5 and 9 - the Phoenix Line

Cardinal Sin · Post by **Cardinal Sin** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:02 pm

MP's are allowed to claim expenses for travelling between their constituencies and London, as well as other sundries.

So how much did the top-claiming MP for the 2005-2006 session claim? And for a bonus point, where does he lives. His name would be impressive, but he's not very famous (except for claiming a lot of expenses).

I'll let a few people have a guess then give it to the person who is closest.

theoak · Post by **theoak** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:11 pm

harry 3 · Post by **harry 3** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:27 pm

216k, probably includes postage for all those begging letters.

stuart4010 · Post by **stuart4010** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:59 pm

Is it an MP from the Highlands/Orkney/Shetland way perhaps? I'll go for 125k.

Istenem · Post by **Istenem** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:19 pm

700k
a labour politician

Matt Vinyl · Post by **Matt Vinyl** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:36 pm

200k, John '200k' Prescott?

theoak · Post by **theoak** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:02 am

hmm; I would guess that JP IS pretty famous. a random precise figure: 313k

Cardinal Sin · Post by **Cardinal Sin** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:13 am

Shame on most of you, as if our elected members would run up bills of hundreds of thousands of pounds on friviolities. The actual figure was a £174,811, including £30,000 on air-fares.

His name is Eric Joyce, and he is indeed a Labour politician. What is surprising is that he doesn't live in the Orkneys or Western Isles. He actually represents my constituency (Falkirk West) which is close to both Glasgow and Edinburgh, so how he can rack up those sort of expenses is anyone's guess.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tay ... 359623.stm

His brother recently stood for Labour in the recent Scottish elections. He looked like he was going to get in until it was revealed that he owns 5 properties round here and was letting them all out - not really living up to the Socialist ideal!

Anyway, sorry for the essay. Matt V was closest so it's over to him.

harry 3 · Post by **harry 3** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 10:05 am

Most of their secretaries are wives or girlfriend also.

Matt Vinyl · Post by **Matt Vinyl** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:23 pm

Crikey, sorry chaps, hadn't checked this for a while!

Right, here goes:

Seeing as though it's the 31st October, where did one of the most famous poltergeist investigations take place between August 1977 and September 1978, with an additional outburst in August 1980?

And for a bonus point, who was the investigator?

Weyland · Post by **Weyland** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:26 pm

I'm guessing Borley Rectory (most haunted house in the UK), but no idea as to the investigator.

Matt Vinyl · Post by **Matt Vinyl** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:29 pm

Good try, but alas, incorrect. I've been to Borley, and it is actually very strange if you stand in the church.

Anyway, Borley was a bit earlier than this one.

Istenem · Post by **Istenem** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:30 pm

tower of london?

Matt Vinyl · Post by **Matt Vinyl** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:35 pm

I'll give you a bit of a clue, the actual haunted 'place' was very non-descript, the town will do, and I'll spill the story. Susan Jeans has the closest proximity...

theoak · Post by **theoak** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:36 pm

Thorpe Park, Hercule Poirot.