Saturday, May 06, 2006

Who's Paying Hazel Blears?

Martin Curtis raises a good point at Spin Blog. He asks if Hazel Blears is receiving a Ministerial salary courtesy of the taxpayer. If so it is an outrage. She is chairman of the Labour Party with no portfolio responsibility. Conservative Party chairman were always paid by the Party. Anyone know how my little chipmunk is being paid? Perhaps one of Her Majesty's reptiles might like to ask the question.

UPDATE: People keep asking my why I keep calling Hazel Blears "my little chipmunk". Because she reminds me of a chipmunk! I got to know her a bit when I was working for David Davis and have to admit I rather like her. She's always cheerful and is always smiling. I won't hear a word said against her!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ian McCartney's salary was paid by the Labour Party. No reason to think Hazel's is any different.

Anonymous said...

Hazel Blears as a "Minister without Portfolio" seems to be a Cabinet Office Minister

Perhaps she will now be ramrodding the controversial Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill through the Commons, now that Jim Murphy has been promoted to become a Minister of State for Health.

Otherwise it will have to be former Chief Whip Hilary Armstrong, who is now the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Once you accept the dubious proposition that it is somehow acceptable that Government Whips are given sinecures as Treasurer, Comptroller, or Vice Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household, or as Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, then why should you worry about the single salary of a Party Chairman, or the salary and perks of the Deputy Prime Minister ?

Why is Hazel Blears a "chipmunk" ?

James at eParliament.tv said...

Hazel Blears does one job very well.

Her toadying sycophancy show us all how ghastly she is and it does so little to enhance Labour's credibility.

I don't mind contributing towards this useful service.

Anonymous said...

I'm always ready to defer to your superior knowledge, Iain, but I thought your friend Hazel was pretty dire on her first stint in her new job on the Today Programme.

What does the Labour Party Chairman actually do?