http://anarchyintheuk.com/how-independent-is-ipsa/ Moral turpitude in the UK Thu, 03 Mar 2011 09:48:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 http://anarchyintheuk.com/how-independent-is-ipsa/comment-page-1/#comment-170 anarchyintheuk Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:39:10 +0000 http://anarchyintheuk.com/?p=302#comment-170 thanks for the additional info James thanks for the additional info James

]]> http://anarchyintheuk.com/how-independent-is-ipsa/comment-page-1/#comment-167 James Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:50:40 +0000 http://anarchyintheuk.com/?p=302#comment-167 So the chairman of the Parliamentary Standards and Privileges Committee stands down to be investigated. Also on the committee is Plaid Cymru Member Elfyn Llwyd who I noticed, from the published expense claims (2007/08),is one of a number of MPs who obtained a 25% single occupancy discount off their 'second' homes. The usual second home discount allowable under Council Tax rules is 10% and indeed many MPs including Cameron claim this. However the 25% SOD is only granted if the home is your one or only main home (for the purposes of Council Tax you can only have one main home)You have to agree with the relevant council that this is your main residence, i.e. you spend most nights there. So why bother to claim a large discount off Council Tax when the taxpayer picks up the tab regardless of any discount? Perhaps these MPs can then show this to the Inland Revenue as evidence this was their main home thus avoiding Capital Gains Tax upon sale. Or are they doing as Ken Clarke stated to the Telegraph that by satisfying the relevant Council their Parliamentary 'second' home is in fact their main home, their spouse/partner can then claim a 25% SOD off their family home thus personally saving them hundreds of pounds.Or perhaps it is a combination of both. So the chairman of the Parliamentary Standards and Privileges Committee stands down to be investigated. Also on the committee is Plaid Cymru Member Elfyn Llwyd who I noticed, from the published expense claims (2007/08),is one of a number of MPs who obtained a 25% single occupancy discount off their ‘second’ homes. The usual second home discount allowable under Council Tax rules is 10% and indeed many MPs including Cameron claim this. However the 25% SOD is only granted if the home is your one or only main home (for the purposes of Council Tax you can only have one main home)You have to agree with the relevant council that this is your main residence, i.e. you spend most nights there. So why bother to claim a large discount off Council Tax when the taxpayer picks up the tab regardless of any discount? Perhaps these MPs can then show this to the Inland Revenue as evidence this was their main home thus avoiding Capital Gains Tax upon sale. Or are they doing as Ken Clarke stated to the Telegraph that by satisfying the relevant Council their Parliamentary ‘second’ home is in fact their main home, their spouse/partner can then claim a 25% SOD off their family home thus personally saving them hundreds of pounds.Or perhaps it is a combination of both.

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