The recent investigations by the UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper continued to drive debate over MP’s expenses on BBC TV’s Question Time yesterday.
The UK Chief Executive of McDonalds, Steve Easterbrook, was sitting on the show’s panel and commented on the issue:
“I think what’s unfolded in front of us, over the last couple of weeks, is, quite frankly, nothing short of a national disgrace.”
The rowdy audience responded with great applause.
“…I think as a taxpayer, it makes me angry. But also, as a business man, I simply cannot believe that any organisation can have such sloppy controls over cash handling.”
After some more applause he went on to question why it is taking so long to fix the problem:
“…because there are thousands of businesses, up and down this country, that have perfectly viable expense codes, that protects the employer, and protects the employee, is based on the premise (I would understand/certainly in our business) that ‘no one should profit from expenses’ …and, in my view, it would be so straightforward just to fix the issue right at the very core of where it’s at.”
He went on to identify some principal elements of a solid expense code:
“We need transparency. We need absolute clarity. There should be no wiggle room whatsoever in an expense code. And we also need clear structure around the disciplinary code for anyone who abuses it. And, then, it needs to be independently audited.”
(A heckler interrupted to add another tenet: “We need honest MPs”)
The exemplar, that Easterbrook echoes, was forged out of the experience of thousands of businesses. Let’s hope that this simple view doesn’t get suffocated by a media frenzy that thrives off the sound of public anger. Let’s hope that it doesn’t get unecessarily complicated by bureaucrats who, for some strange reason, think that their case is wildly different from any other.
Have Your Say
Feel free to add a comment below. (We thrive off your anger).
See ‘Question Time’ on iPlayer
David Dimbleby chaired the program which was held in Grimsby this week.
On the panel where:
- the Housing Minister Margaret Beckett; (Red Top)
- Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Theresa May; (Pale Green Suit)
- the former Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell;(Suit/ Blue Tie)
- the UK Chief Executive of McDonalds, Steve Easterbrook; and (Suit/ Purple Tie)
- Benedict Brogan, Associate Editor of the Daily Telegraph. (Alistair Darling without the eyebrows)
Source:
Question Time : http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00kftf0/Question_Time_14_05_2009/ (Timecode: 10 mins-22 secs)
Number Crunching
Number of MPs: 646 [source: wikipedia ]
Number of UK MacDonalds Employees: ~67,000 [source: The Independent on Sunday ]
Related links
TaxPayersAlliance.com
The Great European Rip-off: How the Corrupt, Wasteful EU is Taking Control of Our Lives (Paperback)
