Should our leaders claim for TV?

But lets us consider the act of claiming back the licence fee with a bit more of the wider context of TV licences. In 2003 an influential report penned by The Institute for Public Policy Research found the licence fee takes a much higher proportion of income from poorer households. For those in the lowest income group the fee is 1.85% of their income, almost 11 times more than those in higher groups. It also suggested that an average of 40 women a year - the majority single parents on income support - were jailed for non-payment of fines that were initially imposed for not holding a television licence. They did not hold them because they were ill equipped to afford them, and in effect the government were punishing the poor. It is an interesting fact in the backdrop that non-payment of a T.V licence is one of the only criminal offences for which women are prosecuted with greater frequency than men.

Figures I found on the BBC's website issued in response to a request made under the freedom of information Act, suggest that in 2005-2006, 399,000 Television Licence evaders caught.

It is safe to guess that in the 399,000 detection in 2005/6 there were rather a few single parents (especially mothers) on low incomes. Up to as much as 70% of the prosecutions for television licence evasion taken out each year are against women (because when the TV Licence inspector call during the day, single parents (particularly women) are more likely to be at home.

In 2001 Tony Blair decided that he would take his full salary, at that point it was reported as being around £163,000. By 2005, he was earning £178, 000 a year. His wife earns a decent income. Yet, they got what amounts to a free TV licence. A quick bit of research lead me to find out that a lone mother in Britain in 2008 can claim income support if their child is pre-school, and that with what is called the governments 'applicable amount' if she were, speculatively alone parent under 25, she would receive about 60.50 per week for herself, and £52.59 for each child. In addition there is child benefit of £18.80 which can be claimed. So if we take 23 year old single mum, one child it yields the income figure to £131.89. Given those figures, a TV licence equates to just under a weeks income. There is no claiming back, don't pay and ultimately they can end up jailed. There is no get out clause and 40 women a year serve as proof positive of that.

It is no wonder that people are disillusioned with politicians. The average single mum struggling to pay her way is hardly likely to be enamoured with the expense claims of our politicians. Nor is the average person on the street. But think a little more about the seeming none too hidden message hidden in all of this. In this country we jail 40 women a year for something which they do not pay for, and neither did our then leader because he claimed back via expenses - Criminal isn't it?