The Gabem Umbrella Companies Blog:
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Today I think we've had a bit of an object lesson in claiming only legitimate expenses with Jacqui Smith "mistakenly" (artful use of inverted commas there by the BBC, bravo) claiming two adult movies on commons expenses. Now as much as it's fun to dwell on thoughts about whether or not anyone could blame Mr. Smith for watching those movies or who indeed actually did the watching, that's not the issue.

The issue is that it appears there is a belief that the MPs expenses form part of their remuneration package and not "expenses incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the performance of [her] duties". That's a phrase that our umbrella company employees will be very familiar with, as it's the declaration that they and everyone claiming business expenses has to make.

The difference here is that the items MPs can claim is exceedingly loose, and consequently open to misuse/abuse. I think anyone would be tempted to pad out a claim if they had a £250 limit on unreceipted expenses, and don't even get me started on second houses. Rather than don't claim, the message here seems to be don't get caught. Whatever happened to leading by example?

I offer you a simple solution, and I am sure the irony won't escape you; give us at Gabem the MPs expense claims, let us go over them and I guarantee that at the end of it all we'll have saved you, me and the rest of the country some money.

Hugo
30/03/2009