What do you think of our scamming MEPs?

Do you think we can trust our MEPs?

Read our exclusive look at MEP expenses here.

Click HERE to have your say.

Comments

[mark, uk]

we should get out of the EU TODAY!!
it is worse than having Hitler at the helm

[Jonathan Oakton]

Tom Wise seems to have done a remarkable job of showing this reporter the extent of the gravy trian in Brussells...Did somebody tip him off as to who this "student" really was ?

The real crooks in Brussells are the Conservative MEPs who have sent all their expenses money , laundered through their European People's Party, to the YES TO LISBON campaign fund... whilst Cameron was pretending to oppose Lisbon in the Commons, because the average conservative voter does not approve of the EU.
They are so easily fooled.

[Dave King]

Not surprised at all. Just spend a week in the shops, bars and restaurants around Berlaymont and you will hear them bragging, and see them shoppingas though there lives depend on it. I lived and worked in Brussels. Go to the Irish bars and just listen to their stories. They are happy to talk loudly so that everybody can here how much they are making on expenses etc..

[John Barnes]

When I wrote to my Tory MEP in 2006 for support on an improvement to the UK`s State Pension - the lowest State Pension based on national average earnings of all nations within the EU member nation states, his reply was - 'I would not like to see the UK State Pension scheme, however poor in comparison to EU member states, entering the same sort of system!'
Seems like a case of stuff you Jack I`m all right!
So come on, 'Big Debate' News of the World,
publish the whole facts on every UK MEP and indeed UK MP`s.
Let us - the people have all the facts! Perhaps we may all want to quit our jobs and become MEP`s and MP`s

[Bryan Lockhart]

I note some people think politicians might be "ashamed" of themselves.......mmmmmm.......people who don't know the meaning of the word "ENOUGH" I doubt can be shamed by anything.
It's crystal clear politicians be they MP's or MEP's only know the meaning of the words "I, ME, MY & Mine (and if it isn't mine I'll take it anyway), they are nothing but takers and users.
It's strange that whenever anyone appears to have been caught out they and their cronies are quick to say they have done nothing wrong, even when they have resigned they still say "I've done nothing wrong".
Let's face it we're talking about people, in this case Gordon Brown, who just 3 or 4years ago increased the state pension by a miserly 75p per week, the following week we found out why when he increased MP's salaries, expenses and allowances by an outrageous 13.5% which meant a minimum increase of £200 per WEEK, no wonder they all sat their with smiles on their faces slapping each other the back.....job well done Gordon.
What we should do is build a very high wall topped with razor wire, bolt and bar all doors and windows, install warders and call it Westminster Prison.
I personally do not vote but I do always go to the polling station to DESTROY my ballot slip, the reason is quit simple, I will never vote for people who I know are nothing short of criminals........and I suggest everyone do the same........they may well get the message then.
In the words of John Major they are all "bastards", I do appologise for my language but they are quick to direct and use derogetory langauge at us the electorate.
Personally I loathe and dispise all politicians and will continue to do so until there one I can vote for whom I beleive to be to be honest and trustworthy.....sadly I beleive that to be a long way off.

Bryan

[Viv]

How do we go about making a new party that the public will run that will knock these other parties off their perches. Then when we are in government we can lower taxes and stop giving our money away to other countries and keep our wages in line with every other person in this country. We should have a say in how our money is spent and who gets expenses and who gets pay rises. Come on people lets do something we cant and wont sit around getting scammed by these miserable money grabbing people any more. They get away with it because we let them. I say make a new party for the people run by the people. Its our money after all surely we should say where it goes????????????

[sandra ritchie]

i concurr with everything christine says people should just copy and paste this letter and hopefully some of the mps including gordon brown will read this and actually feel ashamed of themselves
read on and if you think christine is right then copy and paste it is time these people should sit up and take notice of what the man in the street actually says, the only time they listen is when we are voting them in Labour MPs and (MEPs) are a disgrace, they "self police" and therefore operate as a law unto themselves, I find it hard to believe that MPs have the right ("or have given themselves the right!") to set their own wage level & expense budget without some form of "external" audit or at least a performance related pay scheme to gauge an MPs effectiveness, I think lack of principles and sleaze runs deep in todays politicians, exorbitant expense claims, MPs employing non existent offspring to name a few are all testament to the real "core values of todays MPs who no longer view the role of a British MP/MEP as an honour and a way to serve the Great British public but instead see it as a way to obtain privillages and ride the "Gravy train". Time and again MPs have been proven to be less than trustworthy which in any other profession would call for a competency criteria review and greater monitoring of these so called "principled leaders of democracy" and not by themselves or by any other linked "in their pocket bodies" but a real unbiased external auditor.

How can the goverment justify spending over £100,000+ of tax payers money in an attempt to keep their expenses secret?, ("The Masons are more transparent than an MPs/MEPs allowances"),
who in this day and age is given an open cheque book to the tune of 23,000+ p/a to go shopping with no receipts required? and all this underwritten by the tax payer. This type of self-regulation by MPs stinks of "nod's, winks and shady behind the scenes deals beween themselves, a perfect example of self-aggrandizement.

(Q) How often do MPs attend Parliment?, lets say once or twice a week at most, why don't they stay in a Hotel?, (Ps....Ritz, Hilton or any other luxury hotel most definately excluded). Why not follow standard business practice?, if i work away i stay in a hotel, there is absolutely no plausable reason for British MPs to have expensive tax payer funded second homes, all around hard working UK citizens are losing their homes it's just another case of double standards, the Labour Party motto should be "LET THEM EAT CAKE!"
well done christine i would vote for you

[Chris Hickman]

Labour MPs and (MEPs) are a disgrace, they "self police" and therefore operate as a law unto themselves, I find it hard to believe that MPs have the right ("or have given themselves the right!") to set their own wage level & expense budget without some form of "external" audit or at least a performance related pay scheme to gauge an MPs effectiveness, I think lack of principles and sleaze runs deep in todays politicians, exorbitant expense claims, MPs employing non existent offspring to name a few are all testament to the real "core values of todays MPs who no longer view the role of a British MP/MEP as an honour and a way to serve the Great British public but instead see it as a way to obtain privillages and ride the "Gravy train". Time and again MPs have been proven to be less than trustworthy which in any other profession would call for a competency criteria review and greater monitoring of these so called "principled leaders of democracy" and not by themselves or by any other linked "in their pocket bodies" but a real unbiased external auditor.

How can the goverment justify spending over £100,000+ of tax payers money in an attempt to keep their expenses secret?, ("The Masons are more transparent than an MPs/MEPs allowances"),
who in this day and age is given an open cheque book to the tune of 23,000+ p/a to go shopping with no receipts required? and all this underwritten by the tax payer. This type of self-regulation by MPs stinks of "nod's, winks and shady behind the scenes deals beween themselves, a perfect example of self-aggrandizement.

(Q) How often do MPs attend Parliment?, lets say once or twice a week at most, why don't they stay in a Hotel?, (Ps....Ritz, Hilton or any other luxury hotel most definately excluded). Why not follow standard business practice?, if i work away i stay in a hotel, there is absolutely no plausable reason for British MPs to have expensive tax payer funded second homes, all around hard working UK citizens are losing their homes it's just another case of double standards, the Labour Party motto should be "LET THEM EAT CAKE!"

[Barb Miller]

I think everyone should stop going to work until this government steps down and a new one is formed by the UKIP and the BNP and maybe a minority showing of conservatives, we should immediatly get out of the EU, it's just a money scam that the politicians are in on, when you ask ANYONE what we get for the billions of pounds we give these 'people' no one can answer that's because the answer is NOTHING it's daylight robbery on the biggest scale ever known to man!!

[JOHN GENE ZENT]

MEP'S BUNCH OF WORTHLESS PARASITES GET RID OFF!!

[j larder]

We can but hope the Irish Referendrum results in a NO vote. Also about time Martin and all his cronies were kicked out of parliament, we have had a bit of luck getting rid of Blair ande USELESS Prescot in the past but a lot more need the BOOT. Our exhorbitant taxes are dished around the world with open hands also the MPs here have thier snouts firmly embedded in the trough BRITISH VOTERS GET WISE.

[Chris Hickman]

It's a shame that the hard working British people are treated like 'money sponges' to be continually 'rung out', decieved, denied, humoured and lied too by 'self serving EMPs, MPs, and other rats like Capitalist profiteers, who are given free rein by the goverment to exploit the people.

Isnt there one decent and honest EMP/MP in goverment who can be trusted to look after and protect the interests of the British people and not just there own? ("i'm not so sure"). MPs/EMPs are no more than 'fast talking conmen', i have nothing but total contempt for them, i would rather give Asama Bin Laden the time of day than a British EMP/MP.

[Rebecca Taylor]

There are a lot of hard-working dedicated MEPs who are in parliament sessions from first thing in the morning til late at night, spend their lunch "break" hosting a stakeholder event, their evening hosting/speaking at another stakeholder event, spend breaks between committee meetings/parliament sessions meeting constituents and interest groups and then spending their weekends attending still more meetings/public events etc. Add to this the fact that MEPs have to travel between their home country, Brussels & Strasbourg and I can tell you it's a tiring job (if you do it properly).

One point of information: many MEPs would gladly get rid of Strasbourg sessions (see the campaign www.oneseat.eu), but unfortunately, it is only the Council (EU governments) who can take that decision, which requires unanimity (i.e. France would have to agree...)

[Roger Helmer]

I am one of the MEPs accused of "exploiting the system" and "filling my boots". What had I actually done? I had found an administrative error in the calculation of my expenses by the parliament, and I had asked them to correct it. Some scandal. But I must say that I agree with those who say that we should simply close Brussels down. That is why I support the Better Off Out Campaign (www.betteroffout.co.uk). Readers may like to know that my salary today as an MEP is less than I earned in the private sector ten years ago -- despite a decade of inflation.

[Simon Marshland]

MPs have been on the take ever since it became possible. On the whole they are a greedy self interested ambitious and highly unattractive bunch. But before MPs were paid only the rich and privileged were able to take on the job and few people liked them either.

[Carol Morris]

All politicians protect their own self-ily nterests whether in the UK Parliament or Europe. It is an elitist club and they have taken advantage of the taxpayer for years. As Directors of Companies have had stringent rules placed on them about disclosure of their expenses, and other matters relating to tax and the running of their companies, the same rule should apply to politicians. They even get to vote themselves payrises and high pensions with no restraint imposed on them. I would like to see them exist on the just the state pension with no big savings in their bank accounts, but that's never going to happen!! The Euro Parliament has been the biggest con of all and the sooner it is abolished and each country goes back to governing itself the better for Europe as a whole. Britain is not the country I grew up in and since the labour party took control it has changed behyond recognition and not for the better. Soon only the rich or the people on benefit will be able to live here - the rest of us will have to find somewhere cheaper to live, that's if Gordon Brown allows us???

[Ian Hills]

Will Nigel Farage now reimburse the British taxpayer for his well-documented, expensive trip to a Strasburg lap-dancing club the other year? Or do the remaining 9 UKIP Eurocrats (out of 12 elected) intend to go on milking us for all we are worth until they are finally kicked out as posturing hypocrites at the next Euro elections?

[Greg L-W.]

Perhaps we should not be surprised when we realise that these are merely the bribes and bocellas made readily available to those willing to act as salesmen and women for betraying their Country and their peoples by acting to promote the evil values and lack of morality of this corrupt, centralised, undemocratic and unaccountable scam - that is so staggeringly damaging to the peoples not only of these United Kingdoms but to both UE members and the planet as a whole.
Not a single politician of repute has EVER provided a sound reason for the existence of the EU that is of any benefit to mankind that justifies the costs, dangers and risks - not to mention the loss of morality & integrity associated with institutionalised corruption.

[Robert H. Brown]

I've read all the comments and agree with nearly every single one...and I would like to take action and put myself forward to rid our nation of the corruption and fraud...make everyone accountable including myself to the laws of our once great nation. We have Law's already in place, we just need them enforced.
It's no good saying what's wrong and complaining about it... we need to stand up and be counted. Stand up now for what is right and what is going on is NOT RIGHT. Let's put together a plan together and fight for our future and children's future...the truth is that we the British people will no longer stand by and be robbed by our own government and the EU dictatorship. Enough is Enough...let's take back our country our forefathers fought and died for. I want to lead us back to FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY...NOT A POLICE STATE OR EU DICTATORSHIP.
We should not allow any individual to be above the law...all law breakers should be punished including MEP's % MP's. When a politician does something wrong...he should be the one that pays for his mistake NOT the tax payer...agreed.
We need to restore accountability in everything we do, take responsibilty and control in our lives each & everyone of us. Be totally transparent, honest and truthful with each other and more considerate towards each other especially the less forunate.
If we can form an action team and get started laying all else aside...then please, let's START TODAY...AND BEGIN THE FIGHT BACK.
NO MORE FUEL TAXES, NO MORE FOOD RISE INCREASES, NO MORE FAT-CAT PAY INCREASES, NO EU DIRECTIVES, NO MORE FRAUD, NO MORE CORRUPTION, NO MORE DIS-HONEST POLITICIANS OF ANY POLITICAL PARTY, AND NO MORE RESTRICTIONS ON OUR FREEDOMS... and that's just for starters.

[Elaine Goddard]

I think it is absolutely disgusting the way they are spending 'OUR' money. Its about time someone put a stop to this farce. How can they possibly claim expenses with out documentation to back it up. I would like to thank the News of the World for bringing this fiasco to our attention and hope that you can put forward something to stop it.

[Alan Johnson]

I believe that this is the tip of the iceberg that is politics today. The outcry over the 10p tax whilst I admit will effect many, will not do as much harm as the fuel rises. The government can do something, cut the tax. If petrol companies put fuel up by 5p why do the government increase the tax also. And this 10p tax band is taking the heat when realistically it's the MP's & MEP's salaries and expenses that are crippling this country. They GIVE billions to Europe for nothing, then TAKE millions for themselves. As if it's their right. The whole structure of government needs an overhaul, I'd begin by jailing all officials that have 'stolen' from the taxpayer, and recovering all the funds, in the same way as the do with criminals. Because thats what they are. Thieves all.

[Anne Palmer]

I am sorry if my previous 'comment' was too near to the truth for you to place on here. I will have another try now, just to say, "just suppose the 'Eurosceptics' are right about the Lisbon Treaty"?

You ask, "Do you think we can trust our MEP's". I no longer trust MEP's, MP's our Governments that do not keep the Manifesto promises to hold a referendum, that people believed they would hold a referendum when they voted Labour into power. There is no point in ANY Party making a Manifesto Promise any more-that is of course if we are not just ruled through the EU's Regional Assemblies for there really is no need of another Parliament because our new Government and Parliament will be in Brussels, won't it?

[Cllr Steven Pritchard]

I am a local conservative councillor and I find it disgraceful that our MEPs, from all groups, are treating the people of this country, and those of Europe, with such disdain and disrespect.
The working people of this country have a difficult time making budgets stretch to meet the ever increasing costs of living.
Public servants should receive only the cost for re-imbursement of receipts on appropriate expenditure for reasonable travel and food on EU business.
Travel to and from their place of work should be, like every one else in this country at their own expence!
It is however the European Parliament that allows this to happen and given the rules, the enormous pay packets, and the total lack of control abuse will be rife.
Any MEP who is found guilty of misuse of public funding should resign or be sacked.

[ThomasE-B]

I work in Brussels and here's the thing: many MEPs are useless at what they do while a select group of MEPs are actually doing a great job.
Tom Wise Is part of the former: he's a disgrace and seems to think that crafting public policy is a joke of an exercise: I would beg to differ.
That having been said, the fact that they can collect the difference between first class and budget travel IS quite shocking.
As for staff: most of them hire public policy experts that do an amazing job, those who hire their relatives are definitely in the minority. Note that this happens in all national parliaments.

Vote this guy out of office - please !

[Bedfordshire Councillor]

Having spoken to Tom today and in the past, he has told people openly of these expenses as he is against the system and rightly so.

What your reporter has shown seems to be within the rules and it is these stupid rules that give UKIP the votes and reasons for wanting out.