Should we be paying to facilitate this tory MP's pillow talk?

[sandyRoe]

http://www.dailymail....lessons-expenses.html

Almost makes having your moat cleaned or getting a duck house seem respectable.

[Gromit]

// The Grantham MP met Mr Meshulam on a Conservative Friends of Israel trip and they had a civil ceremony last March. //

That's just taking things too far.

// He is not the first MP to put language lessons on expenses.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt charged taxpayers over £3,000 to learn Mandarin after marrying a Chinese woman. //

Wonder why the homophobic Daily Mail lead this story with the gay MP when Hunt, who is a more senior and a Cabinet Minister claimed 5 times more expenses

[ummmm]

Is there a section on SA forms where we can claim for language lessons?

[daisya]

I am appalled at anyone who claims for anything on expenses which they should imo be paying for themselves. The fact that we pay for it is much worse - how dare he/they.

[Gromit]

You can claim for language lessons on Self Assessment forms and it is a deductable expense if it is essential to your job.

Learning the language of your foreign partner is not going to improve an MPs skills or ability to represent his/her constituency. This perk needs to be tightened and only allowed if it is work related not for personal gain.

[Duncer]

Surely if a language is a requirement of your work then you should have that skill before even thinking about applying for the job?

It reminds me of the Belfast City Councillors who had lessons in public speaking at tax-payers expense.

[anotheoldgit]

Don't believe everything you read Sandy, did you not notice it was a Daily Mail link that you used?

[sandyRoe]

Even The Mail must get things right occasionally.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// Wonder why the homophobic Daily Mail lead this story with the gay MP when Hunt, who is a more senior and a Cabinet Minister claimed 5 times more expenses ///

Perhaps it was because the Daily Mail lead with that story, one year ago.

http://www.dailymail....y-learn-Mandarin.html

[anotheoldgit]

sandyRoe

/// Even The Mail must get things right occasionally. ///

You mean on those occasions when the Left agree with what they say.

[sandyRoe]

When they're castigating a Tory friend of Israel how could they manage to get it wrong?

[sir.prize]

It seems that MPs can charge everything to their expenses.

Unlike us,they do not finance their living from their salary.

Even their TV licence is free.

Scavengers - the lot of 'em.

[Gromit]

// The pair are among nine MPs who got free classes in the last financial year. //

OK then, why did the lead this story with him and not one of the other seven who also claimed the benefit. They do not even name those.

[jake-the-peg]

I think you're being a bit mean spirited about what "they" and "we" can do.

I worked for a company that paid for us all to have German Lessons (not that it did me mucjh good)

My current company is recompensing me for expenditure on my masters degree I'm currently studying

I think that the reason that this is being highlighted is that there is an implication that his motivation for studying Hebrew is personal and not professional.

I'm sure he'd point out his Israeli links - in response I'd point out that his association with Tory friends of Israel is a party political interest and not a Government or constituancy one.

Perhaps he has a professional reason for studying this bu lst I heard Grantham wasn't a particularly Jewish Town

[Hopkirk]

He will be out at the next election with this kind of publicity.

[FredPuli43]

No, we shouldn't. A company or an individual will pay tax on any expenditure which is not an expense essential to their business.MPs' salaries should have the same rule applied. This benefit is not essential to the MP's job, but personal: it's hard to see how language lessons would be a justified expense for any MP, since few of them deal with foreigners as part of their work and those that do would need to be fluent, an unlikely outcome. That's what interpreters are for. It should be treated as part of taxable income but I bet it won't be !

[anotheoldgit]

/// OK then, why did the lead this story with him and not one of the other seven who also claimed the benefit. They do not even name those. ///

Stop keep trying to move the goal posts Gromit, you asked about Jeremy Hunt, with no mention of any other seven.

[sandyRoe]

Isn't this the same chap who believes that bus passes, Winter fuel allowances, and free prescriptions for us older folk, is only throwing good money after bad?

[sir.prize]

Yes Sandy. He often talks a load of Boles.

[sir.prize]

As Oscar Wilde said: "Politicians are like baby daipers, and should be changed for the same reasons"

[eyethenkyew]

No, of course we shouldn't have to foot the bill for this just so that this MP can whisper sweet nothings in his boyfriend's ear.