Double standards?

[Lesley]

Perhaps we shouldnt be surprised any more at the double standards of this Government.  They have granted legal aid to M.P.s to engage Queen's Counsel yet have sneakily "frozen" any increase on pensions this year for the thousands of "lower grade Civil Servants" who only earned very reasonable salaries.  The notice says it was announced by the Treasury - when was that done?  It was kept very quiet! 

[Hells Granny]

Why am I not surprised at anything this government does?

Cheers, HG

[Papaumau]

Hi Lesley...nice to talk to you. ( Is that a boy Lesley or a girl Lesley ? ).

There is no doubt that we can find inequities in government actions in many places we look and your example is just one of them.

I think that the encumbent mob want to ensure that the privatised sector do not whine on too much about the standards that the public sector have as compared to theirs. I have to admit that as an ex-civil servant on a good CS pension I cannot complain but many people on private occupational pensions DO have grounds for complaint as pension funds disappear and final salary schemes are being replaced by inferior money-buying schemes.

Your second point:

I do think that they now realise that they made a terrible mistake when they allowed those allegedly bent politicians to get legal aid for their court cases and I think that you may find that in the future they will be made to pay back that money.

[cheddar-caveman]

Ah but the deed is already done. It's a bit like a judge telling the jury to "disregard that comment". Once heard (done) it's too late no matter what follows. Like the expenses scam. Oh I'll pay it all back people (not if you hadn't been caught)!

[Papaumau]

I think they are going to be FORCED to pay it back.

At least I hope so !

[cheddar-caveman]

That may well be the case but my point is that it shouldn't have happened in the first place. Anybody, or group with a modicum of decency wouldn't even have considered such a scam, for that's what it all is. Us, the general public who put these people in their position of trust have been, and continue to be scammed!

[Papaumau]

Cannot disagree with you there CC !

I too was well annoyed when I heard that these people - on MPs salaries - were getting legal aid for allegedly breaking the law.

I mean, what is it about them that makes them different from me and you as WE would not have got legal aid to pay for our defence if we had broken the law.

THIS was a very serious mistake and I am sure "the powers" know that by now.