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Liz Truss claims £3000 of taxpayers money for a “business” lunch

(148 Posts)
vegansrock Mon 03-Jan-22 08:01:04

www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jan/02/liz-truss-hosted-3k-lunch-for-us-envoy-over-civil-service-objections?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Liz Truss initially wanted to claim £3000! Civil servants refused and she got the bill down to £1400 ( from the Tory donor restaurateur) . This at a time when she was voting to reduce UC by £20. 5 bottles of wine all costing over £100 and 2 bottles of gin were on the bill- wonder how they got any “business” done? I also wonder why they didn’t dine at the House of Commons restaurant?

Mummer Tue 04-Jan-22 15:03:10

icanhandthemback

You cannot compare a family on UC to a Government Representative trying to build up a relationship with other nations in the hope of getting a trade deal. The world just doesn't work like that. Maybe it should but it doesn't.
Sadly, this amount of money is a drop in the ocean of the money wasted in Government Departments, the NHS, etc.
I do think that some of the stuff being reported at the moment is just designed to be inflammatory and a grand effort to destabilise this Government. The news has become a moan fest coupled with speculation. Let's concentrate on the really damaging stuff like LFT's being supplied by one source who closed down just as COVID cases were soaring. Quite frankly, I think that is criminal when our whole strategy against Omicron is based on testing, testing, testing.

Are you incapable of keeping to subject dear? Try another thread...the near theft of our dosh is what we're actually talking about on this one....

EllanVannin Tue 04-Jan-22 15:09:00

Is there no end to their noses being stuck in the troughs ?

I remember waiting over 6 years after my husband died, to receive what was owing from the taxman, yet it comes so easy to others-----especially when it's not theirs.

GrannyGravy13 Tue 04-Jan-22 15:30:36

Mummer

GrannyGravy13

The lunch was for 10 people including the US trade representative, would you rather she hosted them at the local McDonalds, KFC or Wetherspoon’s?

You being stupid now! One extreme to another just to try and make what point exactly? Idiot. NOTHING came from this meeting. NOTHING! The house of commons has excellent facilities for a high level business lunch which maybe would have been more suited. Why would you condone such disgusting greed???

Has calling me an idiot made you feel better Mummer ?

Casdon Tue 04-Jan-22 15:33:58

Whatever your opinion Mummer there is no excuse for rudeness to other posters. It’s just bad manners and does nobody discredit except you.

JaneJudge Tue 04-Jan-22 15:42:00

Mummer sounds like me when I have PMT grin #menopausal

Cambia Tue 04-Jan-22 16:18:36

Why on earth doesn’t someone restrain them by setting an allowance per head and any extra comes out of their own pockets. Same with travel, pay for economy seats and if they want to upgrade, let them personally pay extra. Surely it can’t be that hard?

Have to say though that all governments are the same not just the Tories.

Dinahmo Tue 04-Jan-22 16:47:54

"Maybe LT just wanted to get away from the office for lunch and also showcase a quintessentially prestigious English members' club."

The club has been in existence for 10 years. Membership costs £1800 and you have to be recommended by an existing member. It exists for those who are rich enough to keep out of the public eye and presumably away from the plebs.

Haven't seen any mentions of whether the food is good or indifferent.

Dinahmo Tue 04-Jan-22 17:10:19

In the dim and distant past, I prepared tax returns for a few MPs including Roy Jenkins. At that time attached to the tax returns were expense claims. These recorded the amounts that had been reimbursed to them and also the expenses that had been claimed for. There would sometimes be a difference between the two amounts so if they inadvertently over claimed they would be taxed on the difference. If they had under claimed the difference would be a deduction from their income.

Having not seen an MP's tax return for a number of years I don't know whether this still pertains. If it does then there is no reason why LT could have gone to this club, claimed the agreed allowance and set the rest off against her income.

Mind you, since entertaining is not an allowable tax deduction she could only have claimed the cost of her own meal as subsistence!

Josieann Tue 04-Jan-22 17:12:00

I thought 5 HS was so secret and exclusive a members' club that it doesn't disclose the membership fee? I would guess around £3k?

GrannyGravy13 Tue 04-Jan-22 17:19:29

5HS is dog friendly, Mr. Birley has just gone up in my estimation.

Josieann Tue 04-Jan-22 17:20:58

GrannyGravy13

5HS is dog friendly, Mr. Birley has just gone up in my estimation.

Definitely!
Yes, but is it only handbag pooches allowed?

GrannyGravy13 Tue 04-Jan-22 17:22:56

Josieann I could not find anything relating to size of pooch, just that they are welcome ?‍??‍??‍??‍?

Madashell Tue 04-Jan-22 17:23:02

I could have done them a few plates of butties, crisps, and a bottle of pop for well under the price, but I was never asked.

MissAdventure Tue 04-Jan-22 17:25:11

Pineapple and cheese on cocktail sticks? smile

Josieann Tue 04-Jan-22 17:30:08

GrannyGravy13

Josieann I could not find anything relating to size of pooch, just that they are welcome ?‍??‍??‍??‍?

You'd have to get your pet past this guy first ... the dog I mean! Perhaps he vets his four legged friends first!

Josieann Tue 04-Jan-22 17:30:36

Here

lemongrove Tue 04-Jan-22 20:40:53

I think that dog has over indulged and now needs carrying home! Disgusting!

kjmpde Tue 04-Jan-22 21:20:07

what would have been wrong with a buffet and soft drinks?
should people really be advocating alcohol at a lunch meeting?

JaneJudge Tue 04-Jan-22 21:40:18

kjmpde

what would have been wrong with a buffet and soft drinks?
should people really be advocating alcohol at a lunch meeting?

for poor people
food bank buffet with lemonade pah! fr the poor people
never mind that lots of professionals have work meetings without food or even drinks, let alone alcohol fgs

MibsXX Wed 12-Jan-22 11:17:38

GrannyGravy13

The lunch was for 10 people including the US trade representative, would you rather she hosted them at the local McDonalds, KFC or Wetherspoon’s?

They have a perfectly amazing team of highly trained chefs working at the Houses Of Parliament, not to mention an historic venue, aka the same, newly refurbished at our expense to host said meeting in, all this during a time they urge US to work from home wherever possible using zoom!

MibsXX Wed 12-Jan-22 12:11:54

MibsXX

GrannyGravy13

The lunch was for 10 people including the US trade representative, would you rather she hosted them at the local McDonalds, KFC or Wetherspoon’s?

They have a perfectly amazing team of highly trained chefs working at the Houses Of Parliament, not to mention an historic venue, aka the same, newly refurbished at our expense to host said meeting in, all this during a time they urge US to work from home wherever possible using zoom!

Not that I can do this working from home luxury as I worked in a shop , all through this pandemic up until recently, when i caught covid after a mask refuser decided to pull mine off and chastise me close up, i got ill 2 days later and then got fired for being unreliable, I still havent got my P45 2 months later and thus still cannot claim any help.... homelessness is very soon to be on me and internet very shortly to go, so to all those well off gransnetters out there, it's real, the nightmare i am facing could so easily be yours.. in a heartbeat, please don't underplay or state what you read or hear, do us all a huge favour and spend your comfortably well off time and energy wisely in helping those not as well inherited as yourselves just by excercising your voices, please I beg you

Dinahmo Wed 12-Jan-22 17:19:06

Please try to get some help from Citizens advice and also contact your MP - there are still some who are decent enough
to help their constituents.

Also - just a little help - the personal allowance that is set off against your salary is effectively divided by 12 for normal PAYE purposes. This means that if you have x number of months (depending on when you left work) of unused personal allowance which means that you should get a tax refund after the year end. You will have to claim it.