public outrage

You’d think that MPs might have learnt from the expenses scandal of a couple of years ago, but you would apparently be wrong. MPs under Tony Blair fought like hell to keep their expenses secret, and failed. When details finally emerged, there was public outrage, not only because there was widespread corruption among our politicians (several ended up in jail) but also because it looked very much as though they were abusing their position to hide their transgressions and maintain the status quo. Today sees a report in the Telegraph however which suggests that the Speaker of the house is once again trying to block the publication of expenses details because once again our politicians are exploiting the system and trousering taxpayers’ money.

It’s not quite clear exactly why the blocking of the release of this information is required. It has been put down to “security”. Specifically it would seem that the speaker and some MPs are worried about the security risks of releasing the names of MPs’ landlords. Why this would be a security risk is not made clear. It has been suggested that some MPs who have a residence in London which they could use for themselves, are in fact renting the property out to other MPs and renting another property for their own use from their tenant. Both MPs can then claim rent expenses while their properties gain value.

An 11 year old from Somerset has been told he can’t become a boy scout because he doesn’t believe in God, and they won’t let him make the promise unless he swears to God and the Queen. Apparently muslim children can become scouts. They simply have to substitute Allah for God, when they make their promise. Similar allowances are made for other faiths, but it turns out, if you don’t have a faith, you’re out of the gang. I’m pretty sure that is discrimination. I’d like to see a legal case come out of this. I find it genuinely astounding that this organisation is able to accept two opposing religions, but not atheists.

And finally, apparently a naked woman has been riding on the Vienna underground for reasons that appear to be unclear. Those wacky Austrians seemingly didn’t think to ask her why she was swanning around naked in freezing weather, though one of them did think to record the moment on mobile phone. Click the link, it is SFW.