HM Revenue to Probe all 646 MP's

Wednesday, 13 May 2009 10:32 Written by Grant Melrose

This is the headline I am waiting for.

It's not enough to apologise. It's not enough to pay back dodgy expenses just because you were caught out - and then try and look all righteous.

Surely MP's have demonstrated that they were quite willing to see what they could get away with. Does this attitude extend to how little they can get away with on public service duties? Is the same attitude reflected in their tax arrangements?

I would like to see the tax bill for each MP. Would I be surprised to find they have paid the absolute minimum amount of tax they can get away with? And of course, I bet they claim the Professional Fees for the Tax Advice.

So never mind reviewing expenses for the last 4 years. Can't HM Revenue go back 6 years to investigate MP's tax? All 646 of them? And surely, flipping homes to claim expenses, and then avoid Capital Gains tax is a criminal offence. So never mind writing a cheque to pay back the Revenue. What about the fines and interest? Haven't people gone to prison for less?  

If you abuse your public position, should you not loose that position ... without a severance package?