The Gabem Umbrella Companies Blog:
Home of Umbrella Company Gossip Online

It might be something you wouldn't expect to hear from someone working for an umbrella company, but during the the weeks of the MPs expenses scandal I've really come to appreciate HMRC. This is the sort of issue they can really get their teeth into, and it's great to see they've started with 'the cost of maintaining a second home must be "wholly" incurred in the performance of their parliamentary duties'.

Now aside from any feelings I have about MPs being able to claim a second home as an expense, the fact that the "wholly incurred in the performance of their [parliamentary] duties" rule is being applied is a significant step, it's a rule that applies to everyone else so why not the MPs.

I don't think anyone will argue that when it comes to investigation, HMRC are good at what they do. We may not always like the result but they do get to the bottom of things. If they are even half as thorough as the audit carried out on us prior to receiving our expense dispensation, the MPs are in for an interesting and potentially expensive time.

I can't wait until they start on the MEP's - will the other member states join in the purge? I wonder if this will affect the way we vote in next month's elections.

Hugo
28/05/2009