Revealed: MPs accepted more than £700,000 in free gifts and hospitality last year

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2024/sep/21/revealed-mps-accepted-more-than-700000-in-free-gifts-and-hospitality-last-year

Posted by Ok_Guest7276

14 Comments

  1. rocc_high_racks on

    A thousand and change per MP is actually commendably low. I’m all for getting money out of politics but I reckon this is actually very low for a country with an economy the same size as the UK.

  2. Hey new rule, the monetary value of any gift received is taken from their paycheques.

    Edit: MP downvotes :C

  3. Politicians can always do whatever they like with zero repercussions, that’s why they’ll continue to claim gifts. Everyone loves a freebie.

  4. MonitorPowerful5461 on

    So that’s less than a thousand per MP. A rich kid gets given more by their Grandma at christmas.

    It’s clear to me that publically recognised gifts are not the problem. Analyse by whether MPs are favouring certain organisations/people/corporations, not whether they’ve been given small material gifts.

  5. milkonyourmustache on

    It’s corruption and needs to be treated as treason. Similar to the separation of church and state, the state must be separated from the private sector. Lobbying is legalised bribery, it’s corruption and there can be no exceptions.

  6. Business_League7804 on

    “Tough times ahead” they say from their gilded thrones. It is disgusting just how far removed they are from everyday society.

  7. Would’ve been such good optics for Kier to nip this in the bud and bring in some legislation to bring MP’s in line with the rest of the public sector for gifts and not be able to accept anything over £50. Go for the “we’re not like the last lot” type statement. Guess we’re stuck with more of the same

  8. PuzzleheadedGrade116 on

    Robin Williams once said politicians should wear their sponsors on their clothes like nascar drivers so you know who your really voting for

  9. I need to ask permission from the head of the establishment as to whether we can accept or not for ANY gift of value. I recently had a saga because someone dropped off a bottle of wine and a £20 gift card. I needed to write a letter and return the gift card because it had a monetary value (I was allowed to keep wine) and I had numerous forms to fill in and get signed off by HR and heads of service.

  10. Square-Employee5539 on

    10% of this was just Keir lol. Tbh it’s only about £1,000 per MP. Not exactly vote-buying levels of gifting.