EXPENSIVE MISTAKES..

Another day, another MP's expenses claim leak. Today's include Bill Wiggin, a Shadow Minister who claims to have put down the wrong address on his expenses form by mistake and therefore claimed mortgage interest on his family home that he hasn't even got a mortgage on the lucky man (lucky for having no mortgage obviously, not so lucky for being found out!). Of course Bill, we all know you meant to put the London apartment address down but got confused by the oh-so-difficult PAAE form filling exercise (see common sense in my last blog). He seems to have claimed up to £20k a year since 2001/02 based on the info at theyworkforyou.com. Useful error to have made.

On the subject of this mistake, let's have a look at Bill's past life - might he be an ordinary bloke from the street that found himself elected as an MP and therefore prone to making adminstrative mistakes? Here's his wiki entry:
Wiggin is the son of former MP Jerry Wiggin.. He attended Eton and later read Economics at the University of Wales, Bangor. He also served in the Royal Welch Fusiliers in the TA, being a platoon commander for Holyhead, Bangor and Caernarfon. Following this, Wiggin worked as a Trader in Foreign Exchange Options for UBS from 1991-3, then was an Associate Director of Kleinwort Benson from 1994-98, then as a manager in the Foreign Exchange department of Commerzbank from 1998..

But, just one minute! It might not be Bill's fault! This is from the House of Commons guidance on filling out PAAE2 forms: If you have a mortgage, a copy of your annual statement of interest must be provided each year to the Department. If it is not clear from this documentation what the amount of interest payable is on the property, further evidence may be required. You must also inform the Department of any alterations to the terms of your mortgage.

How could this mistake have gone un-noticed if he was being asked to provide a mortgage statement of interest based on a home that had no mortgage on it? The system was not exactly well policed? Maybe we have been paying an extortionate amount to some private consultancy company (insert any big name here) to 'audit' the process. Maybe this is the next scandal? One whose Board is made up of senior former MPs or is advised by current MPs?

At the moment it would seem the whole UK political stack is about to tumble. Some of my more left wing friends are calling for the next Guy Fawkes and looking forward to an entirely new political process to replace what can only be described as the pile of poo that we have right now. I'm not so optimistic about it all really. If you scan the websites of the popluar newspapers - NOTW, Sun etc they do mention political troubles. But todays for example also mention in as many column inches, if not more;

1. Some guy off The Apprentice who allegedly swallowed a hamster at a party?
2 Some woman off The Apprentice who stripped for some photos?
(note: both of the above come above the MPs expenses story)
3 Some woman with fake tits (who Polko actually likes for her menipulation [sic] of the media) who has thrown out her husband and his personal chattels - including a first copy of his CD single, Mysterious Girl - what's he going to do without it I ask?

etc

etc

And of course, there's a whole dollop of football news in there too.

God save us all. If only you were real God.

Which brings me to football. Well, almost. This Friday sees the release of a movie that is based on a book that has been wallowing around for some years. The movie is called Away Days. Great website. Really well thought out write up about football hooligan fashion at the turn of the 1980s. Shame that the fashion world is trying to jump on the bandwagon and re-release all those clothes all over again. Don't get me wrong, I would love to buy another blue benetton rugby shirt, but people are going to look prize dicks walking around in Sergio Tacchini tracksuits and Kappa roll-necks in the 21st Century. I cannot believe the amount of people that have started speaking about various items of retro dresser wear - like the book's author I find it hard to talk about the cult as 'football casuals' as there was nothing casual about the £200+ Valentino and Armani jumpers I was wearing in the early 80s, or the trainers that cost then what they do now. How did we all afford it? That's for another blog methinks :-)

So, to all those people who claim to have been there in the thick of it - you weren't there mate, you couldn't have been, otherwise I'd know ya! (my sense of humour knows no bounds?)

Anyway, it was great. It is over. Let's leave it at that. And a picture.