being opportunistic and cunning when presented with a free lunch or someother morale improvement exercise - as in 2 hrs of parade 46 of party is a totally different matter to a self (or worse staff) inputted claim to recover every single penny you can screw out of the system.

WIWAISL i was fortunante enough to go to the RAF snowboard champs, the sports lottery was kind enough to pay a chunk provided we at least turned up to race. when we got there that rule was quietly shelved so people who ad had a massive skinful the night before might be excused.

that to me was theft, i made damn sure I raced, did as well as I could then left the field with honour stone dead last.....

and went back to hunting powder fields.

the point i made earlier - just coz you can does not make it right - still stands, whatever happens to personal integrity.

as was pionted out if we got caught it was SIB and colchester, if the MP for little snoring gets caught its a minor whoopsie.

one rule for them and another for the rest, and they wonder why the electorate is so disenfranchised with the whole stinking mass.

FYI, standing up and saying but look what the other boys do !!! doesnt help either.

E.G local mp, at home that weekend attends local church service and rememberance parade - sucks it up. same MP has to travel back overnight from late night event 300 miles away, absoutely fair to claim the expense.

FYI, i used to make sure every single one of my travel claims were 100% legit, to the extent of providing things like CTC copies of temp vehicle passes from my vehicle being on station to prove it.

people said lossie to st mawgan and back for a weekend of surfing duty could not be done, I beg to differ - even in a 110 landy.

By not just MPs or Servicemen.

I recall the BBC journalists flying Cod War sorties making a note of the air mileage readings so they could claim mileage allowance.

Or of a film crew treated by their producer to a splendid open air cold buffet at the end of their shoot. To a man they all claimed for a meal as well because their TOS said they would get a hot lunch.

Or some military contractors who, as some of their number had volunteered for a team building weekend had asked or time off or cash in hand. That resulted in the team building being cancelled.

.. not edifying, but they weren't elected by the public to represent the public?