the sleeze and dishonesty at the heart of UK politics the better.

 

---------- Post added 14-05-2013 at 20:13 ----------

 

 

People need to eat, and pay for shelter and essential services such as water and power.

 

Ordinary people like nurses, social workers, administration assistants, mechaics, bricklayers, shop staff, call centre workers, bus drivers or care assistants don't earn enought to accrue a large personal fortune, so we require a regular income if we are to meet our bills, pay our council tax, pay for our shopping. There is no mystery in this.

 

The accusation that I was responding to was that IDS, and all other MP's, are only in it for the money.

 

My response was that we all work for money.

 

What's wrong with that? Why should MP's be any different?

[Staunton 18]

The accusation that I was responding to was that IDS, and all other MP's, are only in it for the money.

 

My response was that we all work for money.

 

What's wrong with that? Why should MP's be any different?

 

Mr Duncan Smith, Mr Cameron, Mr Osborne and their friends on the tory right are motivated by much more than parliamentary salaries and expenses.

[poppet2 13]

Not something I would wish on anyone...dirty, horrible places, and overpriced at £19 a room.

 

Sounds perfect then for those MPs who have their snouts in the trough.

[F. Sidebottom 10]

Mr Duncan Smith, Mr Cameron, Mr Osborne and their friends on the tory right are motivated by much more than parliamentary salaries and expenses.

 

I think you'll find that MP's from all sides of the house were embroiled in expense scandals. To suggest that one party is morally superior (or inferior) to another is once again paranoid foolishness feasted on by the gullible.

[whiteowl 54]

I think you'll find that MP's from all sides of the house were embroiled in expense scandals. To suggest that one party is morally superior (or inferior) to another is once again paranoid foolishness feasted on by the gullible.

 

I agree but I think the point most people have a problem with is that this man has spent £39 on a breakfast whilst claiming people can live for a week on £53 and other politicians have not. It stinks of hypocrisy, however as the Mirror has not provided enough details and as many others (including myself) have pointed out, breakfast can be a legitimate claim, we shouldn't jump to conclusions.

So I guess he's done nothing wrong. The moral outrage on this storey probably depends on how you like your public figures. I'm not, and I don't think many are, big fans of people who say "do as I say, not as I do" as I don't think they have other peoples best interests at heart.

[ECCOnoob 1,051]

The whole story is a complete non event s**tstirring attempt by the Labour propaganda machine disguised as the Daily Mirror.

 

Anyone who has travelled on business in your mid range business hotel will know that even a basic crappy buffet breakfast can be anything between £12 - £20 on top of the bill.

 

One assumes that being a senior level politician IDS would be put in a higher level hotel so it is very likely charges would be even more.

 

The fact remains that nobody knows what this claim was for. It could have been a breakfast meeting in a restaurant, an overnight stay which required breakfast and maybe a few morning coffees, or maybe he was just trying it on (like many other expense claimants do).

 

Nobody knows. Certainly the Mirror doesn't.

 

Good god, I have had client lunches and even tea and coffee sessions during meetings nearly three times that amount.

 

Like it or not the civil service does have to incur a certain level of expense to operate. Their employees, servants and agents have costs that need paying.

 

If a seemingly non authorised £39 breakfast charge is the biggest political issue the Mirror could choose from that day, I think their journalists need to look harder. If they were so thorough where is the detailed explanation as to why it was rejected.

 

Lets get back to earth here. How many of those foamy mouthed commenters have ever shoved something through expenses. How many of them are self employed and ever tried shoving some reclaim on the tax return not strictly a genuine "business expense". Just the other day I heard someone boasting how they managed to get tax back for a telly and shiny new laptop for their alleged "work"

Edited May 14, 2013 by ECCOnoob