Forum Topic

After they've gone...

...it would appear they are still fleecing us.Margaret Thatcher, it has been revealed, has claimed a total of £535,000 from the public purse since 2006.John Major has received £490,000.Tony Blair has been awarded £273,000 since 2007.  Indeed he received more in 2008-09 for "public duties" as a former PM than he did the year previously as a serving one!So if Dave doesn't make the grade you won't be seeing him selling The Big Issue in your local high street anytime soon.Does anybody know how much a sacked ex-postman is paid?  Or a redundant ex-nurse?http://news.sky.com/home/politics/article/16098067/

Phil Andrews ● 5033d7 Comments

In that case Susan don't you think it's an amusing irony that ex-MPs need to keep a fully staffed office to answer their mail when so many serving politicians completely ignore theirs?

Phil Andrews ● 5032d

Nina SimoneAfter Youve Gone

Paul Allen ● 5032d

I'm not condoning this waste of money but I can believe that Thatcher still gets lots of letters from the hard of thinking and needs an office staff to answer them.

Susan Kelly ● 5032d

Thatch has had £535,000 in the last five years! Un-bloody-believable. What with all these directors etc. getting huge rises while everyone else hasn't had a bean in a couple of years, who really is 'in it'? They're all 'in' clover while the rest of us are 'in' the sh*t.

Vanessa Smith ● 5033d

"I'll tell you the name of the game boys I'ts called ridin'the gravy train'

Keith Iddon ● 5033d

Agreed, but what "public duties" does an ex-Prime Minister perform that require him or her to maintain an office with staff at the taxpayer's expense?Especially one who is elderly, infirm and suffering from dementia?These people are no longer office holders.  They are not members of the government nor even of the shadow cabinet.  Other than a few speaking engagements, for which they would probably be remunerated anyway by those hiring them, I cannot think of any "duties" (as opposed to voluntary indulgences) that these people undertake on our behalf.  But I'm all ears if anybody else can.

Phil Andrews ● 5033d

But to be fair, its not free money for them to lie on a Barbados beach, drinking cocktails. Its expenses for office staff/travel for engagements as an ex PM. All of which has to accounted for with receipts etc.So basically £100k a year for maybe 2 office staff (60K ?)...so 40k for travel/accomm etc?Does seem a bit steep, but without seeing the details, difficult to say.

Nick Jenkins ● 5033d