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Month: May 2009

Is the “following the rules” defence really valid?

Is the “following the rules” defence really valid?

1971 Guidelines: The Additional Costs Allowance reimburses “for expenses wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred when staying overnight away from their main UK residence…for the purposes of performing Parliamentary duties. This excludes expenses that have been incurred for purely personal or political purposes.” The Green Book 2009: Members are cautioned against instances “where they may appear to be vulnerable to criticism or accusations of impropriety.” It also reminds MPs that their conduct should be placed concepts of “selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability,…

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Expenses: How’s it going to go down in the marginals?

Expenses: How’s it going to go down in the marginals?

Will the “good guys” find it easier to hold on? With the Daily Telegraph dominated by pages of new revelations about expenses the thought strikes me that we ought to start watching out for the impact on marginal seats – particularly those where there are betting markets. For those MPs who’ve attracted the worst coverage are going to find it that bit harder to hang on when the general election comes. Their opponents, assuming they are smart, are going to…

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Let’s salute FOI campaigner, Heather Brook

Let’s salute FOI campaigner, Heather Brook

She’s the one who fought to get the info out After 24 hours dominated by the MP expenses affair we should not forget the work of the woman whose tireless efforts and sheer tenacity were responsible for getting us to where we are today. Heather Brook is the one who started the long and difficult process of using the Freedom of Information Act to try to find out the expenses that were being paid. This was no easy battle and…

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Would “redacting” have covered up the abuses?

Would “redacting” have covered up the abuses?

BBC Daily Politics Was Labour right to attack the messenger? There seems to be have been a determined effort by leading Labour figures to deal with part 1 of the Telegraph expenses expose by attacking the messenger – the paper itself. Veteran MP Stuart Bell was on the Daily Politics programme and others this morning were making the same point as though it was not the fault of greedy MPs at all but the beastly press who might have even…

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Has Miliband sacrificed his chances for a push-chair?

Has Miliband sacrificed his chances for a push-chair?

Is he today’s biggest loser from the expenses fracas? This is David Miliband – third favourite in the betting to succeed Gordon Brown as leader of the Labour party and someone who less than a year ago looked as though he might succeed. How the party must be relieved today that his half-hearted bid for the top last July/August fell flat? For otherwise party spinners would have to be explaining such things as why he’d sought to reclaim from us…

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So what are the betting implications of all of this?

So what are the betting implications of all of this?

Daily Telegraph Is it good news for Alan Johnson backers? What an amazing period for political news this is? Last night I went to bed just as the Telegraph’s expenses expose was breaking and I’m only now catching up – so apologies for not getting a specific thread up earlier. What’s really startling is that the paper is promising more, much more, to come and this will include other parties parties and backbenchers. Will what’s revealed this morning be countered…

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Harry Hayfield on the Euro Elections in Wales

Harry Hayfield on the Euro Elections in Wales

Wales (4 seats) If Scotland in 1979 was a two party, Wales in 1979 was a one party state, and that party was Labour. Callaghan may have lost the general election (but Wales served Labour well, as they polled 48% of the Welsh vote) and winning 23 seats of the 40 that were created in 1983. However just as at the moment the Conservatives started their march and by 1983 (despite losing Montgomery to the Alliance) the Conservatives gained 3…

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Can Labour move on from the Gurkhas issue?

Can Labour move on from the Gurkhas issue?

Click to watch When can they get the focus put on Cameron? The political news this afternoon has been dominated, again, by the Gurkhas issue following the rejection by the UK Border Agency of four out of five residency test cases. This follows yesterday’s meeting between the Gurkhas’ campaigner, Joanna Lumley, and Gordon Brown. Today’s decision led to interesting scenes and a hastily organised meeting at the BBC’s Westminster offices between Ms Lumley and the minister responsible, Phil Woolas. Quite…

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