Guido has got even with the Telegraph and is running a spoiler ahead of their first edition. He says that Michael Gove, George Osborne and Cheryl Gillan are the subject of stories on expenses. The Telegraph has already run a piece on Alan Duncan's gardening expenses. Alan has said: "Everything I have claimed has been legitimate and approved by the fees office." This is what every MP caught up in this is trotting out. It is factually correct, but hardly addresses the issue at hand. Can I defend claiming gardening expenses on the taxpayer? Simple. No I can't.
The Telegraph previews its Monday story HERE. It looks grim.
35 comments:
"Legitimate and approved by the fees office". Iain, we all know this gambit is ridiculous yet they are all using it. Don't they realise how awful it looks?
Who will be the first to apologise? Who will admit that if even it complied with the rules, it stinks?
I'd like to see some discipline from Cameron, an edict forcing backbenchers to repay their greedy claims within 12 months or risk being deselected for the next election.
Osborne and Gove particularly need to apologise and pay the money back. It would contrast well against their Labour counterparts. I think it would be wise of some backbench MPs to pre-emptively apologise for their expense wrongdoings as it's all going to be exposed eventually, why not do it by their own terms?
It's all well and good blaming "the system" but it's not a valid excuse for Labour MPs, because simply they are directly responsible for that system; they have a parliamentary majority, under a Labour government supported by all of them, and a Labour speaker also elected by them. And as for their own behaviour in each case there is only one person responsible for that (and in only one of those cases is that person Gordon Brown!).
Still no mention from Clegg on Lord Rennard!
Must do a post on that Porker!
Looks pretty small beer so far compared to the dirt on Labour.
If what they are saying about Duncan is true, he should either resign, or be sacked.
W.W.
This issue is for all the marbles. Will Camo actually show he has pair and start doing a Derek Conway on the likes of Duncan?
It's notable that the Tel. has gone for the full hatchet job with Vitol etc.
They appear to be calling Camo out to see if he's a political Omar Little or merely a little man.
My guess is the latter, Boris must be licking his lips at all this ,provided he's clean of course.
Hardly a Guido spoiler. I beat him by 5 minutes with Alan Duncan.
A whole lot of nothing so far for the Tories.
All it needs is for one MP to stand up and say, 'I was wrong in claiming what I did and I apologise'.
Now, is that too hard?
The Tories are at it. Labour are at it. Watch the protest vote for "others" explode for the Euro Elections on June 4th - to UKIP's benefit.
don't get sucked into shades of grey, guys. Corruption is still corruption, whether it's £2.00 or £2,000,000
The Telegraph claims to have blacked out details for security grounds, and yet the bill for Alan Duncan's lawnmower was paid to John Deere.
Give Jailhouselawyer his dues.
I don't care WHAT party each and every one of the 646 belong to. I just want every corrupt politician behind bars
Not "apologising"
Not "paying back what they stole"
Behind bars
Jailhouse Lawyer can decide where they serve their time...
This is Cameron's moment. I am, afraid that he really needs to bite the bullet and deal with any examples of serious abuse - in contrast to Brown's evasion and inaction. We need to show voters that they have a real alternative to sleazy Nu Labour- a party that is honest and will deal with hard issues no matter how painful.
If he seizes this chance victory is assured.
If he doesn't he may still win an election but will from a much weaker Government forever dogged by this nonsense while most of those Labour MPs involved will get their answers from the electorate.
It's simple. You cannot be half honest or half pregnant. Time to stand up to the plate David
Why would you want to defend"claiming gardening expenses on the taxpayer?"
I don't think your straight readers realise quite how important Alan Duncan is for many LGBTs to feel safe voting Tory.
Does he use the garden for Constituency meetings? Garden parties?
Otherwise how does maintaining his borders and lawn help him to do his duties as an MP?
It's a bloody piss take. The lad gets a decent wage for doing half a weeks work for half the year and gets his kicks from his 2nd job as oil exec. Screw 'em - screw them all. Disgusting vanity.
Cameron has to remove these people (and any one else who's abused the system) from the front bench and say that they cannot be come back in this parliament. In other words, not until they've their own constituents in a general election. This is the only way he can hope to rebuild any trust not only in Tory MPs and shadow ministers, but in parliament generally.
It will also force Brown and Labour to face up to its responsibilities and will trigger that election.
It's the only way.
Never all mind this ... what about Balls'n'Cooper ? Why no mention at all ?
To be honest though ... when compared to Labour, there's not really that much on the Tories.
Old Holborn:
A working party concluded that convicted prisoners have lost the moral authority to vote.
According to Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, "The moral authority of Parliament is at its lowest ebb in living memory".
If this is not the worst case of pot calling kettle black...
If Jack Straw hurries up and gets a Remedial Order passed to allow prisoners to vote, then those MPs who may find themselves joining our prisoners will at least be able to vote in the next government.
what do you expect? the second home "allowance" was created in 1983 - by Mrs Thatcher - it is a rotten system. I have respect for my local Labour MP in Hove Celia Barlow - who did not claim for a second home - Perhaps she will reap the benefit when the electorate make an assessment of their MPs.
Let's see what Cameron is made of.
It's about time he was really tested.
@jailhouselawyer
yet the bill for Alan Duncan's lawnmower was paid to John Deere.John Deere is a company that makes agricultural equipment etc. Not an individual.
Camron and Hague are in the clear, it seems. Osborne's offence seems to me minor-It's not difficult to argue that having a driver could be necessary (or at least helpful) for his work, but he needs to eat some humble pie.
Gove should apologise-I think "flipping" is going to be one of the things people get very exercised about. On the other hand he only did it once and may legitimately claim that he bought the Surrey house as a constituency home, and having bought it designated it as his second home. So not necessarily immoral, though one wonders where his first home was when he claimed money on his London flat...
Lansley ditto
I'm afraid Francis Maude should lose his job-his behaviour seems to me to be aimed at extracting money from the taxpayer, not claiming reasonable expenses
Alan Duncan-well maybe his garden was very important to his peace of mind and therefore his ability to function as an MP. No sorry-he should go as well.
That said however all these seem to be cases for an apology (genuine), repayment of monies claimed and sacking from the frontbench rather than withdrawing the whip. Lets hope there's no worse to come.
Margaret Moran's 2009 Budget ResponseWatch the bit at the end about high levels of debt (it was inherited from the Tories).
She will be sadly missed.
The only solution is to pay everything through salary, increasing their pay into the 50% band they all love so much, and no expenses other than prepaid travel warrants with centrally controlled rented accommodation for those MPs outside of London.
Then call an immediate election with sitting MPs having to declare their full expnses for past 4 years to their local electorate.
Petition demands immediate General Election. Pleae forward this news!
Petition demands immediate General Election. Please forward this news!
Cameron really needs to bite the bullet on this issue and demand that his front bench either pay the money back or resign.
Paying the money back would be vastly more symbolic and highly effective electorally. If anyone refuses, they get the sack.
If he does not do something dramatic as that his leadership will be damaged.
I note that he himself is not implicated in dodgy expense claims. He should play this to his advantage - he now has an historic chance to make the phrase "Prime Minister" an honourable one again.
Alan Duncan has proved himself unfit for office in a future Conservative Government
For dishonesty? NO
For incompetence? YES
I mean the shame of it being the only MP ever to have a claim turned down by the toothless and useless Commons Fees Office..Duh!
Duncan is a liability. He's just making himself look a complete clown by such behaviour. In the Chamber he's reasonably OK, but outside? Well, judge from his recent appearances.
I'm disappointed that Cameron has not (yet?) taken a lead in this matter. Reaction is all well and good but if he's going to replace Brown as Prime Minister he's going to have to set standards and chart the courses.
An insistence on repayments would be a very good (and minimal) start.
Cameron should sack Alan Duncan as a sign that he is serious about this. He should get rid of Willets too - for just being useless.
Wasn't Duncan also mixed up some years ago with a dodgy "right to buy" escapade?
He is smarmy and dumping him would be popular with the electorate. Chuck out Maude too.
I agree with Pitcard - Cameron - and their local associations - should make them pay the money back or make an equivalent donation to a major charity.
Most of them have allowed themselves to be lulled, over a long period of time, by the establishment into a corrupt "look after me and I will reward you hansomely" scam. They should all be deeply ashamed of their crass stupidity.
Michael Gove has no such excuse - he only became an MP in 2005; just imagine what he'll be up to in 5 years time if he can still get his hands into the till.
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