"The constant refrain in newspaper coverage is that “there is no suggestion any rules have been broken”. This surely is the point – the regulations surrounding payment of allowances and expenses remain far too vague and need transparent tightening."
"A culture of cynicism has grown up with an understanding that some of the burgeoning allowances could be siphoned off as the equivalent of salary." "The public recognise that these sorts of allowances should be properly designed to cover the additional costs of living in London. No mortgage interest payments. No re-mortgaging at will. No pocketing of capital gains on the sale of a tax-payer funded second home. No payment of additional monthly grocery and food bill. All of the aforementioned are surely the purpose of a basic salary."
Mark Field MP didn't write these things yesterday or last month but last July. Read his full piece here.
