Make 'em pay

Quite agree. There must be some way of either enforcing this or applying sanctions in other ways.

Do British diplomats abroad have similar perks (not having to pay parking charges, etc)?

I don't know bags, and don't care either. Make them Pay indeed

The reason I asked is that if British diplomats/embassies have the same 'perks' in other countries, we can't very well "make them pay" here.

Iam64 I do care. No doubt the piss gets taken by foreign diplomats in the UK sometimes regarding perks, but if I were stuck in some dreadful situation abroad, then I would be very happy for the B.E. to come to my aide, and to use every 'perk' available, if necessary.

Diplomatic immunity has lost all credibility. We currently have an issue with a Malaysian diplomat accused of attempted rape and attempted burglary who was quietly allowed to leave the country until the media picked up the story three or four months later. The "victim", who is quite a feisty and articulate woman, has over-ridden her right to annonimity and is getting very angry about the process. When there are issues about state security, okay; when it's a serious criminal act or a casual attitude to parking charges, no. That is not what the Convention was designed to do. In London, the biggest issue about parking charges is with the USA embassy.

It's all very well to say "make them pay" parking charges but the last time this issue raised its head, the countries who owed the most simply said No. There's nothing we can do about it unless, as absent implies it should be, the conventions associated with diplomatic immunity are rewritten.

The case you mention, absent, is appalling. Diplomatic escape from serious crimes should not be allowed. Why do governments sanction this kind of thing?

My 'don't care' sounds more careless and dismissive than I'd intended. To clarify, don't care relates more to the costs and benefits of diplomatic immunity. The BE recently were praised to the heights by friends whose son died abroad, BE so supportive and helpful to family members. This aspect of their work doesn't mean embassy staff in any part of the world should be immune to the laws and mores of the country in which they work. Yes, they should pay parking fines, and no, they ought not to be able to act illegally without facing the consequences the rest of the population would face.

Pity there are not laws in place to confiscate offending cars registered to the embassies involved when fines reach a certain amount. The choice is then theirs pay up or car is auctioned. No one should be above the law.

I think an awful lot of people with minor jobs are entitled to diplomatic immunity, I had a colleague who was because her other half had a minor job at an embassy.