Chris Bryant and Jimmy Carr. So What's the difference?

Jimmy Carr did nothing Illegal but was condemned by MPs

In June 2012, the comedian Jimmy  Carr's involvement in an alleged K2 tax avoidance scheme came to light after an investigation by The Times newspaper.^[The scheme is understood to involve UK earners "quitting" their job and signing new employment contracts with offshore shell companies based in the low tax jurisdiction of Jersey

. British Prime Minister David Cameron commented on the issue: 

"People work hard, they pay their taxes, they save up to go to one of his shows. They buy the tickets. He is taking the money from those tickets and he, as far as I can see, is putting all of that into some very dodgy tax avoiding scheme

It wasn't illegal  but many would say it wasn't moral. and it was condemned by MPs of all parties.

Chris Bryant we still waiting for Labour MPs to condemn his  actions 

So what's the difference between Carr's Tax Avoidance  and the news that dozens of MPs – including Rhondda’s Chris Bryant  claiming  expenses for London rent or hotels despite owning a property in the capital, a Channel 4 News investigation has found.

Analysis shows the expenses claims cost the taxpayer more than £1.3m since 2012.

The Channel 4 News investigation found many of the 46 MPs bought their London properties with the help of the taxpayer when the previous expenses system allowed mortgage claims.

But when mortgage claims were banned following the expenses scandal they switched to letting out their properties, in some cases for up to £3,000 a month. They then started claiming expenses for rent and hotels in the capital.

Labour’s Shadow Culture Minister Chris Bryant claimed expenses totalling £35,350 in 2012-13 and 2013-14 to rent a London flat – despite already owning a penthouse. He bought the property in 2005, claiming around £1,000 a month in mortgage claims. But when the rules changed he let it out.

Estate agent brochures seen by Channel 4 News show the two-bed apartment with a private lift and porter has since been marketed for rent for around £3,000 a month.

So Bryant expenses for renting £35350 would have been almost ecactly what  he would have been claiming if he was still living  under the old mortgage scheme .

So why is he doing it.

It could be that as he is MP for the safe Rhondda seat he realises that he in twenty years he could well retire as a MP and sell his London home for Millions .

As  Ian Dury sang 

There ain't half been some clever bastards(Lucky bleeders, lucky bleeders)There ain't half been some clever bas-tards

So what can we do.

Weill Shelley Rees-Owen seems to be putting up a decent fight  for Plaid in the Rhondda as Plaid hope to get a decent vote  in preparation for its leader Leanne Wood challenge for the Assembly seat next year .

The electors there could do worse than causing a major shock in May by giving Plaid ( or any party except Ulip) their vote in May .