Yesterday the UK Parliament's ethics watchdog published his recommendations for reform of the expenses system. A key proposal was to reduce the "resettlement grant" - a golden handshake for MPs who voluntarily step down - from £64,000 to around £11,000. And apparently MPs are not happy:
More MPs are set to stand down at next year’s general election in order to take advantage of “golden handshakes” of up to £65,000 that will not apply at future elections.Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say. If they're in politics for the money, then the UK Parliament is much better off without them. They're in the top 5% of income earners; isn't that enough for them?Senior figures in all political parties warned that the new expenses regime announced on Wednesday will provide a “perverse incentive” for MPs to “take the money and run”, as one put it. Whips believe another 50 could decide to quit, on top of the 114 who have already announced that they will leave Parliament.
