This is what they think of us. They don't give a flying f6ck about anything bthat lining their own pockets and having a ball at our expense. Thhis is where your tax is going. How they get away with this is beyond me. Remember, this information was a STATE SECRET until Blair left. Rotten to the core, the whole system. There are charities on the TV crying out for a couple of quid a month to help those in need and they spend our money like water. OOOHH I'm boiling :rant: :rant:

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2140355.ece

Check out the 59 things that would have remained secret. I'm speechless.

Mr Blair received an iPod from Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

Arnold's a cheep skate considering everyone else gave him Afgan rugs etc!

 

:rofl:

thank god that weak man is no longer running this country.!!

Check out the 59 things that would have remained secret. I'm speechless.

 

Gordon Brown gave two gifts while in office: a case of whisky to Sir Edward George when he retired as Governor of the Bank of England and an early edition of Fiesta Readers Wives for Clint Thrust when he retired from the US Federal Reserve.

 

speechless indeed :x: ;) :rofl:

I know journalists are told "never let the facts stand in the way of a good story" but here are some:

 

1) Blair didn't keep any of the gifts (unlike Thatcher). Here's a quote from the same story

Under the ministerial code, members of the Government must pay the equivalent value to keep the gifts. Mr Blair rejected all of them, and they were retained by 10 Downing Street.

So Blair hasn't benefited, the gifts are retained by the State.

 

2) Mrs Thatcher's gifts (also released under the Freedom of Information Act) are here

 

3) The Freedom of Information Act was brought in by the Blair government so you would not have found out about the 59 "secrets" if it wasn't for Blair.

its about time politicians woke and realised what they were here for, that is to run the country for the better of the British people, not to receive extravagant gifts 9whether they chose to buy them out of the tax payetrs money or not), hold s****y parties or line their own pockets.

 

Yes they do hold responsible jobs and make life changing decisions, HOWEVER, they should pay for their own living and if they want totally over the top celebrity parties, they should fund them, themselves and not use the money of the British tax payer for their own gratification.

its about time politicians woke and realised what they were here for, that is to run the country for the better of the British people,

Yup they are public servants, but some where down the line they seem to have forgot that part of the job description. Hang em all, hang em high!

Those travel costs don't seem so bad to me, mine can be pretty serious and I don't have to worry about decent hotels and additional security etc.

I know journalists are told "never let the facts stand in the way of a good story" but here are some:

 

1) Blair didn't keep any of the gifts (unlike Thatcher). Here's a quote from the same story So Blair hasn't benefited, the gifts are retained by the State.

 

2) Mrs Thatcher's gifts (also released under the Freedom of Information Act) are here

 

3) The Freedom of Information Act was brought in by the Blair government so you would not have found out about the 59 "secrets" if it wasn't for Blair.

 

This is indeed so - and I am not one of TB's fans - in fact I am a old Thatcherite!

 

I believe Tony kept a guitar though.....

 

Looking at Maggie's gifts, she did purchase a few but the majority were "retained by the PM's office" It doesn't say exactly that she kept them, it could be that "The PM's Office" implies the state have them......

 

......who knows ;)

 

Richard :D

On a similar note though, I heard that when the Blairs left No 10, their house in Connaught Square was not ready so the family were allowed to stay at Chequers for a short while FOC.....

 

I live very near Chequers and pass by each day going to work. There was no security on during the time they were meant to be there - unlike when he was resident whilst still PM.

 

Richard

Can't say I'm speechless. The leader of one of the most powerful and rich countries in the world gave gifts to the President of the most powerful country in the world that were all worth more than 140 quid! And having a frivolous holiday to that popular destination the 'middle east' (when his next job is Peace Envoy to the middle east and could have major implications on the future of the world).

Having a couple of musicians to dinner over a term of 10yrs isn't exactly terrible. And the biggest travel expenses there are for a party of 10 people at £80k. £8k a person for a bunch of polititions running the country isn't much. The average holiday to Dubai would be several grand.

Bit of a tabloid style 'make a story out of nothing' if you ask me?

Can't say I'm speechless. The leader of one of the most powerful and rich countries in the world gave gifts to the President of the most powerful country in the world that were all worth more than 140 quid! And having a frivolous holiday to that popular destination the 'middle east' (when his next job is Peace Envoy to the middle east and could have major implications on the future of the world).

Having a couple of musicians to dinner over a term of 10yrs isn't exactly terrible. And the biggest travel expenses there are for a party of 10 people at £80k. £8k a person for a bunch of polititions running the country isn't much. The average holiday to Dubai would be several grand.

Bit of a tabloid style 'make a story out of nothing' if you ask me?

 

 

As much as i hate Labour and Blair I have to agree with you here.

There is nothing we could do then and there is nothing we could do now. :headvswal

 

The whole business of control has many guises. Slowly Slowly catchy monkey, Full on attack, get your confidence and then do the total opposite. The govenment have always been the same its just that they take a little bit more each time.

 

George Orwell wrote the novel 1984 which basically predicted a police state where all humans had no rights to individuality. A wonderful thing for any govenment. He's real name was ERIC BLAIR...... :D