How Bogus Expenses Bring Britain Down
“Nothing is more essential to the establishment of manners in a state than that all persons employed in places of power and trust be men of unexceptionable character,” wrote American Founding Father Samuel Adams. If he was right, then Britain is in serious trouble.
The recent scandal in the British Parliament shows that, as a whole, an entire generation of British leaders lacks integrity and character.
The basic salary of a British member of Parliament (mp) is ₤63,291 (us$104,000). Yet in 2007, on average mps claimed over twice this amount in expenses: us$223,900. Many did this by fiddling their expenses claims. Some stretched the rules. Many lied outright. The Daily Mail reported that to receive the same benefits as the average mp, an ordinary taxpayer would have to earn a salary of us$521,500.
Some claim that a fraud of a few thousand pounds—when billions of pounds are being spent on the economy—is no big deal. They are wrong. This type of behavior is savaging the moral fiber of the nation.
Working the System
The now-infamous second-home allowance allows mps to fund a second residence in London. mps are expected to live in the local area they represent and attend debates at the House of Commons in London; thus, mps living far from the capital need two homes.
While this is a perfectly legitimate expense for many, others abused the privilege. One mp claimed us$21,469 in interest payments for a mortgage that was already paid off. Others over-claimed interest and rent on houses. While the law allows mps to claim other necessary expenses they incur away from home, some claimed luxuries like multiple tvs, lavish furniture, moat dredging and duck houses. Many mps designated the house where they spend the most time as their secondary home so they could claim as expenses many items they should pay for themselves. One mp furnished his London home on expenses, then later designated a new home in Surrey as his secondary home so he could furnish it at the taxpayers’ expense as well.
Sadly, such abuse is not uncommon. The Sunday Times predicted that at least half of the House of Commons’ 646 mps will be ousted by the next election: Perhaps 30 will have to resign; 90 will be voted out; and 200 will likely quit “because they are unable to cope with continued public anger” (May 24). The potential size of this political shakeup reveals the extent of Britain’s character crisis.
A Dangerous Character Deficit
Many mps excused their behavior by claiming to be within the letter of the law and blaming a faulty system. Certainly, the Fees Office should have refused to pay unnecessary and immoral claims—but blaming it is like a thief blaming his victim for not better defending his property.
When immoral leaders exploit the very law they’re supposed to cherish, the rule of law breaks down and the nation falls apart. Nations need leaders who will do their best for their country, not do whatever they can get away with.
A nation’s reserves of character are far more important than its monetary wealth. “Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike,” said Theodore Roosevelt. A nation with stalwart character can pull itself back from economic bankruptcy. A morally bankrupt nation is doomed.
It is a lesson written in history: Without strong character, the nation will fall!
News from Britain reveals a nationwide character crisis. Knife crime, teenage pregnancies and binge drinking frequently make the front page. Lying, cheating and stealing are common. In May, a Guardian article detailed the rampant cheating of university applicants. One could argue that these young people are just following the example of the nation’s leaders.
British historian and writer Paul Johnson lamented in the Spectator back in 2006, “Before the Second World War, when I was a boy in the Staffordshire Potteries, I never heard of anything being stolen. There was great poverty but there were also the Ten Commandments, and God was around a lot in those days. Indeed, if you lost something in the streets, the person who picked it up would go to a lot of trouble to find out where you lived and return it to you.” That kind of morality is nearly gone. Today it is every man for himself.
The corruption scandal in the British Parliament is both a product and a cause of this dearth in morality. The leaders’ immorality fosters selfishness and dishonesty in the people and contributes to the nation’s decline.
The Prophet Isaiah spoke specifically about this gaping void in moral leadership in our time today. God said He would remove the honorable, upright leaders, leaving selfish children in their place (Isaiah 3:1-4). This prophecy applies to British society today, along with Americans and Jews. Honorable rulers are a rarer and rarer breed, and in their stead, corruption reigns.
The Prophet Hosea also said that Britain’s rulers would bring the nation down: “Ephraim [Britain] is joined to idols …. Her rulers dearly love dishonor” (Hosea 4:17-18, New King James Version). To prove that the British are the modern descendants of Ephraim, request our free book The United States and Britain in Prophecy.
The Bible reveals that Britain will be taken into captivity because of its national sins. Yet it also prophesies that this captivity will correct the course of the nation. Its punishment will be severe, but it will lead to these moral problems being solved, and Britain finally turning to God.
