| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:MPs expenses | |
| Posted by: | Roland Gilmore | |
| Date/Time: | 20/05/09 11:38:00 |
| Figures in Euros:- Salary 70K Pension 70K Staffing Allowance 203K Office expenses 48K Daily Allowance 57K Travel 20K TOTAL 468K per annum; about £425K but even this is not the whole of it. As for Commissioners:- Basic salary 206K other Allowances 44.2K On Taking up their duty 38.5K On Leaving office 19.25K + 103K per year for 3 years + pension dependant on length of time in office. This is due to change after the June elections when salary will be fixed at 38.5% of a European Court of Justice judges salary. For British MEPs this means a "modest" increase of 32% compared to 200% for Polish MEPs and 214% for those from Czech Republic! What a Great "Principal" to support! On top of all this, there are many other subsidies such as the best multi-lingual "private" education in the world for MEPs children. Cost - 30 Million Euros/annum. The scale of abuses appears to be more prevalent than in our own corrupt parliament. The exposure of Giles Chichester last year (at that time Conservative Leader in the European Parlaiment), having paid £445,000 to a company of which he and his wife were paid directors (receiving £158,938) for secretarial and assistant services is a case in point. Un-suprisingly he said he had made a mistake and was cleared of any wrong-doing by the EU parliament. He was demoted by David Cameron but kept his job. On past performance, I find it unbelievable that David Cameron's recent statements will actually create any tangible moral recovery within his party. What is the "European principle" you refer to? The imposition of VAT? The 58Bn Euro per year subsidy to farming and rural development or the removal of our right to management of our fishing industry or perhaps the removal of parlaiment's right to form most of our country's laws? EU fraud is running at over £1Bn euros/year (the "official" figure). Is it so suprising the EU can not find a reputable auditor to sign off their accounts? Ironically, the Lisbon Treaty (the "Constitution" Labour promised then denied us a referendum on) creates the legal framwork for the UK to leave the EU. From discussions with friends and family, I do feel the pro-EU partys are going to see fewer MEPs following this election. |