Welsh Assembly members’ expenses claims included a £2,000 sofa, a £1,000 surround-sound TV, right down to a £2 glass bowl, it has been revealed by the BBC under the Freedom of information Act.
So what does this reveal about our trusted and underpaid AMs? That Lesley Griffiths (sofa so good) has a big bum? That Nick Ramsey (surround sound) is such a cool dude? That nice Lynne Neagle is a bookworm who hides behind fine and fancy curtains and offers her guests peanuts from a glass bowl?
Methinks we need more important detail than this please BBC. How many properties (second homes in Cardiff) have been paid for by the taxpayer in mortgage support for instance and have they been assessed for and paid the relevant taxes and been audited in the same way as the rest of us poor mortals are? I think we need to know so that an informed judgement can be made the next time they are up for election.
Personally, I think many of our AMs are grossly underpaid and under-rewarded for what they do; but… in the present skeptical climate and given some rotten apple examples in the Pork Palace of Westminster, other people don’t think the way I do. I am such a trusting soul. In Wales, we are very fortunate indeed not to have such poor representatives of the people as exist across the Severn.
Still, it doesn’t do any harm to have a look inside the pork barrel from time to time. Just in case. Does it?
Update: the pdf with all the details is here
Update: Wah hey! This story has attained PorkBuster status from Guido Fawkes
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