Living off the State - Government Style!

While the rest of us are spending less because of the economic situation - and possibly trying to save a few pennies so that, whilst being taxed into oblivion so the country can repay all that money Gordon Brown has borrowed on our behalf to fund his bureaucratic state, in the future we may still have some money to provide food for our families, does it not follow that our employees - Government Ministers, MPs and all those in the public sector - should do likewise?

Courtesy of Burning Our Money it would appear this is not the case. 

Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary, spent almost £50,000 on providing hospitality for just 20 guests - thats right,  £2,500 a head - who included Mark Thompson, the director general of the BBC, and Andy Duncan, the Channel 4 boss.
A reception at the Walker Art Gallery, in Liverpool, last month was followed by a dinner at one of the city's most expensive restaurants, the London Carriage Works. The dinner, for members of the arts and media world, included £46 bottles of wine and Eton Hall venison.

Health officials spent £30,000 on a black tie party for 420 NHS doctors, nurses and care workers. Jugglers, confetti cannons, DJs and singers entertained guests at the event, which was held at the Hilton Hotel in Blackpool. NHS staff paid £5 each towards the cost of the celebration, whose cost worked out at about £70 a head.

We also have the case of Ed Balls, Secretary of State at the Department for Children, Schools and Families holding a party which included wine and canapés, a Scalextric demonstration, a Nintendo Wii and some Star Wars light sabres. It is a fair bet that you would not get very good odds from the likes of William Hill that Ed Balls paid for all this himself!

This Government is always trumpeting about their wish to provide 'equal opportunities for all' - well come on Guys and Gals; come and experience real life and all that the Welfare State has to offer!