Share |
The truths they don't want you to read....

Thursday, December 10, 2009

How to deal with 'staff'

With the latest expenses claims for MPs now being available on the web, I took a look at those claimed by our esteemed MP.

There is barely a claim that has been properly completed or for which all the supporting documentation is in place, and the vast majority have had some amount (often quite large) disallowed.  The sheer shoddiness of the claims is appalling, and they clearly have been cast into the Claims Office for the minions to sort out.

Let's not mention the threats of legal action for non-payment of bills.

The best bit, however, is the very final document, which is an email exchange between MacNeil and the Fees Office.  It perhaps epitomises everything that is wrong with the current system, and just how the whole system went so badly wrong.

A rude and bullying email by our MP justifying why he doesn't bother to put his claims in by the deadlines (and why should he, he implies) is met with an obsequious crawling response from the officials, who duly interpret the rules in a more flexible manner.

It really is a shame that MacNeil has to bother himself to actually produce receipts to justify buying £158.50 of nice new bed linen from John Lewis, to replace the nice new bed linen previously claimed.  A king-size duvet cover at £58.50;  mmmm, nice.

I wish I had a job that paid those sorts of expenses......

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is more than a little irony in the press statement that Mr MacNeil has also issued today. It begins with the words;

'Alastair Darling should admit he got his sums wrong ...'

Aye - but at least Mr Darling (for all his faults) manages to gets his basic punctuation and sentencing right in the statements he issues to the press.

That's more than can be said for AB.

Anonymous said...

Lazy Chicken,
This post is unkind and unwarranted, why should your hardworking MP travel to London to hand in his expenses like other MPs?
After all, as he rightly points out in his e-mail to parliamentary staff, he has much to do in Barra, what with fencing, dancing, potato planting, sheep shearing and other activities.
You would think by now those spineless pettifoggers down in London would know that Mr. MacNeil, because of his great and pre-eminent stature as a parliamentarian, deserves and warrants special treatment, not like your common or normal MP, at all, at all!
Little wonder that after this shabby treatment he blames London for everything and crawls under his Shonny Lewis ( and outrage, why not Shonny Barra?) King Size, deluxe douvet for some comfort?

Anonymous said...

Any claims this time for toblorones or Stella or private pipers.

Laudrup said...

Page 103..... Beyond belief.

Anonymous said...

Leaving aside party politics, I don't know what troubles me most about Angus Brendan - the utter lack of shame or the complete lack of professionalism?

He campaigns against corruption yet doesn't seem to recognise its foul and rancid smell when it emanates from himself.

He fails to campaign - in a professional and considered manner - for the jobs of people of Benbecula.

When Roseanna Cunningham, the Minister of Rural Affairs in the SNP Government comes out with a statement that affects the jobs of those in the Harris Tweed industry, he criticises his local opponent for criticising her, showing his first loyalty is to his party - and not his consituency.

If he were appearing in the 'X Factor', Simon Cowell wouldn't let him past the first rehearsal.

Let us hope the voters of the WI decide he doesn't have the X factor either.It's long past time he was voted off the show.

Anonymous said...

In 6 months time he will be with his fat tory mate Robert Keys looking for a new job. While we in the Western Isles will have an MP in Donald John Macsween working for the Western Isles.

Anonymous said...

Did you hear Barra Bhuoy on Radio this morning. He was saying that this was the best time for independence with the state the UK is in.

Is he so thick or does he think the electorate or thick that we do not realise if it was not for the UK government Scotland would have been like Zmbabwe if they had not saved Slimey Salmonds beloved banks.

I heard him mention Norway a few times today. But I also noticed he has stopped mentioning Iceland and his beloved Irish Republic as their economy is in deep s**t.

Maybe when he is thrown out at the next elecion he can F**K off over there to stay cause he aint welcome in the Western Isles.

Anonymous said...

AB's greatest electoral advantage is not what he has or hasn't done - Its his opponent DJM.

Anonymous said...

Why does esteemed of Barra insist that the allowances office send any documentation/advice slips to 'his London address'? Surely that's the kind of information that should be sent to his main residence??? Or is there someone at that address who may have questions to ask......

Anonymous said...

Re page 103 - Does Mr Macneil ever respond to his constituents in a speedy manner - maybe this is him getting treated as he treats others!! Does he ever respond by e mail or phone?? Sometimes you are lucky to even get a response. He should HELP his constituents - look out for their interests instead of cowering in the shadow of those who are currently control the Western Isles.

Anonymous said...

i am sorry AB but i don't really see how new bed linen effects your ability to do a job - unless you are a male prostitute!

Anonymous said...

RE 8.17 pm

I appreciate D J MacSween is not without fault - but surely, anyone would be better than AB (the Amateur Barrach).