Do you find it astonishing that an MP who fiddles his expenses (basically steals from the taxpayer) does not lose his job as MP (or cannot be forced to) unless he is sentenced to more than a year’s prison? Making the sentence determine whether you lose your job rather than the crime is surely a novel approach? Stealing when you are in a position of trust is stealing – whether it is £100 or £1million. The point is surely that the trust so essential in his role or in an employment role is destroyed because there has been dishonesty. Can you trust someone who has stolen from you again? Would you trust your cleaner who takes £1 which you have left lying around?
Employers have always taken a very serious view of any theft by staff however small. Small can lead to larger. Summary dismissal is usual. Why should the taxpayer (who employs the MP's – something we often forget) view it differently. Should MPs automatically lose their position if convicted of a serious crime such as theft, dishonesty, lying?
More about the author of this article, Bettina Brueggemann
Showing posts with label expenses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label expenses. Show all posts
Monday, 17 January 2011
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Should Eric Illsley go to prison?
Should Eric Illsley go to prison for fiddling expenses or is community service a better option? Interestingly the public asked so far favour community service rather than prison because he is not a danger to the public, it costs the taxpayer less and he is forced to do something for the community which is visible.
Your view might depend on what you think the purpose of prison is. Is it intended to protect the public from dangerous people, punish someone by depriving them of their freedom or both? When talking about dangerous people do we mean people who threaten our physical safety or is it broader than that? Is stealing money not dangerous for those losing it? Or are we saying that Eric Illsley is not dangerous because he no longer has the opportunity to steal money or has learnt his lesson?
I am not sure a lesson needs to be learnt. Eric Illsley knew he was doing wrong. He got caught. He is responsible for setting the example. He therefore needs to set the example in terms of punishment for his crime. Whatever your view is as to what the punishment should be it should then apply to everyone else – including those stealing from their employers.
Read more here
Find our more about Hart Brown and the author of this article, Bettina Brueggemann
Your view might depend on what you think the purpose of prison is. Is it intended to protect the public from dangerous people, punish someone by depriving them of their freedom or both? When talking about dangerous people do we mean people who threaten our physical safety or is it broader than that? Is stealing money not dangerous for those losing it? Or are we saying that Eric Illsley is not dangerous because he no longer has the opportunity to steal money or has learnt his lesson?
I am not sure a lesson needs to be learnt. Eric Illsley knew he was doing wrong. He got caught. He is responsible for setting the example. He therefore needs to set the example in terms of punishment for his crime. Whatever your view is as to what the punishment should be it should then apply to everyone else – including those stealing from their employers.
Read more here
Find our more about Hart Brown and the author of this article, Bettina Brueggemann
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